How criminal is President Cheney?
Pretty much, says John Dean, who is a leading authority on such matters, in
The Misunderestimated Mr. Cheney Findlaw.com 06/29/07:
In fact, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a law that Cheney believes does apply to him , whether that law be major or minor. For example, he has claimed that most of the laws passed in the aftermath of Watergate were unconstitutional, and thus implicitly inapplicable. His office oversees signing statements claiming countless new laws will not be honored except insofar as the President's extremely narrow interpretation allows. He does not believe the War Powers Act should be honored by the President. Nor, in his view, should the President be bothered with laws like the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). In fact, it appears Cheney has actively encouraged defiance of such laws by the Bush Administration. For Cheney, the Geneva Conventions - considered among the nation's most important treaties - are but quaint relics that can be ignored. Thus, he publicly embraced their violation when, on an Idaho talk radio program, he said he was not troubled in the slightest by our forces using "waterboarding" - the simulated drowning of detainees to force them to talk. There are serious questions as to whether Cheney himself has also conspired to violate the War Crimes Act, which can be a capital crime . Then there's that little matter about record-keeping.
Dean writes:A man who can so easily disregard the War Powers Act, FISA, the Geneva Conventions, and the War Crimes Act is merely flicking fleas when it comes to complying with laws like the Presidential Records Act, which requires him to keep records. Yet as CNN and other news organizations have reported, Cheney ordered the destruction of the visitor logs to his residence. These, of course, are presidential records the law requires him to preserve and protect. (Indeed, neighbors of the Vice President were surprised when, in the past, a truck for a document shredding service would regularly visit the Vice President's residence at the Naval Observatory. ) (my emphasis) Dean is also in the Cheney-is-calling-a-lot-of-the-shots camp of Presidential analysis:Those with whom I have spoken have serious doubt that Bush and the White House staff really knows what Cheney is doing, why he is doing it, or how he is doing it. From the outset of this administration, Cheney has been instrumental in placing people loyal to him throughout the Executive Branch. This is not to say that Bush is not "the decider," for he is, but by shaping the debate and controlling the paper flow, Cheney decides what the decider will decide.It has long been apparent that Cheney's genius is that he lets George W. Bush get out of bed every morning actually believing he is the President. In fact, his presidency is run by the President of the Senate, for Cheney is its true center of gravity. That fact has become more apparent with every passing year of this presidency, and anyone who thinks otherwise has truly "misunderestimated" our nominal president and his vice president. (my emphasis) That squares with my understanding from afar of Cheney's role. No one should let Bush off the hook for his administration's actions. But Cheney is weilding unprecedented power and influence for a Vice President. Tags: authoritarianism , cheney
|
+Save/Share
|
|
FEATURED QUOTE
"It is the logic of our times No subject for immortal verse That we who lived by honest dreams Defend the bad against the worse."
-- Cecil Day-Lewis from Where Are The War Poets?
ABOUT US
What is the Blue Voice?
Bruce Miller
Fdtate
Marcia Ellen (on hiatus)
Marigolds2
Neil
Tankwoman
Wonky Muse
RECENT POSTS
Rethinking insurgency, redefining success and prov...
Dark Times
The Republican version of civil rights (no minorit...
Neosegregation
Losing the Birds
The Eagle Flies on Thursday
Nobody Likes Bush's War, But Now What?
Dick Lugar's "antiwar" speech
Cheney
(Some of) Our Mayors Rock!
