New McCain Communications Director: President has "near dictatorial powers"
Can someone in the press please ask McCain whether or not he agrees with his new Deputy Communications Director when he says that the President has "near dictatorial powers"? Please?
Bill Kristol today proudly announces that one of his Weekly Standard staff members, Michael Goldfarb, was just named the Deputy Communications Director of the McCain campaign. Last April, this newest McCain official participated in a conference call with former Senator George Mitchell, during which Mitchell advocated a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Afterwards, this is what Goldfarb wrote about what he thinks are the powers the President possesses in our country:
Mitchell's less than persuasive answer [to whether withdrawal timetables "somehow infringe on the president's powers as commander in chief?"]: "Congress is a coequal branch of government...the framers did not want to have one branch in charge of the government."
True enough, but they sought an energetic executive with near dictatorial power in pursuing foreign policy and war. So no, the Constitution does not put Congress on an equal footing with the executive in matters of national security.
After eight years of a President who literally believes in this -- and, indeed, proves it on a near daily basis -- shouldn't it be newsworthy that his Republican successor is, at least, surrounding himself with people who thinks it's a good idea?
Oh no!!!
the karma for dictators is, it always comes back round, always!
Actually, I think that would make an excellent bumper sticker for John's campaign.
JOHN McCAIN: AN ENERGETIC EXECTUTIVE WITH NEAR DICTATORIAL POWERS.
Someone should send that along to McCain's PR firm. They can run it up the flagpole, see if anyone salutes.
Someone call the McCain campaign and explain to them what vetting is and why it's important.
hitler bush has run his entire administration
as a fascist dictator. what is troubling is
he may just prove to use those illegal
powers to stay in office beyond the 2008
election by declaring some phony national
emergency.
Birds of a feather flock together.
john doheny @ 3:
Great idea!
john doheny @ 3:
Exactly what America needs now, an energetic executive with near dictatorial powers. That would show Iraq what we mean by democracy, wouldn't it?
OT, sorry but
David Gregory just said, and I paraphrase,: McCain started out running as a one term President and now has said that he (McCan’t) is going to make it an 8 year “stench”.
Hahaha
Pol Pot-O-Cheesesauce @ 6:
in bush's case
birds of a feather fuck the whole USA together.
It appears that Goldfarb is trying to rewrite the constitution which says nothing about the president having dictatorial powers in regard to foreign policy or anything else. The writers of the constitution were wary of anything that smacked of a monarchial system for good reason.
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 9:
I can already smell the four year "stench" from here. Yuck!
Thanks for the laugh and a great way to end my day here in the inter-tubes.
See you guys tomorrow.
You want the McCainstream Media to ask Grumpy Grampy a serious question?
Good luck with that.
.
Why do Republicans hate America?
If you're a Republican, know that the political party you are a part of is about to proudly break America!
.
Anyone who thinks this is what our forefathers intended are so far corrupt that they really need to be weeded out by the voters.. but this won't happen because voters don't even know what to think anymore.
This seriously made me have to choke back vomit.
Christ on a cracker, these people call themselves Americans?????
And for those who say we just need to wait a few more months and they'll leave voluntarily, I say, really? You really think the dictator's going to just walk away?
I give it a 60/40 shot they start a war, maybe have a convenient assassination, and suspend elections. We just aren't that far away from it now.
And, BTW, I know two active duty military who have suddenly had a change of orders that will put them in Iraq in Feb. '09, despite the fact that they weren't slated for that kind of deployment and this is a change in longstanding orders for both.
Anyone else have military friends or family whose orders are suddenly being changed?
That's 'cuz they're cousins...identical cousins in every way...
They talk alike and walk alike...and they even sound alike!
I LOVE that moveon ad.
At least they admit to it. Doesn't make it right though.
President has “near dictatorial powers””
The REAL dictator, VP Darth Cheney, will be glad to know that Little Shrub won't challenge his authority anytime soon...
Whatever the Congress did to 'cede' power to this lame-brain, they just need to undo it...and soon. Meanwhile, I can add this new name - Goldfarb -to my long list of names (Bill Kristol has been on it from the beginning) of those that 'The only reason some people aren't dead is that it's against the law to kill 'em.' Oh well, someday maybe we'll get the dictatorial powers.
Maybe the legislative branch of government ought to have put the kibosh on such thinking - Eh, Senator Reid, Congresswoman Pelossi? Anyone?
