The executive branch can't be trusted to oversee itself."

By GOD I think we've stumbled upon something. Checks and balances, what a novel idea. BRILLIANT!

/Justice department needs to be removed from executive branch and placed under Congressional or Judicial control. How can a department filled with appointees be expected to investigate the very administration that appointed them?

Say whatever it takes to get confirmed, then ignore them and listen only to me.

Brilliant.

Impeachment anyone?

Postal Penguin: /Justice department needs to be removed from executive branch and placed under Congressional or Judicial control. How can a department filled with appointees be expected to investigate the very administration that appointed them?

If only there were a law that, when invoked, could trigger an investigation by counsel who could be independent of any branch of government.

Hint: it's already on the books, and has been used too sparingly.

Only if I get to audit my own tax return.

Justice department needs to be removed from executive branch and placed under Congressional or Judicial control. How can a department filled with appointees be expected to investigate the very administration that appointed them?

Simple: if what they are doing is so out of line, they'll be prosecuted by the next administration.

Evil Twin Skippy: Simple: if what they are doing is so out of line, they'll be prosecuted by the next administration.

Hardly. Power knows no party lines, and a Dem will enjoy being corrupted with presidential power just as much as a Rep.

Hint: never vote for me. Mwahahaha. *ahem*

Both the Chairman and Ranking Member said it was unconscionable - bipartisan support acknowledging we traded in one crook for another!

farking sickening.

Meet the new crimina... I mean boss.

DoJ is a joke.

If an agency employed by the people refuses to give an accounting of themselves to the people or their elected representatives, who are they working for, and shouldn't THOSE employers be paying their salary?

nashBridges: Postal Penguin: /Justice department needs to be removed from executive branch and placed under Congressional or Judicial control. How can a department filled with appointees be expected to investigate the very administration that appointed them?

How would it be any different if the Judiciary or Congress was doing the appointing? It's the same problem in a different area.

If only the populace at-large truly embraced that government employees work for them and held them to some sort of standard of conduct...

Sorry, lost my train of thought. Who Wants To Survive Dancing With a Bachelor Idol is on.

Postal Penguin: The executive branch can't be trusted to oversee itself."

By GOD I think we've stumbled upon something. Checks and balances, what a novel idea. BRILLIANT!

/Justice department needs to be removed from executive branch and placed under Congressional or Judicial control. How can a department filled with appointees be expected to investigate the very administration that appointed them?

Seems to me they are capable of doing their job if the topic is about democrats (new window)

Impeachment anyone?

Republicans have vowed to acquit them No Matter What, they have the votes to back it up, and that's the end of it. I wish it were otherwise.

nashBridges: Occam's Chainsaw: If only the populace at-large truly embraced that government employees work for them and held them to some sort of standard of conduct...

Well they do, but someone has to do the appointing. If we ran elections for bureaucratic posts the government would grind to a halt.

You honestly think that we hold our elected officials responsible for their behavior? (Of which bureaucratic appointments are a subset.)

If you complained does that mean you trust congress to demand an impartial investigation?

Well, you can pretend to be annoyed at least until s 1959 the "Thought Crime" bill is passed by your beloved congress.

Attorney General refuses to give details on the destruction of CIA tapes and asks Congress to trust that internal investigations will be impartial

In the New America...
It's a secret
Reviewed in secret
Reported in secret
Findings are secret
Trials are secret
Evidence is secret
Courts are secret
Verdicts are secret
Arrests are secret
Detentions are secret

...and you were expecting... What?

You want the terrorists to win, don't you?
Admit it.
Make it easy on yourself, admit it now... or we can do this the hard way.

Hang 'em.

nashBridges: I think I meant to say that it doesn't matter which branch is doing the appointing, the same problem will exist. To get rid of the problem altogether, we'd have to start holding elections for bureaucratic posts, and that would be disastrous in terms of productivity. We have enough delays getting appointments approved by the Senate as it is. Throw the whole general population into the mix and we'd never get anything done.