ARCHIVES
Weekly, Click Here >>>
06/12/2005 - 06/19/2005
06/19/2005 - 06/26/2005
06/26/2005 - 07/03/2005
07/03/2005 - 07/10/2005
07/10/2005 - 07/17/2005
07/17/2005 - 07/24/2005
07/24/2005 - 07/31/2005
07/31/2005 - 08/07/2005
08/07/2005 - 08/14/2005
08/14/2005 - 08/21/2005
08/21/2005 - 08/28/2005
08/28/2005 - 09/04/2005
09/04/2005 - 09/11/2005
09/11/2005 - 09/18/2005
09/18/2005 - 09/25/2005
09/25/2005 - 10/02/2005
10/02/2005 - 10/09/2005
10/09/2005 - 10/16/2005
10/16/2005 - 10/23/2005
10/23/2005 - 10/30/2005
10/30/2005 - 11/06/2005
11/06/2005 - 11/13/2005
11/13/2005 - 11/20/2005
11/20/2005 - 11/27/2005
11/27/2005 - 12/04/2005
12/04/2005 - 12/11/2005
12/11/2005 - 12/18/2005
12/18/2005 - 12/25/2005
12/25/2005 - 01/01/2006
01/01/2006 - 01/08/2006
01/08/2006 - 01/15/2006
01/15/2006 - 01/22/2006
01/22/2006 - 01/29/2006
01/29/2006 - 02/05/2006
02/05/2006 - 02/12/2006
02/12/2006 - 02/19/2006
02/19/2006 - 02/26/2006
02/26/2006 - 03/05/2006
03/05/2006 - 03/12/2006
03/12/2006 - 03/19/2006
03/19/2006 - 03/26/2006
03/26/2006 - 04/02/2006
04/02/2006 - 04/09/2006
04/09/2006 - 04/16/2006
04/16/2006 - 04/23/2006
04/23/2006 - 04/30/2006
04/30/2006 - 05/07/2006
05/07/2006 - 05/14/2006
05/14/2006 - 05/21/2006
05/21/2006 - 05/28/2006
05/28/2006 - 06/04/2006
06/04/2006 - 06/11/2006
06/11/2006 - 06/18/2006
06/18/2006 - 06/25/2006
06/25/2006 - 07/02/2006
07/02/2006 - 07/09/2006
07/09/2006 - 07/16/2006
07/16/2006 - 07/23/2006
07/23/2006 - 07/30/2006
07/30/2006 - 08/06/2006
08/06/2006 - 08/13/2006
08/13/2006 - 08/20/2006
08/20/2006 - 08/27/2006
08/27/2006 - 09/03/2006
09/03/2006 - 09/10/2006
09/10/2006 - 09/17/2006
09/17/2006 - 09/24/2006
09/24/2006 - 10/01/2006
10/01/2006 - 10/08/2006
10/08/2006 - 10/15/2006
10/15/2006 - 10/22/2006
10/22/2006 - 10/29/2006
10/29/2006 - 11/05/2006
11/05/2006 - 11/12/2006
11/12/2006 - 11/19/2006
11/19/2006 - 11/26/2006
11/26/2006 - 12/03/2006
12/03/2006 - 12/10/2006
12/10/2006 - 12/17/2006
12/17/2006 - 12/24/2006
12/24/2006 - 12/31/2006
12/31/2006 - 01/07/2007
01/07/2007 - 01/14/2007
01/14/2007 - 01/21/2007
01/21/2007 - 01/28/2007
01/28/2007 - 02/04/2007
02/04/2007 - 02/11/2007
02/11/2007 - 02/18/2007
02/18/2007 - 02/25/2007
02/25/2007 - 03/04/2007
03/04/2007 - 03/11/2007
03/11/2007 - 03/18/2007
03/18/2007 - 03/25/2007
03/25/2007 - 04/01/2007
04/01/2007 - 04/08/2007
04/08/2007 - 04/15/2007
04/15/2007 - 04/22/2007
04/22/2007 - 04/29/2007
04/29/2007 - 05/06/2007
05/06/2007 - 05/13/2007
05/13/2007 - 05/20/2007
