Addington: Vice President Isn’t Part Of Executive Branch, ‘Attached’ To Legislative
Addington: Vice President Isn’t Part Of Executive Branch, ‘Attached’ To Legislative
In a protracted battle with the National Archives last year, Vice President Dick Cheney sought to avoid submitting records to the archives by claiming that the office of the vice president is not part of the executive branch. During today’s House Judiciary Committee hearing, Cheney’s chief of staff David Addington reasserted that position, declaring the vice president’s office to be a separate entity that “attached” to the legislative branch:
REP. STEVE COHEN (D-TN): Mr. Addington, what branch are we in?
ADDINGTON: Sir, perhaps the best that can be said is that the vice president belongs neither to the executive nor to the legislative branch, but is attached by the constitution to the latter. […]
COHEN: So he’s a member of the legislative branch?
ADDINGTON: No I said he’s attached to the latter.
Watch it:
The assertion is ridiculous. President Bush and Cheney have themselves repeatedly tied the office of the President and Vice President together in the executive branch, not to mention the White House and the Senate websites. In fact, there is video showing Cheney lauding the strength of the vice presidency, asserting that “the vice president’s become an important part of the administration of the executive branch“:
In fact, in 2001 Cheney sought to avoid a lawsuit over his energy task force by claiming that a congressional probe “would unconstitutionally interfere with the functioning of the executive branch.”
Despite Politico’s Mike Allen’s claim last June that Addington and Cheney were “throwing in the towel on the claim that the vice president is distinct from the executive branch,” the next month Cheney continued to insist that the Vice President’s office is a “unique creature.”
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The only thing this VP is attached to is Satan at the hip.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:12 pmCheney would be better off arguing that the executive branch is attached to the vice president’s office. At least that argument would reflect the way office flow chart at the whitehouse these days.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:15 pmCheney continued to insist that the Vice President’s office is a “unique creature.”
Well, the Vice-President himself could be charitably described that way…
OT: Bush hits new low in the LA Times Bloomberg poll:
The survey found public approval of the president’s job performance at a new low for a Times/Bloomberg poll: 23%, compared with 73% disapproval.
Fifty-one percent of voters said they had a “positive feeling” about the Democratic Party; 29% said that of the Republican Party.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:15 pmRidiculous. Such a tangled web to hide so many atrocities. These wingnuts are redefining EVERYTHING as they go, including the Constitution.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:15 pmThis is the most ridiculous bunch of bs ever!They make my head twirl! He is the second in line to the President. The president is the chief executive! Cheney is not part of the Congress. He only votes if there is a tie.
This administration has no shame, and guys, we are sick of your spin and your lies! Thank God, they will be out of office soon.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:16 pmThere’s been nothing like this crowd. They break Federal Laws everyday while we are consumed with the Bread and Circus thrown at us.
Reinvestigate 9/11.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:17 pmImpeach.
Get these criminals frogg marched into a cell! And Impeach both War Criminals, Chenney and Bush!
June 26th, 2008 at 2:18 pmCut his Executive Branch power and funding then.
Time for Bush to resume his golf game and forget about American politics.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:19 pmAnd there’s a precedent for VP’s staff personnel being in on deliberative meetings and offering opinions to the president and his staff.
But, did the president and his staff defer so much to this constitutional oddity, that it constitutes an abrogation of his sworn constitutional duties, as president. In that arena, there is evidence, good enough to start an impeachment investigation.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:20 pmCheney is a “unique creature” — perhaps he is a demon sent to earth to destroy American Democracy.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:21 pmHis steel heart is actually a communication device to his home base in a galaxy far away.
Perhap’s you all would be more in tune with how all these polatician’s really think if you would consider who really has been (running) our country into the ground..The pupett master or the pupett.? The circus owner or the barker who tries to sell you into buying more ball’s to throw into the fish bowl’s..Front and far reich or behind the scene’s….Shredder any one.?…..Blessings
June 26th, 2008 at 2:22 pmSo the VP is not part of the executive branch - but if Bush were to die, they would tap Cheney from wherever he lurks and put him in the oval office.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:23 pmWhere did these guys learn the Constitution? They have obviously written their own “unique” verison.