I'm not suggesting that appointees be transitioned to direct election; that'd be a clusterfark of epic proportions. I'm praying that Americans wake up and gently remind their elected officials who put them in office in the first place and who they're beholden to. Of course, I'm better off wishing for a Nissan Skyline, as there's actually a chance I could get one of those.

nashBridges: I do agree with your assessment that we've taken a wrong turn somewhere because our elected officials and our appointed ones no longer seem to realize they serve us, not the other war around. Special interest groups have corrupted each end of the political spectrum.

Amen to that. It's not quite vote from the rooftops bad yet, but it's damned close.

nashBridges: I do agree with your assessment that we've taken a wrong turn somewhere because our elected officials and our appointed ones no longer seem to realize they serve us, not the other war around. Special interest groups have corrupted each end of the political spectrum.

History teaches us that one of two things will happen. First, some president will tell us to eat cake, and all hell will break loose, leading to a much better government...eventually. The other possibility is that Neal Bush will be found cowering behind the Oval Office curtains after the revolution, and be crowned emperor.

Or something.

Occam's Chainsaw: Amen to that. It's not quite vote from the rooftops bad yet, but it's damned close.

Careful; folks are watching. I've already said too mu***NO_CARRIER***

Or:

LOLGITMOPAD

Rooftop voting isn't far away. Sadly it'll be the politicians casting the votes.

NeauxFear: Occam's Chainsaw: Amen to that. It's not quite vote from the rooftops bad yet, but it's damned close.

Careful; folks are watching. I've already said too mu***NO_CARRIER***

Or:

LOLGITMOPAD

Hey, I've already stated openly under this handle that the majority of this administration needs to be tried for treason by attempting to subvert the Constitution, then hanged from the neck until dead. I've yet to be blackbagged.

Hold on, gotta go answer the door...

/What nice black helicopters you have, gentlemen.

Occam's Chainsaw: Sorry, lost my train of thought. Who Wants To Survive Dancing With a Bachelor IdolSurvive Fear Dancing with a Millionaire Bachelor Idol in a Real House is on.

/FTFY. ;)

missing tapes... wha? Now where have I heard that one before?

OOOGAH BOOGAHHH!!

Lost_in_Korea: Occam's Chainsaw: Sorry, lost my train of thought. Who Wants To Survive Dancing With a Bachelor IdolSurvive Fear Dancing with a Millionaire Bachelor Idol in a Real House is on.

/FTFY. ;)

The full title is Who Wants to Be Smarter Than The Amazing Biggest Dancing Apprentice Millionaire Next Top Bachelor Idol's Big Brother: Flavor Of Real Kid Factor Hell's Inferno Survivor Superhero Rules Or No Deal Edition.

/That got bigger than originally intended....

Occam's Chainsaw: The full title is Who Wants to Be Smarter Than The Amazing Biggest Dancing Apprentice Millionaire Next Top Bachelor Idol's Big Brother: Flavor Of Real Kid Factor Hell's Inferno Survivor Superhero Rules Or No Deal Edition.

Nice. Impressive.

Now sing it to the tune of "O God Our Help In Ages Past." :)

On a more realistic note...

2008 starts the economic decline triggered by the housing market collapse.
2009 sees the continuation of this crash and the unparalleled abandonment (bankruptcy) of unsecured debt.

During these years energy prices continue to climb (moderately) creating more economic pressure. We will also see an increase in crime as the poorest of our country try to survive.

2010 - The fecal matter hits the rotary device and the line "it's not the economy, stupid" becomes "Holy SHIAT, we better do something or it's going to get worse" - and, as we have come to expect, nothing meaningful gets done - just feel good legislation.

The conservatives will blame the liberals, the liberals will blame the idiots and we can all hope the fiddle music is as good as the last time we decided to have a bonfire.

Random Reality Check: The fecal matter hits the rotary device

I'm using that. Dunno where, when, or how, but I'm using it.

Otherwise, agreed.

Random Reality Check: The conservatives will blame the liberals, the liberals will blame the idiots and we can all hope the fiddle music is as good as the last time we decided to have a bonfire.

Ask Ashley MacIsaac to play. That'll get you some good fiddling.

starsrift: Ask Ashley MacIsaac to play. That'll get you some good fiddling.

