Huh huh. Huh huh huh huh huh. Huh huh huh.
“Fart.”
Thank goodness we’ve got the Judicial Branch to fall back on in times like these.
Don’t forget the Cheney branch. We’ve got that one, too-- at least for another 18 months!
If its a sturdy enough branch, perhaps we can throw the rope over it? Make for a nice touch.
Heh. Gotta love gallows humor.
ETA: not that I think you’re kidding, luc’. 
Well, it’s good to know that some people don’t think our executive should have any oversight. I’ll remember that when a Democrat gets elected.
Only if the legislative-executive conflict leads to a lawsuit or some other form of court case.
Which might well happen. E.g., if a Congressional committee subpoenas Rove and he fails to appear.
Otherwise, the SCOTUS can’t simply be asked to decide the matter. I recall from Con Law I, George Washington once sent a proposed treaty to the SCOTUS, asking for an advisory opinion on its constitutionality. They replied, in essence, we can’t do that; as a court of law, we can only make rulings in connection with actual cases in controversy.
Oh, the mad scramble that will ensue, along with the Hillarity!
“War on Terror is over, and we won! Yaaaay! No need for all those special Unitarian Executive thingys, cancel all of those, 'cause its over and we won! Wheww, what a relief to have that over with! Now the President is just a president, and not the Maximum Leader anymore, because we don’t need that like we did before!..”
They can impact the budget of executive.
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Democrats_plan_to_cut_Cheney_out_0623.html
Part of the checks and balances is still intact. Will piss of the Bushies if Dems do it.
I was just jokin’. When it comes to these old sacks of shit I’ve got more faith in the judges on “So You Think You Can Dance.” At least Nigel listens to the client.
Good observation, Cid. Maybe we should capitalize government. Make the bastards earn their pay.
The Bush Admin has already privatized a lot of public functions, and not with happy results.
That’s interesting, except that it’s a comment on the opposite of what I said.
How exactly would you “capitalize government,” then?
I am, just slightly, more skeptical that you are that a Democratic President would readily reliquish the extra-consititutional powers that Bush has fought with such vigor to retain. I am, with some enthusiasm, awating the time when the United States Congress (of whichever party) realizes again that it is, in fact, a co-equal branch of government, and says to the President (of whichever party), “Umm, excuse me?”
Oh, I definitely favor de-emphasizing the Executive in favor of the Legislature, Right Party, Left Party or Very Silly Party. I am really thoroughly sick of this shit, big time and down town.
My comments above has to do with them scrambling before she takes office, starting with the Document Shredding for Victory Act of 2008
I did not mean that by ‘oversight’, Congress is in ‘control’ of the executive branch.
But what Mr. Snow is claiming is that Congress has no authority whatsoever to investigate the executive branch or otherwise interfere in the Grand Plan of the Bush administration.
Hell, judging by the presidential signing statements, I don’t think they particularly believe that Congress has any business passing laws…
By paying them when and only when they succeed, just like other industries and services. Let there be risk to what they do. Let them lose money when they fail miserably.
Yes, the president has powers and duties specific to the office. Some of those powers and duties come from the constitution and others come from legislation passed by congress. For example there is no power in the consittuion for the president to have a press secretary. That was established by legislation and if it hadn’t been it wouldn’t be possible to pay Tony Snow’s salary.
By far the majority of executive department functions and the money to pay for them are authorized by legislation. Congress has the right and the duty to examine how that legislation and the money spent pursant to its passage are being administered by the executive department.
Congress also has the right and the duty to look into whether or not the powers granted an executive office by legislation are being exceeded or misused.
You mean like when executives get multi-million dollar bonuses for laying off a large part of their workforce so that they can show an a temporary “profit” to the stockholders?