Mr. President, this is a constitutional republic, and, absent an indictment, you do not have the goddamn authority to order my dog Libby to show up in your office.Word.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
QotD: At ease, there, Mr. President Edition
Regarding Mr. Obama's alleged "ordering" of House leadership to meet with him (at least, that's how it's being phrased in the media), The Travis McGee Reader notes:
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23 comments:
Thank you Tam. I'm afraid I blew my cool and actually yelled back at my electric teevee when he reported his royal summons. Something like ".. you cheap (nine-letter word); you claim to have taught constitutional law at a great university?"
Later there was a pleasant dinner party and a good night's sleep, leading to this morning's feeling that I shouldn't have been at all surprised.
I'm looking forward to the day when someone in Congress tells him, "Hush, grownups are talking."
When it is broadcast on national TV the obligation to refer to something as "alleged" is summarily suspended.
I coughed a bit when I heard it. Was somewhat ambivalent between disappointment and a bit of pride at his restraint when the Speaker about an hour later quietly responded to a questioner that he planned to attend the meeting. They seem so much larger than the pettifogger in the White House.
@TBeck - I'm guessing that was what was said that caused bho to stomp out of the meeting last week in a hissy fit.
Small point of clarification - the President does have the authority to order any active duty (and possibly reserve... not sure on the technicalities of that) military member to appear in his office, should he so desire.
That is about it, though.
Linoge,
...and probably the employees of federal agencies in the executive branch, although I'm not certain.
My word for today is "Override". As in "Veto Override".
Let us see the Congress work something out, something responsible (maybe something that includes rescinding all tax deductions for political, religious, and charitable contributions) and cuts Corporate and capital gains taxes, and terminates the Food Safety Administration, ObamaCare, National Animal Identification System, Homeland Security, Dept of Ed, ATF (since the IRS doesn't need it), DEA, etc.
Let Congress put together a package, without involving or telling the President, pass it -- and if B. Hussein Obama, in disrespect to the Democratic party as well as Congress, vetoes the thing -- then Congress has an opportunity to override that veto, and make their package law in spite of any cronies of the President, and pressures on the President, or interests of the President.
Override. I like that word.
Constitutional republic, stop it, you're killing me. That was snark, wasn't it? You didn't tag it that way.
Constitutional, snort, giggle, republic, guffaw. Next thing you know someone will say we're the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Checks & balances. They write the check & I'm stuck with paying the balance.
If the Congress suddenly grows a pair, then this would be over in a few days. But, beware the over-powerful Congress. The Radical Republicans of the 1870's come to mind.
Our system works when all three branches beat each other to a draw... & the people govern themselves.
Ulises from CA
Hey, the Republican house passed a bill to deal with this because neither the President nor the Senate were doing anything about it. The senate can pass, and the President sign, the house-passed bill or they can solve it themselves.
At least the House has enough balls to DO something rather than just blame the opposition.
Obama's total lack of cojones makes me think his daughters were fathered by a donor.
Lewis,
"Constitutional republic, stop it, you're killing me. That was snark, wasn't it? You didn't tag it that way."
No. I'm not shutting up. I'm not keeping quiet. Just because they keep breaking the rules doesn't mean I'm going to just acquiesce every time I see 'em doing it now. I'm gonna bitch all the way through the gates of the gulag. If they don't like it, they can come shoot me.
Oh, and the State department was caught running guns to the Zetas .... wheeeee.
When does the Department of Education start selling guns? Kids need school funding!
TBeck:
Congress = adults are talking?
Really?
Tam:
The "stop it, you're killing me" was, I hasten to assure you, entirely metaphorical. And I certainly didn't mean "shut up."
It's just that it's hard for me to take statements like this is a constitutional republic seriously, unless they're qualified with things like "in theory, at least" or "at least we used to be" or "ha ha ha ha ha, damn that was funny." Or, "this is a constitutional republic, depending on what the meaning of the word is is."
My dear old tia used to remind me that there were whole echelons of carnivores out there just waiting to fold, spindle and mutilate me; I figure she was right.
Hey, I know you've been packing the bowcaster for so long the mind of man remembereth not. And the straw that finally broke this camel's back was way back when Bill Clinton started bombing Serbia. Should have been a lot sooner. But I've acquiesced. Argued, yes, fulminated, yes, pissed off a lot of people I thought were my friends, yes. And acquiesced, yes. Tied down, I suppose, by the fact that these are my people, that this is my land, by cowardice, by the easy living.
But we're not a constitutional republic, anymore than Augustus was first among equals, and we haven't been for a long time.
But (tap tap tap goes the foot, for emphasis) once more, "stop it, you're killing me" is a set phrase, and doesn't mean shut up.
George Washington was offered the kingship of America and he turned it down. I think perhaps my biggest problem with Barack Obama is that I don't believe for a second that he would do the same.
MisterV, I think the problem is that Obama thinks it was offered to him. Chris Muir draws a hilarious "Sunking" Obama.
I mentioned the McGee quote to someone I know who tends toward the socialist side of things(if you define 'socialist' as 'one small slide right of flat-out communist') and her reply? "He's the POTUS, if he says you're going, you go."
Apparently 'socialist' means "When MY guy is in the Oval Office, you take orders."
Firehand:
Apparently that's what "Republican" means, too.
What's Sad is that they showed up in response to His Imperial Decree.
As to Bitchin all the way to the Gulag: some of us ain't going behind the wire, unless we were unconscious or severely wounded. I've been behind the Iron Curtain ONCE.
Lewis, considering this came from someone who considered the Evviillllle BOOSH! to be the real-thing dictator-type politician, and who applauded anyone who said 'no' to him about anything, I find it interesting she became so "The POTUS has ordered; so let it be written, so let it be done."
Damn, I miss John D. MacDonald.
Firehand:
It's amazing how our affiliations can blind us to our inconsistent standards and positions, isn't it?
(I, uh, am not entirely blameless in this regard my own self, but I strive for at least a non-foolish consistency. My little mind has OTHER hobgoblins to deal with!)
UN PRESIDENT TIM KALEMKARIAN,US PRESIDENT TIM KALEMKARIAN, US SENATE TIM KALEMKARIAN, US HOUSE TIM KALEMKARIAN: BEST MAJOR CANDIDATE.
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