February 3, 2002

• Pardon My Politics
  
  Interesting article on the Cheney/GAO battle:
  
  http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20020201.html
  
  Essentially:
  
  a) If Cheney wins in court, it’s a total upset of the Constitutional balance of power between Legislative and Executive branches.
  
  b) If you were Cheney, you’d stall, too, because all you’d have to do is appeal to the Supreme Court. The same Supreme Court that essentially appointed the President whose administration you serve in.
  
  From the article:
  
  “Osama bin Laden himself could not concoct a more hurtful blow to our democracy. For the Court to resolving the case against GAO (and the Congress) and in favor of the Vice President would diminish the role of Congress as drastically as a reveral of Marbury v. Madison would diminish the judiciary’s role.
  
  “If Vice President Cheney were to prevail in such a suit, the high Court will have decided that Congressional oversight of the Executive Branch is limited to only what the President and Vice President are willing to permit. This would be an awesome realignment of power in Washington.
  
  “Before Bush v. Gore, I would have said such a ruling would be impossible. Today, all I can say is it is a time for vigilance. This lawsuit, should it proceed, calls for close watching.”

  • 1:41 am
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