Hope the neocons are okay with President Obama having these powers. Unless it's their October surprise involves calling off elections and instituting martial law.

bingo, the 2 edged blade should make things interesting.

Do we have ANY goddamn oversight!?!?!?!

I've concluded that NeoCons are British Loyalists eager to regain monarchical reign. We didn't get them all! We're doomed.

I predict that if Obama wins in November, the Republicans will suddenly develop a new-found respect for the Constitution and for the rule of law.

Hmm we're still at war with N. Korea? Yeppers


"War powers" have also given President Bush cover to hold Americans without habeas corpus -- detainment without explanation or charge.

If they can be given they can be taken away. The fact is that congress abdicated its role a long time ago with the War Powers Act.

NutWrench: I predict that if Obama wins in November, the Republicans will suddenly develop a new-found respect for the Constitution and for the rule of law.

The howls will be deafening.

NewportBarGuy Do we have ANY goddamn oversight!?!?!?!

No. They figure if they ignore him long enough, he'll just go away; they've been figuring that for almost eight years.(That and congress doesn't want to make him mad - he might abuse his power then.)

Snowflake Tubbybottom: Hmm we're still at war with N. Korea? Yeppers

That was a Police Action. War was never declared.
/obvious tag not working today?

Gee, where the heck were your complaints about this under Clinton? or Carter? Or Kennedy?

This has been around since March 9 of 1933, and you think this is something only Bush or the Republicans are doing? If so, you're an absolute idiot.

LBJ is smiling from somewhere.

dudemanbro: That was a Police Action. War was never declared.
/obvious tag not working today?

Sorry I must have been mistaken by all the guns, bullets, bombs, and dead servicemen and the fact that that incident was commonly known as the Korean Police Action. Silly me.


/doofus

NutWrench: I predict that if Obama wins in November, the Republicans will suddenly develop a new-found respect for the Constitution and for the rule of law.

I predict some sort of "unnamed, specific terrorism threat" in most or all of the states that go blue, resulting in lockdown - nobody in or out of the affected states, including their Electoral College members.

All of a sudden, instead of Obama winning by, say, 302 EVs to 236, McCain wins 236-214.

That's my prediction. I hope I'm wrong about the "unnamed threat."

/numbers pulled from the Department Of Pulling Numbers Out of My Ass

Snowflake Tubbybottom:
It's an important point, at least to people like my uncle, who was sent there to kill Chinese and Koreans. He thought the way the whole thing went down, including the avoidance of an official declaration of war, was total bullshiat.

dudemanbro: Snowflake Tubbybottom:
It's an important point, at least to people like my uncle, who was sent there to kill Chinese and Koreans. He thought the way the whole thing went down, including the avoidance of an official declaration of war, was total bullshiat.

In what way did the actual action on the ground differ by calling it a police action rather than war? Both require congressional approval if it takes place for more than 90 days.

You don't get accused of hating America if you talk about ending a police action, war... now that's different.

Snowflake Tubbybottom: I don't have time for a long discussion of it right now, but basically it was a shifty move by Truman to avoid asking Congress for an official declaration. He went to the U.N. and called it a Police Action, got other nations involved and thereby circumvented the Congress. It set the precedent for all the other officially undeclared wars that followed.

dudemanbro: Snowflake Tubbybottom: I don't have time for a long discussion of it right now, but basically it was a shifty move by Truman to avoid asking Congress for an official declaration. He went to the U.N. and called it a Police Action, got other nations involved and thereby circumvented the Congress. It set the precedent for all the other officially undeclared wars that followed.

Yes, but then congress officially abdicated its role after the fact through the passage of the War Powers Act. If they want to reclaim that power then so be it. Until then they are every bit as complicit as any president who uses that power.

Snowflake Tubbybottom: dudemanbro: Snowflake Tubbybottom: I don't have time for a long discussion of it right now, but basically it was a shifty move by Truman to avoid asking Congress for an official declaration. He went to the U.N. and called it a Police Action, got other nations involved and thereby circumvented the Congress. It set the precedent for all the other officially undeclared wars that followed.

Yes, but then congress officially abdicated its role after the fact through the passage of the War Powers Act. If they want to reclaim that power then so be it. Until then they are every bit as complicit as any president who uses that power.

For once we agree. But this is still a dangerous precedent--and I hope that Congress gets off their duff to curtail the expansion of the Executive. It's dangerous under a Democrat or Republican.

I can't believe people are still making excuses for this guy. You idiots would give this shiathead another term before you admitted what a horrible wreck this douchebag has been.

This seems like an objective, unbiased journalistic outlet.

LordPistachio: This seems like an objective, unbiased journalistic outlet.

Actually, it is, but don't let that get in the way of hating on those evil lieberals.

Wraithbane: Gee, where the heck were your complaints about this under Clinton? or Carter? Or Kennedy?

This has been around since March 9 of 1933, and you think this is something only Bush or the Republicans are doing? If so, you're an absolute idiot.

So, that makes this all OK?

rights as an American

It's time for those to be earned again. People who got used to just taking them for granted squandered them.

It's a good thing in the long run.

NutWrench: the Republicans will suddenly develop a new-found respect for the Constitution and for the rule of law.

