I’ll be a minority, that’s where, and these days that can be very useful. 
The problem wasn’t the distance. Gonzalez and Bush were close, but not as close as Jack and Bobby Kennedy. The problem was the blatant politicization of the Justice Department.
There are two big problems with the census. The first, with the hardware, was already mentioned. One that has been around for a while is measurement error. Though this goes against the intuition of most Americans, error from using sampling to compute actual population and distributions is probably less then the measurement error you get having fallible census takers try to track every single person down. I bet Obama knows that, or understands it, and perhaps he is going to try to force some more accuracy into the results.
If there is any sign of hiding data or fudging it, then it is time to yell.
Of course using Cheney logic the president isn’t a member of the Executive branch anyway. Since he’s sworn in by the Chief Justice and appoints Justices, he’s clearly a member of the Judicial.
Nixon establishes that executive privilege exists. I’m not challenging that point. What I’m challenging is your assertion that direct oversight of an executive agency is itself sufficient for the members of the agency to claim the privilege under Congressional subpoena. I know of no reason to think that true, and I wonder what part of Nixon do you think supports that point?
Keep in mind that Nixon explicitly states “we are not here concerned with the balance between the President’s generalized interest in confidentiality . . . and congressional demands for information.” And remember that Nixon rejects the use of executive privilege as it was asserted.
Executive privilege is notoriously vague because the Supreme Court doesn’t like to rule on it. But that doesn’t mean we can’t draw broad outlines. Just imagine the implications of your understanding of executive privilege. If direct White House oversight of any executive branch program means that program is not subject to congressional review, the executive could easily–and legally in your view–deny Congress review of the entire branch by simply sending the Chief of Staff all around town every day. Under your theory, if the President decides to directly review the spending of TARP funds instead of having it go through Geithner, then TARP stops being subject to Congressional oversight. That may be the Bush view of executive privilege, but I see no basis for it in law.
Because it’s all them librul Democrat spawns o’ the devil doin’ it!
Don’t ya see?!?!?! We’re doomed!
:eek:
[Brain] We’re going to take over the world [/Brain]
Yeah, but aside from that…
While I don’t buy that Obama will abuse this new power, we do know that executive privilege has been routinely abused in past by Reps and Dems. I see a kernel of concern in this move. The census should remain subject to congressional review without the possibility of this or future Presidents blocking attempts to review.
Now comparing this to Bush’s worse offenses is quite frankly offensive. Clothahump get real. How do you compare this to manipulating intelligence data to justify a war with Iraq, ordering Colin Powell to sacrifice his integrity to push for an unjustified war, allowing Cheney to arrange for contracts to companies he had interests in, the Katrina failure, authorizing water boarding and phone taps and of course presiding over an economic meltdown that falls just short of Hoover.
'Cause this time it’s a Democrat who did it. Duh.
Well there is that, but I was hoping **Clothahump **would either better explain his reasoning or admit that it does not really compare.
How long you been here?
Long enough to have participated in pile-ons on **Clothahump **but I guess I try to hold out hope and I try to meet him part way. I like him when the issue isn’t politics. I think I have seen him begrudgingly give in on a point or two over the Iraq War when he was still pitting Liberals for hating America or whatever those pittings were he did a few years back.
Now I feel bad. :dubious:
You’re right…when he’s not talking politics, he generally seems like a nice guy. IIRC, he works with disadvantaged kids (through karate teaching? Something like that?), which is a mark to the “decent” column for anyone.
Dammit…why d’ya have to make me rethink my kneejerk cynicism? 
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
What a fucking idiotic OP. Clothahump, you embarrass yourself.
Oh, why stop at sixteen? President-for-Life has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?
He’ll never be confirmed. That dude is terrible at doing his taxes.
ETA: oops, I remember him miscounting. maybe it takes him too long? forget it.
“ONE! ONE homosexual african-american with health insurance and internet access living in New England!”
[lightning crashes]
AHH! AHH! AHHHH!
“TWO! TWO homosexual african-americans with health insurance and internet access living in New England!”
[lightning crashes]
AHH! AHH! AHHHH!
[Obama checks his watch]
You owe me a new keyboard. Marley owes me a monitor. Please send ASAP.
Okay, here’s a question: apart from that link in my first post, I really haven’t been paying attention much to claims of what Obama could do, exactly, with this (for obvious reasons). Does anyone else have a better idea than I? Are ALL their fears based on some kind of ignorance of government in that area? Because there IS an awful lot of screaming (though obviously, that alone means exactly nothing).