You're either part of the solution or part of the precipitate. Guess which you are right now. ;)

[checks profile]

Oh, Canadian. Nevermind. Have change for a five? :)

NeauxFear: Random Reality Check: The fecal matter hits the rotary device

I'm using that. Dunno where, when, or how, but I'm using it.

Otherwise, agreed.

If you wanna use the entire John Ringo-ism, try "the fecal matter impacts the rotary impeller."

Occam's Chainsaw: NeauxFear: Random Reality Check: The fecal matter hits the rotary device

I'm using that. Dunno where, when, or how, but I'm using it.

Otherwise, agreed.

If you wanna use the entire John Ringo-ism, try "the fecal matter impacts the rotary impeller."

Right, I should have given attribution for that quote but I didn't want to diminish the implied brilliance of my post - or something...

It's much easier and closer to the truth if I just assume that everything that comes out of the Administration's mouth is a lie except for "I'm gonna veto that" and "I'm threatening to bomb that".

Gosling: It's much easier and closer to the truth if I just assume that everything that comes out of the Administration's mouth is a lie except for "I'm gonna veto that" and "I'm threatening to bomb that".

I don't even know whether to believe him then, either.

This president is a walking trainwreck.
^{And, yes, I do know about mixing my metaphors.}

Lost_in_Korea: Occam's Chainsaw: Sorry, lost my train of thought. Who Wants To Survive Dancing With a Bachelor IdolSurvive Fear Dancing with a Millionaire Bachelor Idol in a Real House is on.

/FTFY. ;)

Occam's Chainsaw: The full title is Who Wants to Be Smarter Than The Amazing Biggest Dancing Singing Apprentice Millionaire Next Top Bachelor Idol's Big Brother: Flavor Of Real Kid Factor Hell's Inferno Survivor Superhero Rules Or No Deal Edition.

/That got bigger than originally intended....

FTFY ;)

Gosling: It's much easier and closer to the truth if I just assume that everything that comes out of the Administration's mouth is a lie except for "I'm gonna veto that" and "I'm threatening to bomb that".

Been true for a while.

SR made the appearance, still waiting for AD so they can both dance with glee as their criminal heroes win another round in the inevitable landslide into long PMITA sentences....

defund the executive branch!

at least they're out there trying to kill The Terrorists

Are they really? I thought they were sending other people's 19 and 20 year old sons to do that.

Exactly like Osama sends his young guys, who are also too stupid to know any better.

Just keep telling yourself "it's ok, we're the good guys".

Sunny Ray 2007-12-15 10:19:13 AM
Well, at least they're out there trying to kill The Terrorists that Hate Us instead of just biatching about it on the Internets.

"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."
- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02

Which terrorists would that be - the Iraqi ones we created or the Florida ones we invented?

Diablo Trout:

Are they really? I thought they were sending other people's 19 and 20 year old sons to do that.


Nice! Sunny Ray hooked himself a trout! Tasty!

Checks and balances? Right. Whatever. That's so early 19th century thinking. That was before terrists and nucular weapons. What did the Founding Fathers know about wars and freedoms? Nothing.

Er, something. I dunno. I'm tired. Meh.

What the hell is it going to take until the American people rise up and... oh, look! CSI: Miami's on!

trippdogg:Which terrorists would that be - the Iraqi ones we created or the Florida ones we invented?

The al Qaeda ones that we spun out of our ass.
The Base = a database of Mujahadeen fighters.

It'd be as impartial as any investigation in which the Democrats are involved, so I don't see the problem.

Sunny Ray
You know what I'm talking about.

That makes one of us.

DrBenway
hooked himself a trout!

I'd suggest that you eat me, but I'm probably full of mercury.

If simple disagreement constitutes "hooking" in your book, there mustn't be a fish left alive on the internets.

rush_limbaugh_sent_me: If liberals are really committed to this idea of checks and balances, they should be opposed to a Democrat being in the white house as Democrats now control Congress. Leftwingers, put your vote where your rhetoric is. :)

Retarded Post 'O The Day

Churchy LaFemme

FYI: Susan Sarandon made the same argument ("b-b-but Republicans control all of the branches of government") pre-2004 election.

She then proceeded to fail naming what the branches are.