Cheney was just voted the Most Evil Person of All Time by People magazine…
June 26th, 2008 at 2:23 pmA unique creature indeed. With the looks, personality, and intelligence of the loaf I pinched this morning.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:23 pmWe never heard of the unitary executive prior to the Reagan administration. We never heard of this weird jurisdictional argument concerning the VP until the Bush administration. This is really no different than when I had to deal with my children when they were very, very young. You know, they would twist everything and question every little ambiguity in a statement to justify what they want to do. You would set them down and talk a little commonsense into their heads. You know, stop the BS, we all know what was meant by our statement.
We have little children in charge of our executive department. It would be one thing to deal with a child stretching the meaning of a parent’s clear instructions. (You told me not to have junk food, this is pop it is a drink not a food.) However, these games represent a very imminent, clear and present danger to this government. I have waited in vain for the Congress to take real action on these issues. We will now see a continued downward spiral of the constitutional safeguards in this system.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:25 pmActually, Darth Cheney’s office is neither a part of the executive nor the legislative branch. Darth is actually the head of the little-known fourth branch of government which is referred to as “An Undisclosed Location”.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:26 pmAt least we can always count on rogerse to parrot the BushCo line, no matter how absurd, ridiculous or stupid it may be.
In fact, the more absurd, ridiculous and stupid, the better rogerse seems to like it.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:27 pmHey, ralph. rogerse is one neuron short of a synapse. He can’t help it. He was born st-u-u-u-u-u-pid.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:28 pmFrom the link so generously provided by rog:
Several framers ultimately refused to sign the Constitution, in part because they viewed the vice president’s legislative role as a violation of the separation of powers doctrine.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:29 pmCheney is, indeed, a ‘unique creature’.
Creature features include…
-Speaking out of both sides of his mouth
-Shooting Judges in the face
-5 deferments to avoid serving his Country
-Speaking with a forked tongue
-Lying to Americans about Iraq
-Lying to Americans about outing a covert CIA agent
-Lying to Americans about potential nuclear materials
-Holding White House Iraq Group meetings prior to 9/11
-Supporting secret spying on American citizens
-Lying about spying
-Lying about how American soldiers would be greeted in Iraq
-Lying about his office’s place in government
-Arranging no bid, cost plus contracts for his own company
-Supporting torture that’s been banned by the Geneva protocol
-Supporting big oil’s efforts to rape American consumers
But, he has an answer to his actions…
SO?
June 26th, 2008 at 2:29 pmSo funny! Laughable nonsense on par with Saddam’s delusions.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:32 pmAnd Obama supports their retroactive immunity!
.
CHENEY IS A LEACH!
.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:34 pmWhich fact? Do you mean this one:
At least we can always count on rogerse to parrot the BushCo line, no matter how absurd, ridiculous or stupid it may be.
In fact, the more absurd, ridiculous and stupid, the better rogerse seems to like it.
You’re welcome.
… or did you mean that some refused to sign teh Constitution because a legislative role for the VP violated the “separation of powers” doctrine?
But… how could that be, unless the VP was a part of another branch of the government? Did they have the mysterious fourth branch, the “Undisclosed Location” branch back then?
June 26th, 2008 at 2:35 pmSo he’s a barnacle?
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 26th, 2008 at 2:35 pmZimzone you forgot a couple of major issues…cheney was in charge of all our air way’s on 9/11.Interesting fact…cheney picked himself for VP…..Maybe every one should look who is going to be VP for their candidate’s before they vote….Take a hard look maybe…Now that the present VP has all the power…Blessings
June 26th, 2008 at 2:35 pmRogerse:
From your own link:
“Several framers ultimately refused to sign the Constitution, in part because they viewed the vice president’s legislative role as a violation of the separation of powers doctrine.”
Now why would they feel that way if the VP was not part of another branch of govt, i.e. the EXECUTIVE BRANCH?
“During the twentieth century, the role of the vice president has evolved into more of an executive branch position. Now, the vice president is usually seen as an integral part of a president’s administration and presides over the Senate only on ceremonial occasions or when a tie-breaking vote may be needed. Yet, even though the nature of the job has changed, it is still greatly affected by the personality and skills of the individual incumbent.”
