THE American Form of Government Thread (merged)

KiddieKorral

Tyler-
You think Alabama's congressional districts are bad? Check this out.
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marko

pepper2000 · Heavy Crude Joined: Oct 15, 2004 Posts: 123

Here's a history lesson for you.
There are only three times in American history during which impeachment was a serious issue.

The first case was that of Andew Johnson, the Democratic President who succeeded Lincoln after his assassination. In a display of unity, Lincoln, himself a Republican, chose a Democrat to be his running mate in 1864. Johnson also had to face a Republican Congress, bringing him at odds with Congress on most issues.
The impeachment of Andrew Johnson was a clearly politically motivated affair. The Congress passed the dubious Tenure of Office Act, which forbade the President from firing Cabinet members from Lincoln's administration. Stubborn as he was, Johnson violated the act, which Congress used as a pretext for impeachment. Johnson was impeached by the House, but the Senate was one vote short of the two thirds majority needed to convict him. So Johnson barely held onto power.
The only other President to be impeached was Bill Clinton. This too was an obviously politically motivated affair, whereby the Republican controlled Congress moved to impeach Clinton on the basis that he had lied under oath about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Again, the Senate voted not to convict, many Republicans believing that the issue was not sufficient to remove the President from office.
The third case of note is that of Richard Nixon. As the Watergate story became more apparent to Congress and the American public, it became clear that Nixon's crimes were sufficient that he really should have been impeached. Even most Republicans eventually abandoned their support of Nixon. However, Nixon resigned from office before the impeachment process could go forward.

The historical precedent is that removal of a President from office should only happen in the case of gross wrongdoing. A two-thirds vote is required in the Senate for removal from office in order to prevent impeachment from being used as a political tool by one party, as happened to Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. While many people feel that George W. Bush has committed crimes worthy of removal of office, these accusations lack bipartisan support and are therefore unable to go through.

basil_hayden

America does not need to change it's federal government. Americans need to start grassroots efforts on a local basis and start changing local and State government. There are opportunities to do this every year or two. After it's clear that we've changed things locally, the local leaders become congressmen or senators, and the federal government gets the change that's needed.

I was watching coverage today of a special session of the Energy and Technology Committee of our state government, it was taped Friday. All the politicians are playing the blame game already. They asked THEE stupidest questions of the experts they brought before the committee.

This group needs to be, and will be, flushed out altogether. They did not even have an inkling of the concept of Peak Oil. The closest they got was the realization that China and India are in the energy market now, and that things may not change back like they did in 1974 or 1980. While trying to avoid political suicide, they cause national suicide, wonderful.

Gas has to go up another $1 per gallon, or stay high after the Katrina damage is repaired, then TSWHTF and the appropriate changes will be made. TPTB do not control all of us.

deconstructionist

the only switch that is possible in practice in the federal gov't is from republicans to democrats. democrats are capitalists. they are the other corporate party. they will lead us off the cliff to destruction, just a bit more slowly and with less racism... democrats are not going to do anything signifigant in the face of PO. so they're not as awful as the republicans, but the lesser of two evils will still usher us into hell.

peak oilers should vote Green--forget national politics for that advic--start in your local communities. the green party (and forget nader because he was never a member of the green party, just an opportunist) is about grassroots community building, and it is NOT a capitalist movement... well, the mainstream greens at www.gp.org are but i'm talking local, i'm talking www.greenparty.org Ten Key Values for real. no you can't get a Green elected to a national office. but to have a grassroots revolution you don't start with the presidency. you start with local offices and you build from there.
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katkinkate

deconstructionist · Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 2:40 pm Post subject: A better path for the US

Which would you prefer...
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katkinkate · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 6:19 pm Post subject: Re: A better path for the US

Pity the politicians don't seem to agree.
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MD · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 6:22 pm Post subject: Re: A better path for the US

duh!
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md@peakoil.com

venky · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 13, 2005 Posts: 810

Hmmm, dont see the point. It is because the US is a superpower both economically and politically, that it is the best placed to lead a program to develop alternate energy.

Whether it does so is another question

JudoCow09 · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 07, 2005 Posts: 253

Maybe we could sell our nukes for money to get out of debt and then work towards alternative energy sources until we are the only country surviving.

k_semler

Pentagon begins review of law on military's domestic role

DAILY BRIEFING
September 27, 2005
By Megan Scully, CongressDaily

The Pentagon has begun what might become a historic review of a post-Reconstruction-era law that bars the military from participating in domestic law enforcement activities, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., said Monday.

During a brief telephone conversation Monday afternoon, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld informed Warner that department officials are examining the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act to determine whether revisions are needed to give the military police powers during major domestic disasters. Under that law, the active-duty military can participate in humanitarian relief missions, but are prohibited from making arrests or conducting searches or seizures.

"He assured me the matter is being carefully reviewed," said Warner, who urged Rumsfeld earlier this month to review the law in the wake of a massive military deployment to the Gulf Coast in response to Hurricane Katrina.

Rumsfeld and several lawmakers opposed efforts to revise Posse Comitatus after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, arguing that it is not the military's job to conduct arrests, searches or seizures on U.S. soil.

But a sweeping statement made earlier this month by President Bush has renewed the national debate over whether the military is better equipped than local law enforcement to maintain order under extreme circumstances.

During a Sept. 15 speech in New Orleans that laid out initiatives in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Bush said he wanted a "broader role" for the military during domestic disasters. He revealed few specifics, other than to say the Defense Department is "the institution of our government most capable of massive logistical operations on a moment's notice."

Those remarks came a day after Warner urged a Pentagon review of Posse Comitatus, prompting questions from lawmakers about whether the president wants to give the military police powers during a major natural disaster.

Over the weekend, Bush said he had talked with U.S. Northern Command officials about whether the military should take the lead role in any initial response to a major disaster.

And the president attempted again Monday to clarify his Sept. 15 statement, saying he wants to begin a "robust discussion" about how the federal government can best respond to disasters and other major events on U.S. soil, including how to make better use of military personnel and equipment.

"What I was speculating about was a scenario which would require federal assets to stabilize the situation, primarily DoD assets," Bush said Monday at the Energy Department.

Bush did not discuss Posse Comitatus in particular, but hinted that revisions to laws might be necessary to change how the military can respond to natural disasters.

"I don't want to prejudge the Congress's discussion on this issue, because it may require a change of law," Bush said.

Congress is still awaiting details from the Defense Department on any proposal to expand the military's domestic role, Warner said.

Once the administration works out the specifics, the Armed Services Committee will review it. At the same time, Warner said he intends to work with committee members on any ideas or proposals they might have.

There should be "no rush to judgment" on any decisions to change the military's domestic role, Warner said. "We should look at this very, very carefully."

Meanwhile, the Armed Services Committee is waiting for Senate leaders to schedule floor debate for the $441.6 billion defense authorization bill, which was shelved in late July.

Over the weekend, committee and leadership staff made progress on discussions to limit both the time for the debate and the number of amendments allowed, Warner said.

Among those amendments likely will be language introduced by Armed Services Airland Subcommittee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., that would standardize detainee interrogation policies -- a move the White House opposes.

Warner said he plans to include that amendment during debate of the authorization bill, and intends to pull a similar amendment he introduced on the detainee issue and support McCain's language.
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July 04, 1776 - June 23 2005

Epitaph: "The Experiment Is Over."

Rest In Peace.

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