Time to leave the country for a while...

[debgeisler]

...but I'll have to wait another six weeks.

Why this sudden urge? I'm damned tired of living in this administration.

The executive branch will, in the President's infinite generosity and wisdom, allow several people to testify before Congress, but only if they are not made to do so under oath. (This, of course, is all in aid of understanding the firings of U.S. attorneys and why the U.S. attorney general is still in his job.) (And, of course, he's doing a heck of a job.)

And if Congress issues subpoenas requiring testimony under oath, the executive will withdraw its "extraordinarily generous" offer.

Bull pucky.

So the Democrats today empowered their leadrship to issue subpoenas if needed. And the president (more in sorrow than in anger) will, if the subpoenas are issued, tell "his" folks they can't testify.

[White House spokesman Tony] Snow said there is no need for oaths or transcripts for the private congressional interviews with the White House aides.

"The president expects everybody who talks to Congress to tell the truth, and so does the law. And they know that it would be illegal not to tell them the truth," he said.

Bull pucky again.

The Libby conviction has taught them that they can get away with anything as long as there's no perjury involved (that can be proven).

So the president of the United States is saying to the entire world that the only way he will allow members of the executive branch to testify in front of Congress is if those same members of the executive branch have the possibility of lying without triggering the law.

Bull pucky. Oh. I said that already. Twice.

I think I'll go visit a nice, clean, obviously totalitarian country. My skin won't feel quite so crawly as it does right now.

Comments

[ckd]

At least Harry Reid has turned the traditional GOP "you don't have anything to fear if you didn't do anything wrong" talking point ("wiretaps? don't worry") against them.

[smofbabe.livejournal.com]

I was half-asleep (having been up for a 3 - 4 a.m. meeting) when Stephen told me about this while he was getting dressed for work. The Australian in him was Mightily Confused when I predicted that the administration was just going to keep chanting "Executive privilege! National security!" He wants to know what that has to do with firing the justices. As do we all, of course...

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

I'm beginning to wonder how many Republicans will vote to impeach the President, and how many will vote guilty.

[debgeisler.livejournal.com]

Well, based on how many of them are as upset about this as are their Democratic counterparts, that'd be "a number significantly greater than one." And that number is rising every time he blows raspberries in the direction of Capital Hill.

[mkillingworth.livejournal.com]

One thing the Brits have all over the Americans is that when they change regimes, it happens the day after the election. This makes it a lot harder to get away with that crap. Of course, that hasn't stopped some from trying... Unless you manage to impeach the bastard, you're stuck with him until January of 2009. And it's my guess that by the time any serious move to impeach him gets pushed through and over with, it will pretty much be too late anyway. Want to come visit us for a while?

[thirdworld.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, ware those who claim the moral high ground, for they will bury you in it. Per your next post, is it too much to hope for that Bush and his evil cult will all commit mass self-castration and suicide before long?

[madfilkentist]

If it were illegal to lie to Congress in the absence of an oath, most of its own members would be in jail.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Take us with you...