Newest McCain official: President has "near dictatorial powers"

[LTR]

Bill Kristol today proudly announces that one of his Weekly Standard staff members, Michael Goldfarb, was just named the Deputy Communications Director of the McCain campaign. Last April, this newest McCain official participated in a conference call with former Senator George Mitchell, during which Mitchell advocated a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Afterwards, this is what Goldfarb wrote about what he thinks are the powers the President possesses in our country:

Mitchell's less than persuasive answer : "Congress is a coequal branch of government...the framers did not want to have one branch in charge of the government."

True enough, but they sought an energetic executive with near dictatorial power in pursuing foreign policy and war. So no, the Constitution does not put Congress on an equal footing with the executive in matters of national security.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/06/02/goldfarb/index.html

[americanstranger]

1. Yeah, but once Obama becomes president...

...you watch how fast they try to take those powers away.

- as

[phantom power]

3. exactly. "dictatorial... except for democrats"

[Selatius]

2. So, the president has the power to dictate the US into a war that could break the US as a nation.

Yeah, I'm sure the Framers of the US Constitution intended that for the White House. :sarcasm:

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Sadly Adams might have agreed

and we all know what happened during his term

[usregimechange]

4. Fascists

[rug]

5. Then it's good the people have actual revolutionary power.

[Selatius]

8. Careful now, the English Crown will have you hung for advocating sedition.

Can't have any rabble-rousers causing mischief. Loyalty to King and Country! That's what this is! :sarcasm:

[mikehiggins]

7. Well, maybe, but if Congress had any sort of backbone it would

simply refuse to pay the bill or authorise the actions of the Executive Branch.

Even LBJ had to stage a phony attack to win support for the Viet Nam disaster.