President has emasculated Congress | Napa Valley Register

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President has emasculated Congress

Friday, July 27, 2007

Comment

Dear editor, This is an open letter to Congressman Thompson. I challenge the congressman to respond in writing in the Napa Valley Register to these concerns.

How long is the legislative branch of our federal government going to let the executive branch thumb its nose at Congress and the Constitution?

Bush adds “signing statements” to legislation passed by Congress ,effectively rewriting legislation with no oversight. The president and vice president regularly ignore congressional demands for information essential to the legislative process, the executive branch abuses the authority granted to our law enforcement agencies and invokes “executive privilege” to deny Congress the ability to carry out its investigative authority. Under the cover of “national security,” this administration has regularly placed itself above the law. And then, there is the embarrassing saga of allowing Attorney General Gonzales to continue to stonewall Congress with no repercussions.

All members of Congress (both Republican and Democrat) should be ashamed and concerned for allowing legislative branch of our government to become neutered by the executive branch. Allowing the president to emasculate Congress is detrimental to the balance of power that has made our government strong and democratic. It is time to stand up to the president and the vice president and take back the authority that our founding fathers intended the Congress to have. This is neither a Republican nor a Democratic issue. This is an American issue.

It is time to begin impeachment proceedings!

Bill McGuire / Napa

10 comment(s)

JimClark wrote on Jul 27, 2007 4:48 AM:

" Those uppity Republicans don't know their place. The wholesale assault on Presidential appointees by the left is ludicrous. Where was this "outrage" when Clinton was procrastinating and allowing what has become terrorism throughout the world. It is the left who are violating the authority of the executive branch. I know this can be debated until forever. The President is sworn to protect, preserve and defend the Constitution Of The United States against all enemies; foreign and domestic. Congress swear to protect, preserve and defend the Constitution of the United States. To my reckoning Congress has done a lousy job since 1949. karl marx did not participate in the writing of the Law of our Land. "

Kevin wrote on Jul 27, 2007 8:38 AM:

" While I don't know about Congress being emasculated, it has certainly been ineffective. The only legislation they have passed since their election last November has been the union wage increase bill (aka the minimum wage bill.) As a well paid union employee, my wages will automatically increase thanks to this bill. Is this a great country or what? "

I'm ashamed too wrote on Jul 27, 2007 8:50 AM:

" But It is our congressional representatives that I am ashamed of. Unfortunately ours are so weak and ineffective that they cannot function in Washington politics. Mike Thompson was the only Democrat who could not get funds for this county in the Iraq funding bill while others got millions for spinach, cattle and other whims. He cannot even get enough funding for our important flood project. That's what I am ashamed of. "

AWWWW wrote on Jul 27, 2007 8:52 AM:

" The poor democrats are being bullied! AWWW. Call the teacher, call the yard monitor, lets play fair now and give them their lunches back. Maybe our weak kneed congressman needs a lesson in politics. "

Mike wrote on Jul 27, 2007 9:42 AM:

" there is no doubt in my mind that the Bush & Cheny administration will go into history as as one of the worst choices the Americian people have ever made. They all should be forceably removed from office and placed on trial as provided by the constituion. But will it happen? Saddly the answer is NO! Congress can not get the votes. The only hope we have is for the voter to really dig into the issues and look very close at whom we choose to place in office when we can at at last get get rid of the fools we made our last mistake with. Congress can and should be aware that it is we the voters that placed them in office and we the voter's can take them out at the poll's. Please remember which representive's voted to murder well over three thousand of our children in a war we were lied too about. The Bush administration is not only placeing them selfs above our law's it is discusting. "

Blame wrote on Jul 27, 2007 9:46 AM:

" Blame the president for the weak democrats in congress? He's only taking advantage of their stupidity. Hey they got a bunch of Democrats elected to congress last year who were going to make this country better. Ok... "

JimClark wrote on Jul 27, 2007 12:51 PM:

" Well Mike, next November you can make your choice. I do agree with you that we need to clear the honored halls of our Constitutional Republic but, who in their right mind would run? Feinstein and Boxer come out of hiding every six years spewing platatude after platitude that does not actually express their real position on anything. I'm always suspicious of the politician that uses the word "we". We need to do this and we need to do that and there is no actual statement of what this or that really is. Specificity is absent. Bozos. If a real person runs for office they are subject to more than their challenge. They are subject insult and veiled accusation. Boxer, Feinstein and Pelosi are very wealthy. They pay people to keep the dirt under their well manicures fingers exempt from public view. The assistance of the "press" assists in that matter. Pelosi, for one, owns lands in Napa. Does she pay illegals to maintain her lands and harvest her grapes? If she was Republican there would be a smear campaign of the highest level. Tempests in teapots and Much ado about nothing is all that remains for the democrat. "

John wrote on Jul 27, 2007 4:56 PM:

" To those who are pushing for impeachment proceedings against president Bush, I have only one question: Would you really want to put Mr Cheney at the helm of this country? "

Russ wrote on Jul 27, 2007 6:13 PM:

" You must be kidding, Bill. This is hilarious. George Bush emasculated Pelosi, Boxer and Feinstein, three meek female CA members of Congress? I think you uttered an oxymoron. Congress sets it's own, so far non-productive, agenda. Why do they not work on the issues and priorities they blustered into office? Congress has done nothing since January except raise the minimum wage. "

ValleyGirl wrote on Jul 30, 2007 10:00 AM:

" Why don't you do something about it instead of sitting there complaining.Feinstein and Boxer are both horrible representitives of the people but do we kick everyone out? Where would we stop. Time to support our government, not turn on our country. "

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