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“Everybody Knows the Clock is Ticking"
Yet nobody knows what time it is.
By Jim Kirwan
06/28/07 "ICH"
-- -- For most of the last ten days the news from Washington
has been punctuated by the bizarre antics of Dick Cheney – the
man that puts the ‘Vice’ in the US presidency. History gave us
all a lesson during the Nixon years and Watergate, when the line
between the laws and those who either make or enforce those laws
was re-emphasized. No one then was allowed to place themselves
above or beyond the law. That clock continues to tick: but
apparently a lot of people have forgotten that presidents are
not gods (or dictators), and that no president is or can ever
be, allowed to remain above the laws of this nation that they
supposedly lead.
Cheney and his apologists have been making a lot of noise about
‘facts not in evidence,’ concerning his vices within his role is
this government. The claims being made by both Cheney and his
invisible staff stretch credulity beyond the breaking point. He
is currently claiming that he has a legislative role, because of
his capacity as the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. According
to the Constitution that does not make the-Vice a part of the
legislative branch of government, anymore than it allows him to
act as the White House Chief of Staff, without that title being
formally conferred.
As for all of Cheney’s “other functions” that have been ‘given’
to him by what has become an “absent without leave president”
who is unwilling or unable to do those jobs that are his by
virtue of his office. These additional duties should have been
challenged at every turn by oversight committees of the
Congress—but they gave themselves a semi-permanent vacation
after they gave Cheney-Bush that “License to Kill” that enabled
the unchecked Invasion of Iraq. Consequently not only has the
‘Decider’ been allowed to go berserk, but apparently Cheney has
been acting for Bush in so many different “official” capacities
that no one can tell where one man leaves off and the other
begins. (1)
On first glace this seems complex—but in reality if one returns
to the basics, there can be no confusion. There is only one
president of the United States at a time. The Vice-president is
nothing but an empty suit in waiting whose only other ‘official’
task is to break tie votes in the Senate. Every other job that
is given to The-Vice should be delegated on the record and be
transparent enough that the public is aware of the duty thus
delegated by the president and approved by the congress!
However when all of this is done in secret, even from the other
cabinet officers within the government: then questions arise.
But no one officially questioned this steady stream of new and
dubious ‘responsibilities’ that The-Vice has given to himself.
(2)
The Constitution was written, in part, to give some order to the
officers and responsibilities within the government: its
definitions and responsibilities cannot be changed without
written laws to the contrary. Yet both Cheney and Bush have
placed themselves above and beyond the laws that govern this
Republic: and for that just like Nixon, these two Outlaws must
be held accountable. Nixon was impeached – then allowed to
resign – because too many others in congress would have gone
down with him, if his case had been tried before the Senate.
Perhaps the same is true today—maybe that’s why “Impeachment is
off the table!” according to Nancy Pelosi?
One thing is extremely clear: The current confusion over who is
actually pulling the strings of this government needs to be
sorted out on the record and in public. On Democracy Now today:
“White House Subpoenaed for Domestic Spying Docs
The Senate Judiciary Committee has issued subpoenas ordering the
Bush administration to turn over key documents on the National
Security Agency program of spying on Americans without court
warrants. On Wednesday, subpoenas were delivered to the offices
of President Bush, Vice President Cheney, the national security
adviser and the Justice Department. The Judiciary Committee is
seeking internal discussions on the program’s legality and the
text of agreements with telecommunications companies that have
aided the spying.
Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy: “We've had a consistent
pattern of evasion and misdirection. In some ways it would have
been better if they just ignored it. Instead they've evaded and
they've tried misdirection. It’s unacceptable. It is
stonewalling of the worse kind and I think the reaction is
spreading to both parties in the senate.”
The subpoenas could set off a new legal showdown with the White
House, which has until July Eighteenth to comply.”
“Roll Call reports today that President Bush has requested $4.75
million in fiscal 2008 to fund the Vice President’s operations
(parts of which are housed, notably, in the Executive Office
Building.)” $4.75 million for a government position that the
constitution gives virtually no complex duties to, regardless of
this so-called state of war. . . In this light Mary Lyon asks us
all: “Are you Okay with this?” (3)
It’s our money that is being used; our people that are wearing
the uniforms that are prosecuting the wars of occupation, and
our reputation that is being shredded in service to completely
unworkable policies the world over. Millions of people have
died; millions more have been displaced or mutilated in these
unilateral military actions that were created from nothing more
than a huge pack of deliberate and deceptive lies. Like it or
not the facts on the ground belong to us - just as according to
Bush himself: ‘He owns the Iraq War.’
It’s way past time for both Cheney & Bush to begin to pay for
their actions, in public, and on the record. These two must
answer those subpoenas and appear before the congress—and the
public needs to keep the heat on the White House—to do just
that!
kirwanstudios@sbcglobal.net
Notes
Cheney and Bush Declare Autonomous Dictatorial Powers
http://thetruthproject.us/2007/06/25/cheney-and-bush-declare-autonomous-dictatorial-powers/
The Life & Career of Dick Cheney – Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/gallery/070622/GAL-07Jun22-78888/index.html
And You’re Okay With This?
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_mary_lyo_070626__22and_you_re_okay_wit.htm
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