With apology to whatever comedian uttered the orginal line.
So, a fellow who claims that one of the most fundamental Consitutional rights, does not exist, is nominated to run the CIA.
What else would you expect from this class of clowns, who seem to think the law is what they say it is, rather than what plain English and the Constitution says it is.
In January, Knight-Ridder's Jonathan Landay questioned Gen. Michael Hayden at the National Press Club:
Here begins borrowed text
Landay: "...the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution specifies that you must have probable cause to violate an American's right against unreasonable searches and seizures..."
Gen. Hayden: "No, actually - the Fourth Amendment actually protects all of us against unreasonable search and seizure."
Landay: "But the --"
Gen. Hayden: "That's what it says."
Landay: "The legal measure is probable cause, it says."
Gen. Hayden: "The Amendment says: unreasonable search and seizure."
Landay: "But does it not say 'probable cause'?"
Gen. Hayden [exasperated, scowling]: "No! The Amendment says unreasonable search and seizure."
Landay: "The legal standard is probable cause, General -- "
Gen. Hayden [indignant]: "Just to be very clear ... mmkay... and believe me, if there's any Amendment to the Constitution that employees of the National Security Agency are familiar with, it's the Fourth. Alright? And it is a reasonableness standard in the Fourth Amendment. The constitutional standard is 'reasonable'"
here we end the borrowed text
So, apparently the General cannot read, or, maybe, it is early Alzheimers.
Quoting the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
It's "BAD" for people to "leak" classified items of National Security concern, to expose the lies and distortions of an Administration bent on dragging us into a war without end.
But . . .
It's "GOOD" for a President to "de-classify" cherry picked items in order to release this selected information, in order to discredit critics of his administration.
Now, Bush claims to have done this to bring "the truth" to the American people. And he claims that is fine and good.
But, somehow, it is Bad, and "political" for his critics to use unclassified information to expose his lies and distortions.
Under the guise of "opening a discussion" Bush wants Congress to grant him the power to use the US Military, within the United States, for police powers.
Using another manufactured crisis, this time the "Bird Flu", he attempts to sow fear amongst the populace, that this as yet non existent pandemic will require "quarantines" that only the military could enforce.
Can Congress, the media and the people be so gullible and forgetful of history that they will accept this nonsense?
Even Conservative "think tank" people warn that this step is fought with danger and could mean the end of the American Republic.
The country handled the flu pandemic in of 1918 just fine, without a Dictator.
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On the topic of "recess appointments", I submit that the traditional view of this, at least that being bandied about in the media, is seriously flawed.
The President does NOT have a Constitutional right to fill any vacancies the Senate is considering, but only such vacancies that might OCCUR DURING a Senate recess.
From the US Constitution, for you contemplation:
Article 2 - The Executive Branch
Section 2 - ". . . The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session."
Note the specific wording. It says vacancies "that may happen during", not those 'that may happen to exist during' a recess.
So, clearly, a plain reading of the Constitution puts lie to what so many media people mainatain, that President Bush has a Constitutional power to appoint John Bolton during the coming Senate recess.
Further, I submit that should President Bush make such an appointment, he would be in violation of the US Constitution, thus adding fuel to the smoldering issue of impeachment.