Whose Government Is It, Anyway?

By Mimikatz

Let me add my name to the growing chorus.  It really does seem that whatever rock connected with this Administration you turn over--torture, lying about Iraq and covering up the lies, overhyping Iran, downplaying global warming and the need for conservation, giving more to the really, really rich, you name it--the same demon comes crawling out, and his name is Dick Cheney.  Read the pieces today by David Kurtz at TPM and the further elaborations by Digby.  I highly recommend both pieces, in their entirety.  From David Kurtz:

Last week, in trying to break the lock on who actually works in the OVP--which the Vice President refuses to reveal--the guys at Muckraker stumbled across this entry from a government directory known as the "Plum Book":

The Vice Presidency is a unique office that is neither a part of the executive branch nor a part of the legislative branch, but is attached by the Constitution to the latter. The Vice Presidency performs functions in both the legislative branch (see article I, section 3 of the Constitution) and in the executive branch (see article II, and amendments XII and XXV, of the Constitution, and section 106 of title 3 of the United States Code).

It appears that Cheney's office submitted this entry in lieu of a list of its employees, as federal agencies must do. It sounds like something Cheney's current chief of staff, David Addington, might have written. Cheney and Addington have been the among the most powerful proponents of the theory of a "unitary executive," but there are indications that they have also advanced, though less publicly, a theory of a constitutionally distinct and independent vice presidency.

So not only have Cheney and his staff expanded the powers of the presidency under the theory of the "unitary executive," they have arrogated many of these powers to themselves under the guise of the "unique office" Dick holds.  From his early order to shoot down the fourth of the 9/11 planes, Cheney has been directing foreign, national security and energy policy and, probably, much else as well in secret, while Bush attends ceremonial functions and prances about as "the decider" amid wall-to-wall press coverage.

But the new Democratic Congress, the folks who evicted Cheney from his prime office space in the Capitol Building, now have the ability to investigate the office of the VP and expose some of its doings.  Even more important, they have the power to bring articles of impeachment based on the results of those investigations and/or the results of the Scooter Libby trial, so ably chronicled by our own Emptywheel in posts too numerous to mention.  (Just loook to the right.)   It is past time to tackle this job.  It must be done before Bush/Cheney have a chance to take us to war with Iran based on some cross-border incident or shoot-down of one of our meandering planes. 

Let your representatives know you want to see this done as soon as possible.  Perhaps as part of the budget process.  How does the VP account for his staff?  Who actually works there, and what do they do?  That is certainly a place to start, but the real issues go much, much deeper, to the heart of our democratic government and to the people's right to know what is being done in our name and on our dime..

Comments

[Kagro X]

Hallelujah! Someone with a decent haircut has finally expressed this in a way David Kurtz isn't embarrassed to believe!

The conclusion are correct, but pardon me if I can't help myself from issuing a big "F. you" to Kurtz for wasting valuable time tut-tutting all these years at the "left-wing radicalism and Oliver Stone conspiracies" that had it right all along.

(Just look to the right.)

[nenabeans]

There's an article in this week's New Yorker 2/5 (Boomtown Blues by Fuller)about the gas business in Dead-eyed Dick's home state of Wyoming. The same
m o Lotsa money being made by the energy companies and lotsa destruction... personal and environmental. It all started as soon as DarthVader was appointed VP in 2000.

[oldtree]

there are millions that bear the blame
thousands that are involved in war profiteering and that enjoy death being meted out
there are hundreds hiding lies and obstructing justice
there are scores that have committed crimes against humanity with their conspiracies
there are dozens that have committed treason
there are a handful that control this.
there is not just one to blame. there are many

[Jodi]

Mimikatz

a voice in the wilderness?

[Dismayed]

Oh, Jodi for the love of God. Anyone with two wits to knit knows Cheney is running the show. I've been calling him president Cheeny since they took office, and yes, that was the plan when they put George in the Gov's office here in Austin. George ran knowing Dick would take care of everything. Hell, he hardly bothered coming to work his first year in office, spent most of his time at the ranch up the road here.

How do they keep George in line? I doubt it's difficult. For one thing I'm pretty sure George would piss his pants if Cheney looked at him the wrong way. George is like a little bitty guy with a big mouth and a huge friend. George knows damn good and well that Dick is the one with all the connections, and that Dick would bury him if George thought of challenging him in any way. This is and has always been a puppet presidency. George tells himself it's a partnership, but he never tests his percent control for fear of facing the truth that he knows.

You want to shut down this administration, start cutting off Dick's tentacles. If major media wants to sell some papers, this is the story to work.

[Sally]

Our country is privately owned and operated by Bush@Company. We, the public, are expected to support it and to keep our mouths shut.

[P J Evans]

What I'd like Congress to say to Darth:

If you won't make this information public, we'll assume they're working on stuff that's illegal or not part of the official (Constitutional) duties of the VP, and we'll stop funding those positions. We'll also make sure that your office is investigated for illegal/unConstitutional activities.

[Sandbar]

For a real eye opener on How the OVP runs things with the iron fist, and exactly how far his tenacles reach in all things foreign and national security go to an article linked from TPM:
"Vice Squad" by Robert Dreyfus in The American Prospect dated 5-03-06
(prospect.org)
It outlines an even deeper meaning of unitary executive, an incredably scary , efficient, completely undemocratic functioning of the entire federal government apparatus. GWB is a totally inconsequencial figure beyond the 'face' of the President.
Cheney is the maestro with a staff of enforcers.

[Dismayed]

Sandbar - I read Vice Squad. I agree it's a must read. It brings the murky syndicate that is the OVP into better focus.

[jghj]

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