Frontline: Cheney's Law

The Frontline special called Cheney's Law has once again reminded M.O.W. of why it is so important to maintain the balance of power between the three branches. We have long believed that the Judiciary and the Executive, which are the two least democratic branches, are also the most dangerous branches, precisely because they are less directly controlled by the people. These two branches of government have the potential to conspire together, as they apparently have for the past 6 years under the Bush/Cheney Regime. We believed then that the coup d'etat of 2000 was portentous, and as Frontline demonstrates, we were correct: the same people who disregarded both the will of the people and the constitutional mechanisms for deciding the presidency in 2000 are precisely the people who would later consolidate power in the Executive Branch and use that power to reward their friends and punish their enemies.

Abuse of power comes as no surprise.

Yet, the thing that makes M.O.W. so very sad is that Bush/Cheney have been permitted their coup d'etat. We have allowed them to usurp the power of law. We have allowed them to tyrannize the people. No one has stood up to them. Where is the opposition party? Of what use is the two party system if no one will stand up? Of what use are the three branches of government if each branch does not check upon the others?

Thomas Paine wrote in Common Sense that one would not be able to find "the King of America," because in "America the law is King." Cheney has explicitly reversed Paine and the rest of the Revolutionary generation's understanding of the correct ordering of law and leader: he has put himself above the law, and what is worse, he has put himself above the constitution. M.O.W. fears a day soon when she will hear "Long Live King Cheney!"

Where are the real patriots when you need them? Who will defend the constitution from these attacks?

Who, indeed.

Founder-Chic Fact or Fiction: Fourth Branch Edition

We try not to get involved in petty political issues. After all, Founder-Chic does not like to use her fine powers for evil. Nor, however, do we like to see the U.S. Constitution so carelessly perverted. That document has enough problems of its own, we believe. Therefore, we've decided that a brief Founder-Chic Fact or Fiction is necessary to clear up this nonsense about the Vice-President not being a part of the Executive Branch. Fourth Branch, indeed!

Fact or Fiction: The Vice-President is NOT a part of the Executive Branch, as current VP Dick Cheney claims.

Verdict: FICTION. Let's turn our attention to the September 7, 1787 Constitutional Convention Notes, shall we? (pg. 596) Things were wrapping up; folks wanted to go home; everybody was bitchy--you get the idea. They were discussing this new post that they had just made up called the Vice-President. No body knew exactly what it was or why they made it...all of a sudden, poof! presto! there is a Vice-President. Now, what does the Vice-President do?

Article 1, Section 3 (in the final version) of the Constitution states, "The vice President shall be ex-officio President of the Senate."

Gerrymander, "opposed this regulation. We might as well put the President himself at the head of the Legislature. The close intimacy that must subsist between the President & vice-president makes it absolutely improper. He was against having any vice President."

GM, "The vice president then will be the first heir apparent that ever loved his father. If there should be no vice president, the President of the Senate would be temporary successor, which would amount to the same thing."

Shermy, "saw no danger in the case. If the vice-President were not to be President of the Senate, he would be without employment, and some member by being made President must be deprived of his vote, unless when an equal division of votes might happen in the Senate, which would be but seldom."

The states eventually voted 8 to 2 to approve the Vice-President as president of the Senate, even though he had a "close intimacy" with the President. John Adams was the first V.P. and was miserable--both at the job and in the job--earning himself the nickname "His Rotundity."

Therefore, Mr. Cheney, I believe that you are, in fact, a member of the Executive Branch. And, remember this: information wants to be FREE.

Oh, and here is a cute little Jon Stewart YouTube on this whole thing.

xoxo
M.O.W.

Founder Feud Poll: Who is the Bigger TLB?

We are not sure if there are two bigger bitches than A-Ham and A-Burr: they have been spreading lies about each other, manipulating elections, making backroom deals, and generally making each other's lives hell ever since they met.

Now A-Burr shot A-Ham in a duel, whose side are you on?

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