After two attempts in the Senate to pass a non-binding resolution expressing discontent with the President’s plan to “surge” twenty-one thousand troops to Iraq the Senate leadership is planning a new move, to rescind the President’s war-making authority in Iraq. Four years ago, Congress passed legislation authorizing President Bush to go to war in Iraq.Continue reading “On War Powers”
Tag Archives: George Bush
On the Senate and the Iraq Troop Surge
Yesterday Republican Senators were able to block debate and a full Senate vote on a non-binding resolution expressing disapproval of President Bush’s decision to “surge” American troops into Iraq. For the forty-seven Senators who voted against cloture on the resolution, their votes amounted to an approval of the President’s decision to keep the United StatesContinue reading “On the Senate and the Iraq Troop Surge”
On a "Miserable Failure" No More
Go ahead. Do it. A Google search on the phrase “Miserable Failure.” Once upon a time, the phrase “Miserable Failure” would have brought up this page, the official White House biography of President George W. Bush. But no more. Google has done away with Googlebombs, the technique of linking to a page by using aContinue reading “On a "Miserable Failure" No More”
On Some Political Speculation
There’s a rumor that Vice President Dick Cheney may be resigning in the near future. Considering that Cheney is the one person in the government with lower approval ratings than the President, unloading the albatros that is Cheney might give the administration some bouyancy. Oh, who am I kidding? President Bush is his own albatros.Continue reading “On Some Political Speculation”
On Rumsfeld and War Crimes
I just realized. I may hold the odd distinction of writing the only Star Trek story to name-check Donald Rumsfeld. But what might that have to do with anything? Former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld may be facing a new challenge in the weeks and months ahead: war crimes prosecution. Charges will be filed in Germany nextContinue reading “On Rumsfeld and War Crimes”
On Failures
Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo makes an interesting analogy to President Bush’s Iraq policy and his insistence upon “stay[ing] the course”–Iraq is a business start-up, and President Bush knows business start-ups. Unfortunately, what Bush knows of business start-ups is how to fail at business start-ups, as Josh explains: Setting aside the vast costs inContinue reading “On Failures”
On John Yoo
I'm sure many of you have heard about the NPR interview with legal scholar John Yoo. Yoo, in case you don't know, is the legal theorist behind many of President Bush's philosophies. Signing statements, the unitary executive–they all originate in the writings of John Yoo. Yoo was interviewed by NPR yesterday on the Congressional billContinue reading “On John Yoo”
On Things That Need To Be Said
In all the insanity of the week–from a scandal that could bring down a government to an appalling crime in Pennsylvania–Garrison Keillor offered some words on what our country has become that went overlooked. I would quote only excerpts, but the whole thing need to be read. So, let’s look at then–“A Shameful Retreat fromContinue reading “On Things That Need To Be Said”
On the Terror Legislation
WASHINGTON – Congress sent President Bush a bill Friday that endorses his plan to interrogate and prosecute terror suspects, legislation Republicans hope will win them political points on the campaign trail. Many Democrats opposed the legislation because they said it eliminated rights of defendants considered fundanamental to American values, such as a person’s ability toContinue reading “On the Terror Legislation”
On Philosophy Moments
First. Parkinson’s Law is a lie — there comes a point where you simply cannot draw work out any more to fill the time alloted. Second. There’s a special level of hell reserved for me. Third. We have a President that firmly believes in the Divine Right of Kings. However, he is neither divine, norContinue reading “On Philosophy Moments”