With all the confusion as to what the Constitution says and means, maybe it's time for a New Constitutional Convention? It could even be live blogged.
Watch these GOP assclowns scramble day and night between the day after Obama wins the election and inaugural day, trying to roll back all of these godly executive powers they allowed Bush to rule with an iron fist with for eight Hellish years.
MH @ 22:
Hahaha, indeed. I can already smell the soiled, bratty, GOP poopypants...I mean....! I can smell the hypocrisy even now.
This is why I trust in Obama to restore the executive branch to its constitutionally defined level of power. He is the only candidate I trust with that responsibility.
I'm glad everyone here thinks that McCains boy just made a pretty ridiculous statement about near dictatorial powers...
...now we just gotta let Dems in congress know about this revelation...boy will they be surprised! (maybe the will impeach after all!) NOT. #$@*&
"There's no such thing as a finish fight in politics". George Shultz said that, circa 1985. "A Republic, madam, if you can keep it". Ben Franklin said that in 1789. "Bums like (so & so) are always with us, like bad weather". Kirk Douglas said that in the John Wayne flick, In Harms Way.
bilhelm-axis of evil-X @ 24:
Obama voted for the patriot act!
wake up dumbass!!!
john doheny @ 3:
How about:
John McCain: An executive energetically for dictatorial powers.
Live Frankly
milquetoast @ 27:
The PA was changed hours before it was voted upon. The original version (which the senators read - a several hundred page document) was barely given enough time to read to start with - and then it was changed at 3:00 am the day before the vote.
I have a hard time giving someone too much of a hard time for that.
I HATE the PA, but I hate BushCo more for duping people into voting for it.
Wha..... Oh Jesus Christ on a crutch... That is some serious bullshit... I am sick and tired of these sonsofbitches sitting around trying to justify their attempts to pervert our form of government. Some of the framers might have had some weird idea similar to what these tools are peddling way back when, but George Washington would have none of that so as a practical matter this dictatorial power thing never fucking happened!!! Fuck you Goldfarce or whatever your freaking name is.. You sound just like the kind of little fascist wannabe suckup who would work for a piece of shit like Bill Kristol.... The pair of you ought to have your asses kicked royally right out of public life!
Worthless pricks!!! It's people like you and your former boss who have managed to promote this kind of bullshit that has landed us in this hellhole... FUCK YOU, did I remember to tell you two that??
I got a buddy with a t-shirt that pretty much says is all as regards you, Bill Kristol and all the rest of you pnac cheerleaders... Goes like this.. 'Fuck you you fucking fuck!!!
Gee, did I overdo the use of the word 'fuck' in this post... Hmm, considering who I'm talking about... Umm nah, probably not...JD
bilhelm-axis of evil-X @ 24:
I am hopeful in this regard as well, however, if he doesn't make it a central point in his next 10 or 12 campaign stops then it would seem to me that he is dodging the subject....and that doesn't make me feel comfortable at all. And yes, the Congress needs to really get a grip. It's looking more and more like a collection of those tiny plastic ducks all spinning around in the small water pool at a county fair.
You know the kinda fairs I am talking about.....the kind McSame and SixPence toured in Iraq that reminded them of Indiana.
The neocons know what's good for you, now shut up.
Jefferson, Madison, Franklin and Washington just collectively up-chucked in their respective graves. If they were alive today, they would hang these fascists from the nearest tree by their scrota.
Why is it that republicans think it is a good idea to live under a dictator?
Is it because they are not capable of thinking for themselves?
Are they just stupid?
Or just crazy?
No matter what the problem is I think it shows that they are not Americans.
They would feel more at home in saudi arabia or the old russia or Germany in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
They are definitely not Americans!
it ain't the liberal media (it never was), it's the deferential media.
got it?
yes i agree.
the MSM loves republicans. and they would prefer a dick tate tor
MsJoanne @ 29:
Obama was not "duped" as you say.
Yes!the patriot act was changed (overnight and voted on at 3 in the morn on sept 12th 2001!
No! Obama was not a senator then!
Obama voted for patriot act two ....(after the first one expired!)4rs later!
Obama had years to contemplate this violation of our constitutional rights...and still fucked us!
(he also gives chimpster money for war)
hope that makes it easier!
milquetoast @ 27:
Patriot Act was passed in 2001. Obama couldn't have voted on it from his state seat in Illinois.
