I generally abhor suggestions to meddle with the constitution, particularly to deal with the social issue flavor of the month (school prayer, flag burning, etc.) However, I have two suggestions, and would appreciate your comments.
1) Anyone in favor of repealing the 22nd Amendment? Lame ducks are indeed that, as we have seen 2nd-term presidents routinely decline into scandal and insignificance. As Alexander Hamilton wrote, the president "is to be elected for FOUR years; and is to be re-eligible as often as the people of the
2) Can we PLEASE get rid of recess appointments? John Bolton sits at the United Nations on one, and we just had a new batch of cronies put in place that make you wish for Heckuvajob Brownie. Again, as Hamilton says, "The ordinary power of appointment is confined to the President and Senate JOINTLY, and can therefore only be exercised during the session of the Senate; but as it would have been improper to oblige this body to be continually in session for the appointment of officers and as vacancies might happen IN THEIR RECESS, which it might be necessary for the public service to fill without delay, the succeeding clause is evidently intended to authorize the President, SINGLY, to make temporary appointments "during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session."
This clause was not meant to allow presidents to bypass confirmation, and it has long outlived its usefulness.
7 comments:
I won't address your first question, because it would do little good, as we each have fixed views on the subject that are not subject to persuasion.
With regard to the recess appointments, that is non-partisan. Michelle Malkin, conservative shriekbot, violently opposed the Julie Myers nomination. I call for its elimination because it is being improperly used, and I would object without regard to the party in the White House.
Hi Pete..and Hi Libertarrrrian (was reading your back and forth in the Saco Mine thread...I like your passion, even though, like Pete, I disagree with you).
I think we should either get rid of the 22nd Ammendment or make the term one six year term. I know that makes no sense, but either let us choose how many times we want to elect our presidents or make it a term where he or she will have to shit or get off the pot. No worries about re-election. Push your agenda and let Congress back it or give it a thumbs down.
Frankly though, I'd relish a showdown between "God's chosen" Chimperor Bush and the ultimate sinner (he got a blowjob!!! Goes sceraming in the street), Bill Clinton.
As for recess appointments, anyone have a comparison between the Chimp's and Clinton's.
I kind of like lame duck presidents for two reasons. One, the Executive Branch has become too powerful, and the checks/balances are broken. (Yes, I felt this way about Clinton, too, though I disagreed much less with him.) At least taking 2-3 years off of the end of the term lightens the load.
My second reason is that if you take the limits away, you really jack up the incentive for criminal administrations to hijack the electoral process to ensure their own longevity. Look at all the shenanigans that Drinky came up with in 2004. Any they worked. You want to give him and his crew another shot at it? I don't think so.
OK, I lied. I have a third reason. Term limits are good insurance against Retard Nation's inability to think. Retard Nation residents vote for what they know in the absence of good information or functioning synapses. How else can you explain some of the current congress being elected over and over again, when they are idiots, criminals, do-nothings, or some combination of the three?
Who's the one, btw?
See, I'm a big Barack Obama fan, but he's too liberal for you, I'm sure. Very smart, well-spoken, and thoughtful, at least in my dealings with him.
I've gone to town hall meetings with Obama and watched him interact with people in person.
There are things in the Patriot Act that are useful. There are things that are unconstitutional. Treating it as good or bad as a whole is missing the detail.
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