05/20/2007 - 05/27/2007
05/27/2007 - 06/03/2007
06/03/2007 - 06/10/2007
06/10/2007 - 06/17/2007
06/17/2007 - 06/24/2007
06/24/2007 - 07/01/2007
07/01/2007 - 07/08/2007
07/08/2007 - 07/15/2007
07/15/2007 - 07/22/2007
07/22/2007 - 07/29/2007
07/29/2007 - 08/05/2007
08/05/2007 - 08/12/2007
08/12/2007 - 08/19/2007
08/19/2007 - 08/26/2007
08/26/2007 - 09/02/2007
09/02/2007 - 09/09/2007
09/09/2007 - 09/16/2007
09/16/2007 - 09/23/2007
09/23/2007 - 09/30/2007
09/30/2007 - 10/07/2007
10/07/2007 - 10/14/2007
10/14/2007 - 10/21/2007
10/21/2007 - 10/28/2007
10/28/2007 - 11/04/2007
11/04/2007 - 11/11/2007
11/11/2007 - 11/18/2007
11/18/2007 - 11/25/2007
11/25/2007 - 12/02/2007
12/02/2007 - 12/09/2007
12/09/2007 - 12/16/2007
12/16/2007 - 12/23/2007
12/23/2007 - 12/30/2007
12/30/2007 - 01/06/2008
01/06/2008 - 01/13/2008
01/13/2008 - 01/20/2008
01/20/2008 - 01/27/2008
01/27/2008 - 02/03/2008
02/03/2008 - 02/10/2008
02/10/2008 - 02/17/2008
02/17/2008 - 02/24/2008
02/24/2008 - 03/02/2008
03/02/2008 - 03/09/2008
03/09/2008 - 03/16/2008
03/16/2008 - 03/23/2008
03/23/2008 - 03/30/2008
03/30/2008 - 04/06/2008
04/06/2008 - 04/13/2008
04/13/2008 - 04/20/2008
04/20/2008 - 04/27/2008
04/27/2008 - 05/04/2008
05/04/2008 - 05/11/2008
05/11/2008 - 05/18/2008
05/18/2008 - 05/25/2008
05/25/2008 - 06/01/2008
06/01/2008 - 06/08/2008
06/08/2008 - 06/15/2008
06/15/2008 - 06/22/2008
06/22/2008 - 06/29/2008
06/29/2008 - 07/06/2008
07/06/2008 - 07/13/2008
07/13/2008 - 07/20/2008
07/20/2008 - 07/27/2008
07/27/2008 - 08/03/2008
08/03/2008 - 08/10/2008
08/10/2008 - 08/17/2008
08/17/2008 - 08/24/2008
08/24/2008 - 08/31/2008
08/31/2008 - 09/07/2008
09/07/2008 - 09/14/2008
09/14/2008 - 09/21/2008
09/21/2008 - 09/28/2008
09/28/2008 - 10/05/2008
10/05/2008 - 10/12/2008
10/12/2008 - 10/19/2008
10/19/2008 - 10/26/2008
10/26/2008 - 11/02/2008
11/02/2008 - 11/09/2008
11/09/2008 - 11/16/2008
11/16/2008 - 11/23/2008
11/23/2008 - 11/30/2008
11/30/2008 - 12/07/2008
12/07/2008 - 12/14/2008
12/14/2008 - 12/21/2008
12/21/2008 - 12/28/2008
12/28/2008 - 01/04/2009
01/04/2009 - 01/11/2009
01/11/2009 - 01/18/2009
01/18/2009 - 01/25/2009
01/25/2009 - 02/01/2009
02/01/2009 - 02/08/2009
02/08/2009 - 02/15/2009
02/15/2009 - 02/22/2009
02/22/2009 - 03/01/2009
03/01/2009 - 03/08/2009
03/08/2009 - 03/15/2009
03/15/2009 - 03/22/2009
03/22/2009 - 03/29/2009
03/29/2009 - 04/05/2009
04/05/2009 - 04/12/2009
04/12/2009 - 04/19/2009
04/19/2009 - 04/26/2009
04/26/2009 - 05/03/2009