[Deleted. Site Monitor] Do you have any shame or are you just a paid asshole troll?
Neo-classical secular humanist @ 33:
Or they shrugged their shoulders, and thought, "Figures." As Franklin said, "We've given you a Republic . . . if you can keep it." They pretty much expected we could not.
equilibrio @ 21:
There are times I share that sentiment. Though, it terrifies me. I really wonder what would happen if a new Constitution were written. The way too many Americans tend to think, we just might end up with a de jure, rather than a de facto, theocratic dictatorship.
Senator McIVotedwithBush100% with not be the next Busholini
The president needs dictatorial powers to protect the constitution and democracy. Makes perfect sense..
wow! they told the truth!
when do the disclaimers start to fly?
Embittered-Max-Hussein-1 @ 14:
sorry! it's like a tranquilizer dart. you hit the ground before you know you're knocked out. we're already toast. the rest of the planet is trying to avoid getting caught up in the wake.
JERKS are always "Happy Together":
Ah, the PNAC begins to fill the vacancies...
If there was any doubt that the McCain campaign is a wholly owned BushCo joint, I think this should remove all doubt.
Happy Together:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFhakR_dork
[edited, Site Monitor]
But thank goodness Nancy's table is empty. (snark)
It does not matter if the President uses these dictatorial powers to become - that he has them alone qualifies him as a dictator. The threat of using them - is as great a tool as their employ.
This is clear and unadulterated evidence that John McCain is a monster waiting to be created if he gets the keys to the WH. Hiring this unhinged fool as his underling, and a former employee of Bill Kristol, should bring right thinking people to pause over McCain being Prez. McCain has a staggering ego himself, not unlike Hillary, and somehow feels he's entitled to the position he seeks. All these power grabs by Bush/Cheney will continue unabated if McCain gets the job. He will ratchet them up.
[Deleted. Off topic-Sitemonitor]
This is a guy who thinks he can surround himself with lobbyists and still play reformer. I think he is extremely unstable and is a huge risk to the world as president.
Mindboggling. This is the stuff of "manna from heaven" for the Dems.
Americans have seen the Administration run roughshod over the Constitution after having trusted him to invade Iraq based on assertions that turned out to be false.
So if John McCain thinks Americans want more dictatorial presidents, he is sadly mistaken, and I am more hopeful than ever that there will be a sea change in the next election.
[Deleted. Off topic-Sitemonitor]
Thank you for your concern danL.
How is it that there are in the Constitution "implied powers" of the presidency
But none in the other branches?
I'd love to hear him explain precisely what writings led him to believe that "(the framers) sought an energetic executive with near dictatorial power in pursuing foreign policy and war".
I'm sure I could collect a good set of quotations to argue the precise opposite of that sentiment.
danL @ 52:
Great concern trolling.
Karen @ 39:
A theocratic plutocracy might also work as a descriptive phrase for what might be a future constitution as that malevolent extension of the original is what you've got right now.
Dictators
for
McCain
Jiminy christmas, we have got to get these guys OUT of government and OUT of DC!!! cockroaches running our country!
The neo cons are robbing us blind using the government as cover.
it could all be stopped if congress didnt table the funding bills, but they do , dont they?
You say that like that dictatorial powers are a bad thing!
please explain.
On a somewhat related note, I was dismayed to see Richard Clarke pushing the need for National ID cards on C-SPAN yesterday.
He's correct that TSA is a mess, but national ID cards are asking for scary, like the old Nazi movies: "Your papers, please. Your papers are not in order! You will come with us . . ."
Come on, give 'em a break. If they can't manage to keep up with current events (like the difference between Sunni & Shi'a), why would you expect them to accurately remember history? Even if McCain was around for most of it...
Perhaps they should read "Presidential Power: Unchecked and Unbalanced." Actually, I recommend it to everyone. It's a very enlightening look at how we got in the mess we've got today. And then we can all take turns explaining to Goldfarb that the Founding Fathers envisioned a very weak presidency and negligible central government....
from MSM we will hear "cricket chirp, cricket chirp...."
it seems to be a very difficult thing for the press to pull itself from under the thumb of "presidential power" these days.
That anybody this late in the game still believes the fantasy about unlimited or near unlimited presidential powers is a situation that is solely the fault of Nancy Pelosi, who has betrayed her trust to the Constitution and the American People.
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