See those words “executive branch” in there? Also, the person who wrote this had no idea how true that last sentence is when they wrote it.
“During the twentieth century, the focus of the vice-presidency has shifted dramatically from being mainly a legislative position to a predominately executive post.”
Your hero, Dick Cheney, cannot have it both ways. If he’s strictly legislative, then he cannot claim executive privilege on ANYTHING. If he is strictly executive, then he must turn over the records he refuses to turn over because he’s says he’s legislative.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:36 pmthanks for proving that fact, which upset some at the time.
Rog, do you understand that the reason they were upset is that the EXECUTIVE branch would have undue influnce over the LEGISLATIVE and that they thought that THAT violated the seperation of powers?
That the vice-president is considered part of the EXECUTIVE branch with duties in the LEGISLATIVE?
But more importantly, why does Cheney so desperatly need the vice-president’s office to exist in an orginizational limbo that no one can argue the framers intended?
June 26th, 2008 at 2:37 pmSo rogerse,
What State was Cheney elected to represent?
… Israel?
June 26th, 2008 at 2:37 pmSo, rog… if Cheney’s not part of the executive branch (which you seem to be arguing), then do you agree that testimony on his energy task force is not subject to Executive Privilege? How about the role of his office in the Valerie Plame outing? Or the US Attorneys firing scandal?
No right to executive privilege, do you agree?
June 26th, 2008 at 2:38 pmWhen Cheney (& Bush)leaves the White House, the Orkin Man will be working overtime. FEMA may have to step in to get the stench of Deceit and Hubris out of the air.
When Cheney (& Bush) leave the White House, there will be a World Wide Party like you won’t believe.
And when he dies, nobody will care.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:39 pmrogerse:
I’ll add another point: If Dick Cheney wants to be in two branches of government at once, then he should have to submit to both kinds of oversight. He cannot claim to be in both branches simply to avoid accountability, that is antithetical to our government, our laws, and our constitution. The framers certainly did not intend for the VP to be a nebulous black hole from which no light escapes.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:40 pmAddington is being a smug dick. Won’t even look up because he doesn’t even believe his own swill.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:40 pmMuch like the way a tumor can be ‘attached’ to your brain.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:40 pmCheney = A Cancer on America.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:42 pmYou beat me to it Ralph, not that roger will respond. He’ll merely post a link that “proves” al gore is pushing the global warming “hoax” so he can rake in the bucks.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:43 pmCheney is a member of the now-official MIC/OGI branch of government.
That would be the Military Industrial Complex/Oil and Gas Industry. His only responsibility within this branch is to ensure profits.
And I think we’d all agree, “Heckofa job, Cheney”!
PEACE
June 26th, 2008 at 2:43 pmhttp://www.crooksandliars.com/ 2008/ 06/ 26/ mccain-gets-the-internet-thing-awards-website-points-to-right-wing-commenters/
Do you have the high score yet, Rogerse?
June 26th, 2008 at 2:46 pmJust imagine how much money rog could save towards a new bicycle if he wasn’t so addicted to those Bomb Pops™ that the ice cream man brings around. Heck, it takes him ten cut-and-pastes just to pay for a single Bomb Pop™.
If he could put all that money into a tax-deferred savings account… man, he would have it made.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:46 pm9/11 was Dickhead Cheney’s revenge for Watergate. There’s nothing worse than a PNACian NeoCON scorned…
June 26th, 2008 at 2:47 pmKay, I will most certainly care when Dick Cheney dies. I’ll care to know where he is buried so I can p1ss, spit and excrete various bodily fluids all over that bastids grave.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:47 pm#39
Isn’t what true to some extent? That Cheney’s claims violate separation of powers and checks and balances? Yeah, they do. If he has his way, no one has any oversight over him, therefore our entire system of coequal branches breaks down.
Thanks for playing.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:47 pm#43,
I guess I care to know how Cheney dies: a firing squad would just fine with me.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:49 pmI may even dig up his corpse and remove the head and shove a stake through his black metal heart just to make sure.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:49 pmOkay, rog, you seem to be having some difficulty with this subject. (Must seem like school’s still in session, huh rog?)
