McClatchy: Clashes between White House, Congress could get (??) bumpy

[babylonsister]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/17212.html

Clashes between White House, Congress could get bumpy
By Michael Doyle | McClatchy Newspapers


WASHINGTON — President Bush and the Democratic-led Congress are on a collision course over White House secrets, a sensitive conflict that's as old as the country itself.

Bush has invoked his war on terrorism to claim unprecedented and virtually unlimited executive powers, unchecked by Congress, the courts and at times even the Constitution.

He's declared that he's free to interpret or ignore laws as he chooses. He's refused to hand over his aides' e-mails to congressional investigators and has declined to let administration officials testify to congressional committees. He nearly provoked a mutiny in his Justice Department by asserting a right to spy on Americans without first getting warrants.

On Thursday, lawmakers revealed that Vice President Dick Cheney has refused to let the government's own Information Security Oversight Office inspect his office for a security audit. Cheney, a champion of vast executive authority, said his office is "not an entity within the executive branch." When the oversight office persisted, said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., Cheney's staffers tried to eliminate its funding.

Even the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, arguably the nation's most conservative, balked last week at Bush's claim that he has the "inherent constitutional authority" to declare suspected terrorists "enemy combatants" and imprison them indefinitely. "The president," the court said, "claims power that far exceeds that granted him by the Constitution."

Now, in this stormy environment, the White House faces a June 28 deadline for responding to congressional subpoenas concerning the firings of nine U.S. attorneys last year. On Thursday, congressional investigators approved new subpoenas over the president's warrantless spying program. Also on Thursday, Congress ratcheted up pressure on Cheney over his claim that he isn't subject to the rules that protect classified information.

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[indie_voter]

1. You think? Better late than never, I suppose. n/t

[Solly Mack]

2. I seriously hope so

I'm to the point that if they came to fist-a-cuffs, I'd run through the streets naked shouting for joy

[glitch]

3. Let's all do it. Show them what a culture war can really look like. nt

[Solly Mack]

4. Naked people running through the streets shouting for joy

You know - it might just work.

[glitch]

5. Could get ugly (speaking for myself only) ;) nt

[Solly Mack]

6. Nah...it would be glorious.

[glitch]

7. I was going to edit my post to say it cheers me up just thinking about it.

Was just on the thread about the Iraqi orphanage, then on the thread from dKos about stem cells, just getting so mad I actually got a headache, and then thinking about a mass of naked Americans running down the street shouting with joy really did alter my mental state, if only for a bit.
Thanks for that Solly Mack. And yes, it would be glorious. :hi:

[Solly Mack]

8. You're welcome, glitch! :o)

Instant anger driven tension headache from the news - I can relate

We'll call it the nothing to hide parade

[glitch]

9. I like it. There will need to be a public trigger, something in the news

something very significant, like impeachment papers filed on Bush. Or Rummy or Rove indicted. Something pre-arranged, and really good, that indicates we are seriously fighting these vermin.

And then spontaneously.. we run.

[smiley_glad_hands]

10. If they want my money they better pick up the pace. eom

[eridani]

11. Let's fecking HOPE so! n/t