Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is “considering” pro forma sessions during Thanksgiving break to stop President Bush from using the break to install any of his outstanding executive branch nominees.” Controversial Surgeon General nominee Dr. James Holsinger expects a recess appointment…
It’s a good idea. I’ll fly up and cook them Thanksgiving dinner. President Bush has gotten away with his sheenanigans enough. His arrogant and willful disregard for the Congress brings dishonor to his office [not that "honor" is something he seems to aspire to, or ever achieve]. For the Executive and the Congress to be in opposition at times is part and parcel of our system. For a President to spend most his time either ignoring [Supoenas], negating [Signing Statements], or downright defying [Recess Appointments] Congress is unacceptable. Frankly, the time has come to ignore him altogether. It’s time to bombard the White House with Contempt of Congress citations. Even if he makes them unenforcable, at least it makes the statement that the Neoconservative, Religious Right, Republican Coup of 2000 has come to an end. We no more need Dr. James Holsinger as Surgeon General than we needed John Bolton as U.N. Ambassador.George W Bush has been forced into an embarrassing climb-down by his new attorney general within days of his appointment. Michael Mukasey, who was sworn in Tuesday, has reopened a dormant inquiry into the US government’s warrantless wiretapping programme which was effectively blocked by the president 18 months ago. Mr Bush said Mr Mukasey had "my complete trust and confidence", but has agreed to let the investigation by the justice department’s Office of Professional Responsibility restart.
It was shut down in 2006 when the National Security Agency refused to grant the department’s lawyers the necessary security clearances to quiz officials. The scheme aroused controversy because it allowed the NSA to listen in on telephone conversations of terror suspects or those suspected of links with terrorist activity without gaining a warrant from the courts.
Democrat congressmen, led by New York representative Maurice Hinchey, have long demanded an inquiry to test the programme’s legality. Mr Hinchey said he was "happily surprised" by the decision. "It now seems because we have a new attorney general the situation has changed. Maybe this attorney general understands that his obligation is not to be the private counsel to the president but the chief law enforcement officer for the entire country," he said.
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