Congress Must Repeal Executive Usurpations

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

17 years ago

Categories: News

Congress Must Repeal Executive Usurpations

CONGRESS MUST REPEAL EXECUTIVE USURPATIONS

Oakland Tribune, CA
7256588
Oct 23 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,
while 500,000 were expelled, resulting in "the elimination of the
over 2,500-year presence of Armenians in their historic homeland."

Like its predecessors, the Bush administration, opposes the measure,
calling it an insult to a key ally.

Moreover, 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! And since there clearly are not
enough votes for the resolution to pass, Congress should indeed get
on with more important work.

For starters, they could begin the process of returning our government
to the pre-9/11 days where there were three equal branches of
government in its actual implementation, which would augment what we
currently have today – the mere premise of such.

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 9/11 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.

They created what historian Arthur Schlesinger coined, "The Imperial
Presidency."

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. Subsequently, the
Geneva Conventions, habeas corpus and the Constitution itself have
been demoted to ideals better suited when one is not engaging in a
perpetual war on terror.

The U.S.A. Patriot Act, which is anything but, 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
(FISA), as amended by the Patriot Act, was unconstitutional because
they allow search warrants to be issued without showing probable cause,
thereby violating 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 amassed immediately following 9/11.

And this must be done before the next president takes the oath of
office in 2009.

The human condition, whatever station in life, has demonstrated
throughout history difficulty in placing limits on its own power.

No president, regardless of party, will volunteer to relinquish
authority. Power is prone to bipartisan corruption.

I can’t help but speculate if whether Democrats, who now control
Congress, are feeling a Democrat will also reclaim the White House.

This is the amoral aspect of politics that is beyond the ability of
elected officials to self-regulate.

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 controlling 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 now.

Byron Willilams is an Oakland pastor and syndicated columnist. E-mail
him at byron@byronspeaks.com or lea ve a message at (510) 208-6417.

–Boundary_(ID_oAd2ZJ7zNdEyBcSSJZlHBA)
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Oakland Tribune, CA
Oct 23 2007

Congress must repeal executive usurpations
Article Last Updated: 10/23/2007 08:04:38 AM PDT

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, while
500,000 were expelled, resulting in "the elimination of the over
2,500-year presence of Armenians in their historic homeland."

Like its predecessors, the Bush administration, opposes the measure,
calling it an insult to a key ally.

Moreover, 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! And since there clearly are not
enough votes for the resolution to pass, Congress should indeed get
on with more important work.

For starters, they could begin the process of returning our
government to the pre-9/11 days where there were three equal branches
of government in its actual implementation, which would augment what
we currently have today ? the mere premise of such.

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 9/11 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.

They created what historian Arthur Schlesinger coined, "The Imperial
Presidency."

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. Subsequently, the Geneva
Conventions, habeas corpus and the Constitution itself have been
demoted to ideals better suited when one is not engaging in a
perpetual war on terror.

The U.S.A. Patriot Act, which is anything but, 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
(FISA), as amended by the Patriot Act, was unconstitutional because
they allow search warrants to be issued without showing probable
cause, thereby violating the Fourth Amendment.