I think he's out providing and maintaining a navy or something

[avram]

I noticed this yesterday during a quick Google News scan:

The 10-member [9-11 investigation] panel had invited [National Security Adviser Condoleeza] Rice to testify. She declined, with the White House citing concerns about separation of powers.

What the fuck? Do they even bother trying to find good excuses for their cover-ups anymore? Or did they just chop the Constitution into random phrases that they draw out of a bucket? “Oh, sorry, President Bush can’t testify because, um, no person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years.”

Comments

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Bwah! I love you.

[bibliotrope.livejournal.com]

Someone should tell them the phrase "separation of powers" does not actually appear in the Constitution. After all, that's a major argument for some people who disapprove of the "wall of separation between Church and State" which also is not in the Constitution in those exact words.

Or maybe someone should bring out the big gun in the non-separation-of-powers war: the I word. Impeachment.

Not Made Up

[(Anonymous)]

This tradition is older than anyone involved. Cabinet members who are not approved by Congress do not appear in such public Congressional committees. And Rice has provided more testimony to them in private than anyone else has done in public. She has testified to the commission, a lot. Oopsie on you.

Re: Not Made Up

[avram]

Yeah, but a cute girl said she loves me, so nyah, nyah, anonymous dude!

Re: Not Made Up

[barking-iguana.livejournal.com]

She can testify if she chooses. But none of her choices are appealing:

1. Lie and risk having Martha Stewart as a roommate
2. Tell the truth and have no job, many powerful enemies and no friends
3. Become the designated biggest-whopper-teller on the caht shows while claiming to not have time for the Commision, then be the fall guy when some of the nonsense becomes untenable even with Faux spinning as best it can.

Re: Not Made Up

[editrx.livejournal.com]

Wow, that doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Since WHEN do appointees not appear before Congressional committees? I guess you're not old enough to remember Watergate, O Anonymous One.

Cite me a law, not a custom, here. And tell me why Cabinet appointees had to appear before the very, very public Congressional committee that investigated Watergate, for example.