They have an amazing respect for the Constitution. Most notably how it affects gun ownership, healthcare, and flag burning.

This is really just tinkering around the edges. Damn near everyone buys into the idea of the perverse idea of the ominpotent President who's some weird combination of national spiritual leader, supreme warlord of the earth, and Santa Claus. It's the idea that the President is "our leader" whose job it is to "run the country" and herd the American people like cattle towards whatever goal he thinks is appropriate.

We don't need a damn leader. We need Washington's humble "chief magistrate". Which isn't what McCain wants to be, and it sure as hell isn't what Obama wants to be.

Churchill2004: Damn near everyone buys into the idea of the perverse idea of the ominpotent President who's some weird combination...

FTFM

When do we get to start blowing shiat up?

Wraithbane: This has been around since March 9 of 1933, and you think this is something only Bush or the Republicans are doing? If so, you're an absolute idiot.

i'm sorry - we've been at war with "al qaeda, the taliban, and associated organizations" since 1933? that's news to me - and most historians, i'd wager.

the issue isn't 'war powers,' jackass. the issue is permanent war to justify war powers.

Lionel Mandrake: I can't believe people are still making excuses for this guy. You idiots would give this shiathead another term before you admitted what a horrible wreck this douchebag has been.

But...but Clinton did something that isn't at all related to this, but I like to bring him up!

Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia

FlashHarry: Hope the neocons are okay with President Obama having these powers. Unless it's their October surprise involves calling off elections and instituting martial law.

Do you think people would really mind this if there was something good on TV?

Wraithbane: Gee, where the heck were your complaints about this under Clinton? or Carter? Or Kennedy?

I can't speak for anybody else, but I was 6 when Carter left office and cared mostly about getting drunk and laid during the Clinton years. But if you want me to generally agree that ULTIMATE PRESIDENTIAL POWER is a bad thing no matter which party it belongs to, sure, I'll go along with that.

King Something: NutWrench: I predict that if Obama wins in November, the Republicans will suddenly develop a new-found respect for the Constitution and for the rule of law.

I predict some sort of "unnamed, specific terrorism threat" in most or all of the states that go blue, resulting in lockdown - nobody in or out of the affected states, including their Electoral College members.

All of a sudden, instead of Obama winning by, say, 302 EVs to 236, McCain wins 236-214.

That's my prediction. I hope I'm wrong about the "unnamed threat."

/numbers pulled from the Department Of Pulling Numbers Out of My Ass

Wouldn't work. No EC majority and the election goes to the House.

I don't care, as long as our chocolate and victory gin rations at least remain stable.

Guess he knows now that it will be McCain/Palin. He'd have yanked in in a heartbeat if he thought Obama Lama Dingdong would ever be in charge.

A war tax of say $15/gal could make for a lot of STFU.

bulldg4life: NutWrench: the Republicans will suddenly develop a new-found respect for the Constitution and for the rule of law.

They have an amazing respect for the Constitution. Most notably how it affects gun ownership, healthcare, and flag burning.

Roe v. Wade? Not so much. But hey, they've got a woman on the ticket.

If I were president the first thing I would do is repeal the Patriot Act.

Hobodeluxe: Oceania has will always been at war with Eurasia

f.

TeddyRooseveltsMustache: If I were president the first thing I would do is repeal the Patriot Act.

Is that within the power of the presidency? I'm almost positive it is not.

/what, What, WHAT?!

Mordant: rights as an American

It's time for those to be earned again. People who got used to just taking them for granted squandered them.

It's a good thing in the long run.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

If you have to earn them, they are rights, not privileges. Sometimes you have to fight for their violation, but our rights SHOULD be taken for granted. That's the whole point. They are supposed to be granted.

NewportBarGuy: Do we have ANY goddamn oversight!?!?!?!

I've concluded that NeoCons are British Loyalists eager to regain monarchical reign. We didn't get them all! We're doomed.

Yes, Congress can close the door at any time by putting the wallet back in their pocket

LordPistachio: This seems like an objective, unbiased journalistic outlet.

Yeah. I heard this meme about 6 weeks ago.

BitwiseShift: A war tax of say $15/gal could make for a lot of STFU.

Taxation is not (should not be) a system of punishment.

TeddyRooseveltsMustache - If I were president the first thing I would do is repeal the Patriot Act.

Helloooo - The president does not have the power to repeal laws. This is not Cuba or Venazuela. Geez - Read the Farking Constitution.

FAIL

RemyDuron: Mordant: rights as an American

It's time for those to be earned again. People who got used to just taking them for granted squandered them.

It's a good thing in the long run.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

If you have to earn them, they are rights, not privileges. Sometimes you have to fight for their violation, but our rights SHOULD be taken for granted. That's the whole point. They are supposed to be granted.

Er, strike that, reverse it. If you have to earn them, they are privileges, not rights.

Damnit you! Mr. President, I like a lot of what you've done, and as a soldier I support much of you military ideas. But please stop ruining support for our party and making the accusations of the Democrats come true. We're supposed to be better than that. Start acting like it.

Are we at war with Eurasia? Or Oceania? I've forgotten.


/Is this war going to be like the war on poverty and drugs?