05/03/2009 - 05/10/2009
05/10/2009 - 05/17/2009
05/17/2009 - 05/24/2009
05/24/2009 - 05/31/2009
05/31/2009 - 06/07/2009
06/07/2009 - 06/14/2009
06/14/2009 - 06/21/2009
06/21/2009 - 06/28/2009
06/28/2009 - 07/05/2009
07/05/2009 - 07/12/2009
07/12/2009 - 07/19/2009
07/19/2009 - 07/26/2009
07/26/2009 - 08/02/2009
08/02/2009 - 08/09/2009
08/09/2009 - 08/16/2009
08/16/2009 - 08/23/2009
08/23/2009 - 08/30/2009
08/30/2009 - 09/06/2009
09/06/2009 - 09/13/2009
09/13/2009 - 09/20/2009
09/20/2009 - 09/27/2009
09/27/2009 - 10/04/2009
10/04/2009 - 10/11/2009
10/11/2009 - 10/18/2009
10/18/2009 - 10/25/2009
10/25/2009 - 11/01/2009
11/01/2009 - 11/08/2009
11/08/2009 - 11/15/2009
11/15/2009 - 11/22/2009
11/22/2009 - 11/29/2009
11/29/2009 - 12/06/2009
12/06/2009 - 12/13/2009
12/13/2009 - 12/20/2009
12/20/2009 - 12/27/2009
12/27/2009 - 01/03/2010
01/03/2010 - 01/10/2010
01/10/2010 - 01/17/2010
01/17/2010 - 01/24/2010
01/24/2010 - 01/31/2010
01/31/2010 - 02/07/2010
02/07/2010 - 02/14/2010
02/14/2010 - 02/21/2010
02/21/2010 - 02/28/2010
02/28/2010 - 03/07/2010
03/07/2010 - 03/14/2010
03/14/2010 - 03/21/2010
03/21/2010 - 03/28/2010
03/28/2010 - 04/04/2010
04/04/2010 - 04/11/2010
04/11/2010 - 04/18/2010
04/18/2010 - 04/25/2010
04/25/2010 - 05/02/2010
05/02/2010 - 05/09/2010
05/09/2010 - 05/16/2010
05/16/2010 - 05/23/2010
05/23/2010 - 05/30/2010
05/30/2010 - 06/06/2010
06/06/2010 - 06/13/2010
06/13/2010 - 06/20/2010
06/20/2010 - 06/27/2010
06/27/2010 - 07/04/2010
07/04/2010 - 07/11/2010
07/11/2010 - 07/18/2010
07/18/2010 - 07/25/2010
07/25/2010 - 08/01/2010
08/01/2010 - 08/08/2010
08/08/2010 - 08/15/2010
08/15/2010 - 08/22/2010
08/22/2010 - 08/29/2010
08/29/2010 - 09/05/2010
09/05/2010 - 09/12/2010
09/12/2010 - 09/19/2010
09/19/2010 - 09/26/2010
09/26/2010 - 10/03/2010
10/03/2010 - 10/10/2010
10/10/2010 - 10/17/2010
10/17/2010 - 10/24/2010
10/24/2010 - 10/31/2010
10/31/2010 - 11/07/2010
11/07/2010 - 11/14/2010
11/14/2010 - 11/21/2010
11/21/2010 - 11/28/2010
11/28/2010 - 12/05/2010
12/05/2010 - 12/12/2010
12/12/2010 - 12/19/2010
12/19/2010 - 12/26/2010
12/26/2010 - 01/02/2011
01/02/2011 - 01/09/2011
01/09/2011 - 01/16/2011
01/16/2011 - 01/23/2011
01/23/2011 - 01/30/2011
01/30/2011 - 02/06/2011
02/06/2011 - 02/13/2011
02/13/2011 - 02/20/2011
02/20/2011 - 02/27/2011
02/27/2011 - 03/06/2011
03/06/2011 - 03/13/2011
03/13/2011 - 03/20/2011
03/20/2011 - 03/27/2011
03/27/2011 - 04/03/2011
04/03/2011 - 04/10/2011
04/10/2011 - 04/17/2011
04/17/2011 - 04/24/2011
