Congress needs to grow some "Big Ones"

There's a excellent article at Slate.com about "Executive Priviledge" and how Congress should respond to the White House in this matter. Click here to read it.

The author offers a idea involving the formation of yet another layer of technology to combat the abuse of executive power but that's adding another layer to the problem rather than peeling away a layer to solve the current problem. As a technician, I'm always wary of "adding another layer" because it tends to complicate matters more often than solve them.

The solution to the abuse of Executive Priviledge is for Congress to grow some "Big Ones" and assert it's oversight authority. After all Congress has the powers granted to it by the Constitution which include oversight and, yes, the I-word, Impeachment. Congress has the authority and responsibility for oversight. For five years, they dropped the ball and let it bounce around while the White House cast a blind eye to its actions which included getting the US involved in the Iraqi Civil War and Occupation. Subsequent to the 2006 elections, the hearings have begun but many are too late to hope for any good to come of their efforts. Meanwhile, the core of the problem lies within the offices of the Vice President, the Senior Adviser, Karl Rove and the Justice Department's head, Alberto Gonzales. And the biggest problem has been the reluctantance of Congress to move forward with some action of disapproval. There are many possible actions but it's time to consider the big one: Impeachment!

Ever since the Clinton Impeachment, I believe the Democrats, especially, have been uncomfortable bring this up because they don't want to look like they are abusing it as the Republicans did against Clinton. They see it as a very serious alternative and wish to reserve it for the most appropriate moment. However, there is a tool available to Congress that could come before Impeachment and will trump the flaccid argument of Executive Privledge. It is called Inherent Comtempt. Congress can compell the testimony of anyone it wants and hold court within its chambers to prosecute anyone it wants, including those mentioned above, to force them to testify of be jailed for comptempt... impeachment to follow, I am sure. It's currently considering Contempt charges against Harriet Myers for not complying with the subpoena to appear. But this is BB-shot compared to what it really MUST do.

If there is any basis for Impeachment in the US Constitution, the actions of the Bush Regime have certainly warranted such action. They've been bold in their resistance to the requirements to report to Congress when requested and lied when they did. They have subverted law and law and skated on the edge of laws, flauting their spirit, if not their letter. Nothing in US history can compare to their absolute disrespect for the Congress, Laws, Traditions, Sanctity, and People of the United States as this adminstration! Nothing! If Congress does not move to Impeachment against Bush, Cheney and Gonzales then they should just "whiteout" the references to it in the Constitution and wait until January 2009 for the nightmare to be over.