So here we go:
No one is arguing that the Vice-President has a legislative function.
The problem is that David Addington is trying to claim that this minor legislative function is the ONLY meaningful function he has. Addington argues that this minor legislative function relieves the Vice-President’s office of any oversight whatsoever.
Is that where you want to go with that, rog?
Do you really want Joe Biden or Wes Clark or Kathleen Sebellius or even (shudder) Hillary Clinton to operate an office in the White House with no oversight?
Because that’s what this means, rog. Do you really want that?
June 26th, 2008 at 2:51 pmKay:
If there is any justice in the world, and since I don’t wish physically painful death on anyone, Dick Cheney will die, in a bed, alone, with videos of the impeachment proceedings, war crimes tribunals, and other trials that brought him down and wiped the cruel smirk from his face, playing over and over again on a loop at FULL VOLUME for the last hours of his life.
And hopefully there’s a bit of that waiting for him on the other side as well.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:51 pmAddington needs to be grabbed by the ear and taken out behind the woodshed. He’s verbally giving the finger to the country and the Constitution.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:51 pmAnd now, right here on our stage, the comic stylings of Yoo & Addington….let’s give’em a big hand. http://www.tagg-lines.com
June 26th, 2008 at 2:52 pmOkay, rog, I think maybe you’d better have a nap.
Have some milk. Maybe some cookies. Snicker doodles. You like them, right, rog?
June 26th, 2008 at 2:52 pmrogerse:
Please see Ralph’s comment.
I never said the VP has no legislative function. That sentence is a bit misleading in its wording because it seems to imply the VP had a legislative function beyond being a tie-breaker. He/she does not. The rest of the time, the VP is part of the Executive Branch. Since everything he/she does is considered part of the administration, part of the executive, then congressional oversight of the Executive applies to the VP. He cannot claim he is part of the legislature when he is required to turn over records of his activities in the Executive branch, and then turn around and in the same breath claim Executive privilege when the legislature wants to conduct oversight. He cannot have it both ways.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:55 pmrogerse,
June 26th, 2008 at 2:58 pmWhen does the VP get to vote in the Senate?
On each bill presented or just when there is a tie?
And if he is a member of the Senate, why not every bill?
And what State does his vote represent?
Rep Cohen should have followed up along your point, Ralph. “So Mr. Addington, to follow your logic, Mr. Cheney should not be permitted to invoke EP right? Maybe we should strip the Vice President’s funding and remove all of his executive powers, have him removed from his tax payer funded residency that is blurred out on Google Earth and re-examine every case in which he has invoked EP from his energy task force meeting, Valerie Plame and all the other record breaking instances in which he has done this. He should be relegated to a dank office in the basement and allowed outside contact solely in the event of a tie vote needing his input. Would that satisfy the intent of your assertion, sir?”
June 26th, 2008 at 2:59 pmWhat doesn’t the “roger” troll understand about VICE president?
**eyes rolling**
June 26th, 2008 at 2:59 pmFurther from the link so generously provided by our rog:
As modern-era presidents began playing an increasing role as legislative agenda setters, their vice presidents regularly attended cabinet meetings and received executive assignments. Vice presidents represented their presidents’ administrations on Capitol Hill, served on the National Security Council, chaired special commissions, acted as high level representatives of the government to foreign heads of state, and assumed countless other chores — great and trivial — at the president’s direction. Beginning with Richard Nixon, they have occupied spacious quarters in the Executive Office Building and assembled staffs of specialists to extend their reach and influence. From fewer than 20 staff members at the end of Nixon’s vice-presidency, the number increased to 60 during the 1970s, with the addition of not only political and support staff but advisers on domestic policy and national security.
Thanks for the help, rog.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:00 pmThe Vice President’s official duty in the executive branch is to take over as President if the current President is unable to assume his or her duties due to death, illness, what have you.
Cheney has expanded the reach and influence of the VP beyond anything the framers intended.
I say to you again rogerse, the Framers did not intend for the office of the vice president to be a nebulous black hole from which no light escapes and no oversight can enter.
