Comments on: Reid’s plan to block Bush’s recess appointments.

By: m13

m13 — Mon, 21 May 2007 21:15:28 +0000

Did Clinton turn around and appoint individuals who had not been able to make it thru the Congressional approval process, in effect thumbing his nose at the Legislative branch?

Yep. Several times.

By: m13

m13 — Mon, 21 May 2007 21:14:05 +0000

Iâ€™m pretty sure that Bushâ€™s point of view is that he can make recess appointments during Senate lunch breaks.

There is already precedent. Teddy Roosevelt made several appointments during a 1 day Senate recess.

By: kalyn

kalyn — Mon, 21 May 2007 20:55:29 +0000

Re what Jan wrote in #18 “Why is Bush garnering all of this precedent-setting unitary executive power if we are actually going to have a legitimate election in 2008?” This is exactly my fear. If there was a chance in the world of President Hillary Clinton getting this power, they wouldn’t be going down this road.

By: Mellifluous

Mellifluous — Mon, 21 May 2007 18:08:37 +0000

#52: that’s Adm. Fallon, not Gen.

By: JC

JC — Mon, 21 May 2007 16:27:40 +0000

Can’t Congress pass or amend the law (if one exists) which defines what a recess actually is? If they can define a recess as any time congress is not in session for more than 45 days, then it would not be possible for any president to make recess appointments. And maybe this doesn’t need to be a law so much as a rule of congres or something.

By: Captain America

Captain America — Mon, 21 May 2007 14:50:41 +0000

I supposed it’d be all to easy to use the ole “Clinton” card to squabble about how this is unfair. There is one major, let me reiterate, MAJOR difference, BUSH is a complete and utter failure who consistantly brings in corrupt appointments who are underqualified to positions. Clinton, well, I don’t think anyone can honestly say his tenure was a failure. Reid is doing the only sensible thing to oversee Bush appointments which DESPERATELY need oversight.

By: President Clinton

President Clinton — Mon, 21 May 2007 14:35:58 +0000

Funny enough, I made recess appointments and no one on the left seemed to complain.

they actually loved it when I made recess appointments that would have never been approved by the Republican held Senate.

hmmmmm….I wonder why my left wing fellows are such hypocrites.

By: Karim

Karim — Mon, 21 May 2007 14:29:42 +0000

Go Reid. Give em hell!

By: Samer

Samer — Mon, 21 May 2007 13:16:56 +0000

Two points here:

(1) I think Reid is doing this specifically to prevent a recess appointment of a replacement for Gonzales or any other Cabinet-level posts. If the odd ambassadorship goes through, so be it. But could you imagine, say, Bush pardoning Bob Ney and then naming him AG?

(2) The Senate can’t hold an impeachment trial until/unless someone is impeached by the House. So if you want to see Gonzales impeached, “yell” at the House, not Harry.

By: zxz

zxz — Mon, 21 May 2007 13:14:13 +0000

Are we looking at the possibility of a miliatry coup to take Bush out of office? And, are we also looking at the possibility of an extremist-evangelical military coup determined to keep Bush in office at all cost? This could all get a LOT scarier before it gets better.
Comment by the republic of stupidity â€” May 20, 2007 @ 7:48 pm

What country do you LIVE in? How ridiculous can you be? Yeah, a military coup right here in the good ole U.S. of A. You need to work on developing some courage so you aren’t so scared all the time. And maybe get a sense of reality while you’re at it.

By: Linda

Linda — Mon, 21 May 2007 11:51:49 +0000

Go Harry!

By: Kate Henry

Kate Henry — Mon, 21 May 2007 04:35:10 +0000

“Repugs are all over the media saying that the Dems havenâ€™t accomplished anything – that theyâ€™re failures – that they have let the people down”

Well the Repugs are right, the Democrats haven’t been able to accomplish anything. But, it is not for lack of trying. It is for the lack of a veto proof majority. Between the Repubs stonewalling, filibustering and Bush’s threats of vetos, it has been quite impossible for the Democrats to get any legislation passed. So, I say, stop trying. Just tell the public that since the Repugs are going to stop them from getting any legislation through, they will spend the next two years investigating the Bush Crime Family. After 6 years of no accountability and oversight, I think two years of oversight is in order. And then impeach Bush. It doesn’t matter if he is out of office before the impeachment can be accomplished. Just placing articles of impeachment on him is necessary to show the American public that we are still a country of laws and that the people breaking the laws must be held accountable.

Think about it Repugs….do you really want a Democratic President to have the kind of power that Bush has created. Do you really want to see the Democrats turn every branch of the government into an arm of the Democratic party?

By: Kate Henry

Kate Henry — Mon, 21 May 2007 04:21:13 +0000

Good on him! This whole recess appointment thing should be done away with altogether. Or, it should say that a president can appoint someone during a recess, but the minute the congress is back in session, that recess appointment either has to come up for confirmation or the person has to leave.

It’s really too bad that the Democrats need to have “tricks up their sleeves” to stop Bush from doing what he does so well – screw with the public.

By: the republic of stupidity

the republic of stupidity — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:48:00 +0000

I thought Clinton, not Bush, used recess appointments 169 times? And, yes, some of those were individuals who were not able to make it thru the Congressional approval process, in effect thumbing his nose at the Legislative branch.

Joel, according to Wikipedia, Clinton made 140 recess appointments and Bush 167.

By: RUCerious

RUCerious — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:44:25 +0000

Jeez, don’t tell Gannon about the ‘quickie’ sessions, he’ll be roaming the halls of Congress looking to get in on the action.

By: lib4

lib4 — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:36:49 +0000

If Reid was playing poker he would tell GWB

“I caught the nut flush on the flop so bet at your own risk”

What kind of asine jackass would show their hand 4 months before.

Idiot Reid

By: Marie

Marie — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:25:59 +0000

Charlie,
No, threats are not enough, but I continue to have hope that Reid and Pelosi will follow through on their warnings with actions.
Personally, I want a lot more action in Congress, and a lot faster — but it doesn’t work that way. I am trying to remain hopeful.

By: worldly mother

worldly mother — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:07:37 +0000

Now I may reconsider and vote Democratic. But they better keep up the offense.

That Iraqi oil law is an abomination of Democratic principles. I’m waiting to see how they handle it in lieu of this new development:
” Iraqi Vice President Opposes Draft Oil Bill”
Iraq — Tariq al-Hashimi, Head of Iraqi Islamic party and Sunni leader, addresses to the media during a press conference in the headquarters of Iraqi Islamic party in Baghdad, 30 Mar. 2006
Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi (file photo)
(epa)
May 20, 2007 — Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi says he opposes a draft oil law, saying it gives too many concessions to foreign oil companies.

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/5/56e63227-06cf-4915-90ec-30caec4427cc.html

Bravo!
He’s willing to stand up to Bush and Cheney.

Let’s see how brave Harry and Nancy really are.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Mon, 21 May 2007 02:54:43 +0000

Marie:

So, it’s enough for you that Reid and Pelosi continue to issue empty “threats”?

By: Marie

Marie — Mon, 21 May 2007 02:50:47 +0000

Repugs are all over the media saying that the Dems haven’t accomplished anything – that they’re failures – that they have let the people down – yet, threats like this from Reid are manna for many of us.
Continue to show everyone that Bush is the problem; stymie his abuses of power — let him embarass himself.

Go, Reid — show Bush that there are others who can play the game too.