04/24/2011 - 05/01/2011
05/01/2011 - 05/08/2011
05/08/2011 - 05/15/2011
05/15/2011 - 05/22/2011
05/22/2011 - 05/29/2011
05/29/2011 - 06/05/2011
06/05/2011 - 06/12/2011
06/12/2011 - 06/19/2011
06/19/2011 - 06/26/2011
06/26/2011 - 07/03/2011
07/03/2011 - 07/10/2011
07/10/2011 - 07/17/2011
07/17/2011 - 07/24/2011
07/24/2011 - 07/31/2011
07/31/2011 - 08/07/2011
08/07/2011 - 08/14/2011
08/14/2011 - 08/21/2011
08/21/2011 - 08/28/2011
08/28/2011 - 09/04/2011
09/04/2011 - 09/11/2011
09/11/2011 - 09/18/2011
09/18/2011 - 09/25/2011
09/25/2011 - 10/02/2011
10/02/2011 - 10/09/2011
10/09/2011 - 10/16/2011
10/16/2011 - 10/23/2011
10/23/2011 - 10/30/2011
10/30/2011 - 11/06/2011
11/06/2011 - 11/13/2011
11/13/2011 - 11/20/2011
11/20/2011 - 11/27/2011
11/27/2011 - 12/04/2011
12/04/2011 - 12/11/2011
12/11/2011 - 12/18/2011
12/18/2011 - 12/25/2011
12/25/2011 - 01/01/2012
01/01/2012 - 01/08/2012
01/08/2012 - 01/15/2012
01/15/2012 - 01/22/2012
01/22/2012 - 01/29/2012
01/29/2012 - 02/05/2012
02/05/2012 - 02/12/2012
02/12/2012 - 02/19/2012
02/19/2012 - 02/26/2012
02/26/2012 - 03/04/2012
03/04/2012 - 03/11/2012
03/11/2012 - 03/18/2012
03/18/2012 - 03/25/2012
03/25/2012 - 04/01/2012
04/01/2012 - 04/08/2012
04/08/2012 - 04/15/2012
04/15/2012 - 04/22/2012
04/22/2012 - 04/29/2012
04/29/2012 - 05/06/2012
05/06/2012 - 05/13/2012
05/13/2012 - 05/20/2012
05/20/2012 - 05/27/2012
05/27/2012 - 06/03/2012
06/03/2012 - 06/10/2012
06/10/2012 - 06/17/2012
06/17/2012 - 06/24/2012
06/24/2012 - 07/01/2012
07/01/2012 - 07/08/2012
07/08/2012 - 07/15/2012
07/15/2012 - 07/22/2012
07/22/2012 - 07/29/2012
07/29/2012 - 08/05/2012
08/05/2012 - 08/12/2012
08/12/2012 - 08/19/2012
08/19/2012 - 08/26/2012
08/26/2012 - 09/02/2012
09/02/2012 - 09/09/2012
09/09/2012 - 09/16/2012
09/16/2012 - 09/23/2012
09/23/2012 - 09/30/2012
09/30/2012 - 10/07/2012
10/07/2012 - 10/14/2012
10/14/2012 - 10/21/2012
10/21/2012 - 10/28/2012
10/28/2012 - 11/04/2012
11/04/2012 - 11/11/2012
11/11/2012 - 11/18/2012
11/18/2012 - 11/25/2012
11/25/2012 - 12/02/2012
12/02/2012 - 12/09/2012
12/09/2012 - 12/16/2012
12/16/2012 - 12/23/2012
RECENT COMMENTS
[Tip: Point cursor to any comment to see title of post being discussed.]
SEARCH THIS SITE
BLUE'S NEWS
Get the Google News widget and many other great free widgets
at Widgetbox !
ACT BLUE
BLUE LINKS
Environmental Links
Gay/Lesbian Links
News & Media Links
Organization Links
Political Links
Religious Links
Watchdog Links
BLUE ROLL
MISCELLANEOUS