Not to mention that since the VP does not represent any one state or territory, he/she technically cannot be called part of the legislature. Cheney was not elected by any state, he does not introduce legislation, nor does his position include the power to declare war as it is with Congress.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:01 pm#49:
liberal traitor,
I do love the image of a smirk-less Cheney liying in bed, alone, watching endless, loud loops of The Bush Admistration’s Trial of Crimes Against Humanity. As Cheney lies in his Bed awaiting his time to appear, the only solace is to be found in watching old Elmer Fudd cartoons and boatloads of Crispy Cremes and Diet Sprites.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:03 pmYou know, rogerse has never actually stated his position on the role of the Vice-President.
All he’s done is insist that the VP has a legislative role in the government, an assertion no one denies.
So how ’bout it, rog? Where DO you stand?
Do you think that the VP is not a part of the executive branch and therefore not subject to legislative oversight?
June 26th, 2008 at 3:03 pmralph:
If I may be so bold, a better question for rogerse:
rogerse: who has oversight over the VP?
This should be telling.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:04 pmAs Addington entered, a strong smell of sulfur filled the room.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:06 pmliberal traitor Says:
Could it be…….SATAN? (smirking like Church Lady)
June 26th, 2008 at 3:06 pmVice President’s office is a “unique creature.”
Dick certainly is, but this one is a “monster”, and should be put to trial for War Crimes.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:07 pmso, no response there rogerse? You admit, through omission of response, that you have NO idea what you are talking about, and are just carrying water for a failed and evil administration.
Thanks for playing.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:15 pmIs it possible rogerse is another parody?
Think about it. He rarely answers, but freely posts incomplete, antagonistic statements.
It’s like he gives our minds an adrenaline pump, which spurs many posters into creative or logical thinking.
Are we being ‘played’ by one of ‘us’?…
June 26th, 2008 at 3:18 pmI should have known better than to try to get a decent answer out of rogerse.
It may not be due to dishonesty; he may just not be capable of formulating a cogent response.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:18 pmEh. Vice President, schmice president.
Let’s tell the truth here: He’s the co-dictator.
Or at least he thinks he is.
DOWN WITH KING DICK!!!
June 26th, 2008 at 3:18 pmThis is all part of that alternate reality the Bushies said they are creating.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:19 pmLewis Carroll is missing the sequel to Through the Looking Glass.
Well, you wrote something, so I suppose that is a response but it is definitely not and answer.
His role legislatively is not stronger than his role in the executive. They are technically about on par. Anything Cheney does however is part of the executive branches activities unless he is breaking a tie in the Senate. You know it, I know it. Therefore, he is subject to Congressional oversight, as I see it.
Who has oversight over him rogerse? Answer, now, or you have no standing to continue in this debate.
The very foundations of our government are built around avoiding tyranny. Each branch over government has oversight over the other. Who has oversight over Cheney? Explain to me how, if no one does because he is his own branch of government, his own political anomaly, how is he not then a shadow dictator?
June 26th, 2008 at 3:19 pmOh the Face of Evil is an unique creature all right. He is red, scaley, has a bifurcated tail and a pitchfork, i.e., the great satan himself.
Thanks to Ethan Coen.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:20 pmYou know Rogerse, I gotta hand it to you, you found some common ground between you and I. I didn’t think it possible.
Since Ralph’s question was what do YOU think, and what YOU think is pretty much irrelevant given your moron status…I think you know the rest.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:21 pmnice deflection. You are done. Permanent time out for you. You obviously have no idea what you are talking about and are only here to cause trouble.
Permanent ignore status.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:25 pmrog, I’m sorry you have such a low self-image that you think your opinion is irrelevant.
I mean, I know we think that, but then, we’re familiar with your posts. I’d have thought that you might think you have something to offer.
But now that you bring it up… if you know you have nthing to offer… why are you here?
June 26th, 2008 at 3:26 pmand that should read above: “his traditional role” in the Legislative and Executive Branches.
If he or any other VP wants to be more of an executive, fine. Let them submit to the proper oversight and they can have that power. No oversight, No power. That is how our government is supposed to function.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:28 pmOops, sorry, rog — LT already answered my question for ya. Probably a lot more accurately than you would have, anyway.
