In a Constitutional Republican Government, There is No Such Animal as Executive Privilege
During the last eight years of the Bush Administration, and for several administrations prior, a rather new term since the Nixon Administration has seeped into America’s consciousness thanks to the mainstream media and political “analysts.” That term has become the buzzword for an unconstitutional extension of executive “immunity” euphemistically labeled “executive privilege”.
The two designated powers of the presidency are thus:
- As the final check in the legislative process and ”checks and balances” of any potential legislation. The president is to read each bill which comes before him for Constitutionality first and foremost. If any provision is not in accordance with it, it is his duty to simply veto all such legislation and send it back to Congress for either revision or initiate the process provided in order to override his presidential veto. Again, the superior powers of Congress are reinforced in this process as representatives of the states and people. This procedure also insured that it would be difficult to pass further legislation in order to, again, protect the state’s broader powers and people’s freedoms.
- As Commander in Chief in times of declared war. The president also has no power to declare any war independently without at the very minimum consulting Congress for their “consent.” Congress was also given the power of the purse, and if the Commander in Chief began acting more as a dictator or conquerer, or initiated aggressive wars for world dominination rather than defensive purposes, Congress was to restrict all such presidential power moves. This was done for both economic purposes, since wars are quite expensive, and also for the future security of this nation and it’s people. Aggressive wars invite retaliation compromising America’s people and future posterity in the process.
In President Bush or any executive, his minions or any other executive office employee claiming “executive privilege” with respect to accountability, it is nothing more than a repeat of the actions of the original King George the founder’s fought that first war to escape. A claim of nonexistent “sovereign immunity.”
There is no such animal in the federal government of this country as constructed by the founders, and in fact is diametrically opposed to their created government and the limited powers provided the president as one ”of the people, by the people, for the people.”
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