CONGRESS MUST PUT OWN HOUSE IN ORDER BEFORE VOTE ON GENOCIDE
Byron Willilams, [email protected]
The Argus, CA
9
Oct 21 2007
IN recent days much has been made of Congress’ proposed resolution
condemning the Armenian genocide in Turkey. It seems, however, that
Speaker Nancy Pelosi does not have the votes to pass the perennial
resolution.
Over the years, the Armenian genocide resolution has taken different
forms with similar results. It has been particularly noteworthy this
time around because Turkey is one of our few allies in the region.
Turkish officials dispute the genocide claims.
The 2007 version of the resolution states "the Armenian genocide was
conceived and carried out by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923."
An estimated 1.5 million Armenians died, the resolution states.
Like its predecessors, the Bush administration, opposes the measure,
calling it an insult to a key ally. Strategic reasons also play into
the president’s thinking, as an estimated 70 percent of U.S. military
cargo bound for Iraq goes through Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.
"Congress has more important work to do than antagonizing a democratic
ally in the Muslim world, especially one that is providing vital
support for our military every day," the president opined at a press
conference last week.
The president is absolutely right!
For starters, they could begin the process of returning our government
to the pre-Sept. 11 days where there were three equal branches of
government in its actual implementation, which would augment what we
currently have today.
Under the leadership of the vice president, the Bush Administration
has made good on its efforts to expand the powers of the executive
branch. Since taking office, the Bush Administration has made it
their mission to reclaim the power, usurped by Congress, as a result
of Vietnam and Watergate.
Using the Sept. 11 attacks and fear in the most Machiavellian
sense, the administration enacted legislation, passed by Congress,
to become more powerful, more secretive, and worse, more dismissive
of Congressional oversight.
The process began when Vice President Dick Cheney was allowed to
create energy policy behind closed doors. But that was merely the
tip of the iceberg. The Geneva Conventions, habeas corpus and the
Constitution itself have been demoted to ideals better suited when
one is not engaged in a perpetual war on terror. The U.S.A. Patriot
Act justified the type of domestic spying unimaginable even to Orwell.
Last month, a U.S. District Court judge struck down two provisions
of the Patriot Act, ruling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
Act as amended by the Patriot Act, was unconstitutional because they
allow search warrants to be issued without showing probable cause,a
violation of the Fourth Amendment. The judge’s ruling has restored
some equilibrium to our checks and balances system, but Congress must
go further.
It is dangerous to the republic if Congress fails to roll back the
power the president has amassed. And this must be done before the
next president takes the oath of office in 2009.
The human condition has demonstrated throughout history difficulty in
placing limits on its own power. No president, regardless of party,
will volunteer to relinquish authority.
I can’t help but speculate whether Democrats, who now control Congress,
are feeling a Democrat will also reclaim the White House.
It is equally difficult for those aligned with a particular party
to demand such change. Republicans could not do it, and there is no
reason to suspect that Democrats will fair any better if they are
temporarily given the reigns of Congress and the White House.
However important it may be to publicly acknowledge Armenian genocide,
it is more important that we put our own house in order.