Cheers.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:28 pmHere’s the simplest question for rogerse: Which branch does the vice president belong to?
June 26th, 2008 at 3:32 pmThe Cheney Mantra:
1. Lie
June 26th, 2008 at 3:35 pm2. Obfuscate
3. Misspeak
4. Rinse and repeat 1-3
Well, then I guess any mention of EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE goes right out the open window, now doesn’t it?
June 26th, 2008 at 3:41 pmI am not here to bash Rx2. It just amazes me that, with regard to the malfeasance in the bush administration, there doesn’t seem to any issue which bothers him. In the last few months, TP has brought up many, many issues of administration criminality and avoidance of common law, but in every one of the topics, Rx2 just supports - sometimes with comical results - the administrations view of tyrannical powers.
I am trying to imagine a scenario which would bring Rx2 in alignment with the rest of thoughtful humanity. I am truly at a loss to explain the absolute fealty to this adminstration.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:43 pmrogerse Says:
ralph the wonder llama Says:
your irrelevant question means nothing.
In other words, rogerrabid, “I fart in your general direction,” right…?
OK. Good response.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:45 pmNot to get all technical but if you actually look at the Constitution (that was the manual after all before chimpy & the Dick started invoking the divine right of kings), the VP is mentioned exactly once in Article I (Section 3 which makes him President of the Senate but with no vote except to break ties). Needless to say the VP is mentioned many more times in Article II not to mention the 12th, 20th and 25th amendments, all of which deal with the election, term and replacement of the President and Vice President. The President likewise is mentioned exactly once in Article I incidentally (Section 7 which authorizes veto power). Makes it somewhat difficult to argue that the VP is some form of hybrid outside the executive branch when the job is referenced only once in the Constitution outside the realm of the executive. The only way Addington’s argument can even remotely make sense is if you interpret the Constitution to give the VP no authority to do anything other than sit in the Senate and wait for a tie vote. If that is the case, no authority exists for Cheney to have an office in any executive office building as he has no executive function as long as chimpy is capable of playing president. As noted above, he cannot invoke executive privilege and for that matter Bush can’t assert privilege over any meeting Cheney attended or any paper he reviewed because such privilege is waived by exposure to someone outside the executive branch. Doubt any of our representatives were smart enough to ask any of this but I can dream.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:45 pmCheney’s response:
June 26th, 2008 at 3:48 pmVice Presidents, historically speaking, are very, very good liars.
I have become, uhh, a robust, nation wide, now widely known, excellent liar.
The, uhh, World Champion of liars, if you will.
Um — didn’t we do this dance already? And isn’t it true that if the veep isn’t part of the executive branch, he doesn’t need any executive branch funding?
I believe that Cheney eventually backed down and admitted he was part of the executive branch. Perhaps Addington didn’t get the memo (I understand they have GREAT problems with e-mail in this administration).
If somebody said this already, please forgive me. I just got back from the dentist and I haven’t read all the posts.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:49 pmIt’s similar to ‘not guilty by reason of insanity’. They’re just trying (so far successfully) to circumvent the law by declaring ambiguity. It’s no coincidence that this precedent comes during unprecedented criminal activity. I say, yes he is insane, but still guilty. His state of mind doesn’t prevent prosecution to the fullest extent of the law (the real law, not this ’secret law’ bulshit).
June 26th, 2008 at 3:53 pmRogerse and his allegations concerning the VP as being part of the legislative branch are simply incorrect. The VP role was based largely on state practice of having lieutenant govenors preside over the legislative branch. However, the lt govenors were always seen as part of the executive branch. This is what has always been so frustrating with the Republican approach. They insist upon reading the constitution exactly as written and consistent with the practices of the time at which it was adopted. However, interpretation based upon practice and custom have no place when it interferes with a Republican power grab.
Rogerse whould really read what his source states:
(emphasis added)
The vice-president was considered part of the executive branch and created issues of separation of power. The role as presiding officer of the Senate merely resolved a practical problem of what to do with the VP and how to avoid losing one senator from being able to vote. Indeed, the VP can only cast a vote when there is a tie. This just emphasizes the very limited role that the VP has with Congress.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:56 pmOh deary dear!
