Devious SOB
Okay, the Weed is now officially over the line. In what cannot be seen as anything other than an act of outright defiance and (in my opinion) reckless arrogance, Bush subverted both Houses of Congress by shoving Bolton into the U.N. post while Congress is in recess.
This is not what the provision for recess appointments exists for. The phrase “misuse of power” leaps to mind.
You have to ask yourself which portions of Bush’s behavior are parts of the good old boy persona he’s affected, which are just plain dumb stubbornness, and which are manifestations of mental deficiency or instability.
This act says to me that Bush genuinely has no respect for the checks and balances of our government.
It’s this simple: if you can’t get an up-or-down vote on your nominee, then you need to nominate someone else. It’s that simple. You don’t get everything you want. The system is designed that way. A narrow win of the presidency does not mean that you’re in charge of the entire government; a simple party majority in either or both houses doesn’t mean you’re in charge of the entire government; part of what democracy’s about is the prevention of that sort of exclusive rule.
My reaction, at this point, is a mix of outrage, revulsion and fear. Both as a man of conscience and a member of several minorities, this display of moral and ethical bankruptcy angers and scares the hell out of me.
This is not what the provision for recess appointments exists for. The phrase “misuse of power” leaps to mind.
You have to ask yourself which portions of Bush’s behavior are parts of the good old boy persona he’s affected, which are just plain dumb stubbornness, and which are manifestations of mental deficiency or instability.
This act says to me that Bush genuinely has no respect for the checks and balances of our government.
It’s this simple: if you can’t get an up-or-down vote on your nominee, then you need to nominate someone else. It’s that simple. You don’t get everything you want. The system is designed that way. A narrow win of the presidency does not mean that you’re in charge of the entire government; a simple party majority in either or both houses doesn’t mean you’re in charge of the entire government; part of what democracy’s about is the prevention of that sort of exclusive rule.
My reaction, at this point, is a mix of outrage, revulsion and fear. Both as a man of conscience and a member of several minorities, this display of moral and ethical bankruptcy angers and scares the hell out of me.
posted by Greg! | 3:57 PM
4 Comments:
Thing is, he COULD'VE gotten an up or down vote. It wasn't the threat of a filibuster keeping the process stalled -- it was that the Senate requested documents the White House didn't want to disclose. It wasn't that he couldn't get an up or down vote -- it was that he was afraid of releasing enough information to permit an up or down vote.
"Outrage, revulsion and fear." Yeah, that about sums it up.
Bolton's a dick, but the nation and the world are probably safer with him at the UN than in the State Department. Soon he'll start acting like himself, and all the other diplomats will treat him accordingly. I don't see how he could make our reputation among other nations any worse than it already is.
My reaction is more of smug satisfaction, honestly. This recess appointment came as no surprise, and it makes Bush look really bad. It reinforces his image as a stubborn, spoiled, secretive man who does anything to get what he wants, no matter what it does to his credibility. It drives another wedge between the Prez and the Senate. The recess appt was as much a victory as the Democrats could realistically achieve in this situation.
My outrage, revulsion and fear all came when Bolton was nominated. I haven't got any left for his actual appointment.
Still and all, anything that keeps Michael Bolton too busy to sing can'tr be all bad.
Wait... this is JOHN Bolton?
My mistake. This IS all bad.
Post a Comment
<< Home