June 26th, 2008 at 4:06 pmrogerse(rogerdo,rogerconfused) is not drunk enough to be completely incoherent. He’s still semi sober enough to try and form an argument, with links. But then, , the alcohol overrides the last remaining neurons in the brain, and he forgets what the hell his arguing about. When facts are presented that debunks him, he does what any good ol drunk does, exclaim “FCK ya’ll, I’m done” and leaves.
The question to ponder is, in his inebriated state, does he actually enjoy the abuse of being “troll-whacked”?
Before we make judgements on our politicians, lets look at ourselves first. We are the ones who put them their!!! not once but twice. This goes out to the 50 + 1 who voted Republican. TIME TO START A THIRD PARTY.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:20 pmAddington: Vice President Isn’t Part Of The Human Race, ‘Attached’ To 7 Levels Of Hell»
June 26th, 2008 at 5:50 pmAm pretty sure that the Russian Mafia/Kremlin was apart of Cheney’s energy task force in 2001 and that was why he fought so hard not to disclose the task force’s members.
Fortunately, I am pretty sure a grand jury can indict a sitting VP, so since Cheney is linked to the Abramoff and Cunningham corruption probes (info I know that I can’t share so as not to cause a mistrial, plus what already is public)–both with a common thread of Russia apart of their tentacles, Cheney’s day of reckoning may not be far off when Dusty Foggo is tried in November.
Hint: If the VP weren’t so busy defending his family’s business interests from office for years, then in the future he wouldn’t be thought of as a 911-insider. My remark will make more sense to readers once Foggo is tried and you’ll be able to connect the dots between.
June 26th, 2008 at 6:53 pmTaking Dick Cheney and Addington at their word, we can conclude that the Vice-President is a fourth branch of the government who functions as a link between the executive and legislative branches but is accountable to neither (and therefore more powerful than both) and is not answerable to the third branch of government (the Supreme Court). This “fourth” branch of government, furthermore, operates “on the dark side” and, according to Cheney, the American people are just going to have to exercise a little patience on that, too, even though the Vice Presidents is a non-elected office holder. I’m sure that all of this was explained to us in the secret proclamation that Dick Cheney made the day after he took office; said secret proclamation not available for reading under the Information of Freedom of Act because Al-Qaeda might be able to understand English. Hahaha
June 26th, 2008 at 9:13 pmCheney the barnacle.
I love the image.
“Ehhh, Fcuk you” with a popeye type of pipe sticking out of his barnacle lips. Someone please draw that.
“Ehh, Fcuk you.”
I DESPISE cheney, I think he needs to summarily tar and feathered, hung, then drawn and quartered, then cremated, and his remnants shipped off in a rocket to the sun, so that his DNA can never stain this earth again.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:06 pmNow, his family, starting with the gay beotch and the homunculus…
NOLIESPLEASE.
The 2000 race was a selection…
I din’t sit on the court, therefore, I NEVER SELECTED G.W.B.
The 2004 race was stolen in Ohio…
I live in Washington State and never voted for G.W.B. PERIOD!
Who counts your vote…?
June 26th, 2008 at 10:52 pmAnd if the country is very lucky, somebody will go to jail. If they spin fast enough maybe one of them will get real dizzy and say something to put them away for many, many years.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:10 pmThe reason Cheney is getting away with it, is because the office of VP was never intended to function the way Cheney is working his office. Therefore, there is no way to adequately address his assertions. Cheney has found new and unique ways to abuse the office of VP. Most all previous VP’s had enough respect for the office, and the country, to avoid going where Cheney has gone.
It’s like how criminals find new ways to get around laws, before any particular legislative body addresses it, except this time the criminal is the VP of the United States, and the Legislative body has not stood up to him.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:22 amIf the Veep is part of the Legislative Branch, then Congress has full rights to any papers, memos, etc. therein.
June 27th, 2008 at 11:38 amThe fourth branch assertion is absurd, but clever. The veep, essentially an unelected office, is accountable to no one.
June 27th, 2008 at 5:04 pm