As usual, Glenn Greenwald has a must read about the Congressional power to regulate war, when the President is a Democrat.
Some interesting quotes:
Sen. John McCain - October 19,1993
then I would say that the responsibilities for that lie with the Congress of the United States who did not exercise their authority under the Constitution of the United States and mandate that they be brought home quickly and safely as possible. . . .
I, along with many others, will have an amendment that says exactly that. It does not give any date certain. It does not say anything about any other missions that the United States may need or feels it needs to carry out. It will say that we should get out as rapidly and orderly as possible.
Sen Strom Thurmond (R-SC) - October 5, 1993
It is past time for the Congress to come to grips with this sorry spectacle and force the administration to find a way out of the quagmire
Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX), October 7
The President's decision to extend our presence for 6 more months is totally unacceptable to me and totally unacceptable, I believe, to the Congress.
Sen. Dirk Kempthorne (R-ID), October 5
It is time for the Senate of the United States to get on with the debate, to get on with the vote, and to get the American troops home.
Sen. Slade Gorton, October 6,1993 (R-WA)
As none of those exist in Somalia today, it is time to leave. And for this body, it is time to debate this issue and not the nomination of an Assistant Attorney General.
(Perhaps we should make this war powers issue the ONLY order of business?)
Sen. Jesse Helms - October 6, 1993 (R-NC)
As a matter of fact, while we are at it, it is high time we reviewed the War Powers Act, which, in the judgment of this Senator, should never have been passed in the first place. The sole constitutional authority to declare war rests, according to our Founding Fathers, right here in the Congress of the United States, and not on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Sen. Alan Simpson (R-WY) - October 6
What I cannot continue to support is the continuing endangerment of Americans in the service of a policy that remains absolutely mysterious and totally muddled.
Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) - October 4
And, thus, I hope that we, as a Senate, will proceed to discuss the issue of Somalia [...] or, if it is our decision, how we intend to engage pursuant to the laws which we, as a nation, have as a constitutional democracy.
And, of course, the ONLY one who has been consistent on this issue is none other than:
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) - October 5
It turns out, I believe, that the original resolution, which mandated a withdrawal of U.S. troops within 30 days unless continuation was authorized by a specific act of Congress, was probably the correct position.
The stench of hypocrisy from McCain and friends is truly staggering.
Posted by DeminNewJ at January 31, 2007 03:34 AMFeingold's opening remarks to the Senate Judiciary Committee explaining how and why the U.S. Congress can stop Bush and end the Iraq war.
http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070130/FON0101/70130043/1985
The Constitution gives Congress the explicit power “[to] declare War,” “[t]o raise and support Armies,” “[t]o provide and maintain a Navy,” and “[t]o make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces.” In addition, under Article I, “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” These are direct quotes from the Constitution of the United States. Yet to hear some in the Administration talk, it is as if these provisions were written in invisible ink. They were not. These powers are a clear and direct statement from the founders of our republic that Congress has authority to declare, to define, and ultimately, to end a war.
His words are a thing of beauty. I am outraged that we don't have MORE senators like Russ Feingold.
Posted by Christopher at January 31, 2007 03:34 AMYesterday hearings on Bush suppressing the views of government climate scientists on global warming.
Today hearings on the Congress's exclusive constitutional power to declare, authorize and end hostilities. Great stuff, and clearly news.
Has a word of it been covered by television news? Think Fox has or will report on a single word? Just Bush's blatherings every day.
We cannot reform ourselves any longer. Concentrated Corporate Control of the press has made it impossible.
Posted by euzoius at January 31, 2007 05:56 AMGreenwald has really been on a stupendous roll--his post about "the little Churchillians" is devastating and should be used by Hagel and Warner on the floor of the Senate.
Too bad their staffs don't read blogs---Feingold should print out a copy for old man Warner!
Posted by euzoius at January 31, 2007 06:16 AMeuzoius,
Don't know about FOX but, CNN had the OK senator who rejects global warming on this morning, Inofe(sp?) and the anchor ripped him a new one.
Surprising to see CNN be so aggressive on any issue, but especially one that contradicts the WH spin machine.
Posted by Christopher at January 31, 2007 06:19 AMImus told the folks this morning that O'Reilly and "that little punk Sean Hannity" didn't have the guts to face the soldiers at the Intrepid Center because they were big cheerleaders of this stupid war.
Also: "He(bush) and that war criminal vice-president of his, that gutless coward, should have showed up down there in San Antonio to look these soldiers in the eye and say thanks for your service."
He also mentioned that Hillary and Rosey O'Donnell did show up. I don't like Imus a little less today...
Posted by TIKI AL at January 31, 2007 06:25 AMHere are two important notes about the "spitting on a vet" incident:
More questions arise about spitting incident
Posted by Joseph at January 31, 2007 06:45 AMTIKI AL, Imus also went after O'Rielly for saying that for every new book sold that he wrote, he would send one to the men and women in Iraq. Imus went ballistic over that one too. That's O'Rielly's contribution to the war. Buy his book, get one free for the military.
Posted by Judith at January 31, 2007 06:46 AMImus is a hypocrite.
In the months leading up to the November midterms, he endlessly sucked up to Rick Santorum and Joementum Lieberman.
Imus is just wrong on so many levels.
Posted by Christopher at January 31, 2007 07:01 AM"...the OK senator who rejects global warming on this morning, Inofe(sp?)...."
Yeah, that's Inhofe, but he hardly deserves to have his name spelled correctly. As an Oklahoman, I apologize for inflicting him on the rest of you (our best efforts just haven't been enough).
Glad to hear about the ripping, though!
Posted by bartcopfan at January 31, 2007 07:08 AMI don't think we should criticize O'Reilly for sending his books to Iraq, as he was merely responding to the shortage of toilet paper.
Posted by TIKI AL at January 31, 2007 07:16 AMnever thought i'd say this but thomas friedman has a good column on engaging instead of bombing iran:
http://select.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/opinion/31friedman.html
Posted by benjoya at January 31, 2007 07:19 AMYeah, I think Friedman was happy to be able to focus on Iran rather than Iraq for a change.
Posted by snark at January 31, 2007 07:22 AMHow about smokin' Joe Biden, saying Barack Obama is "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."
I smell burnt toast.
Posted by peconicrat at January 31, 2007 08:06 AMObviously this is what happens when Biden doesn't plagerize someone elses thoughts and wings it on his own.
Sorta like when Milli Vanilli tried to cut a record using their own voices.
Tragic!
Posted by snark at January 31, 2007 08:35 AMDid Biden really say that? I can't say I trust hearsay anymore after watching that freak (gibson, is it?) on Fox "news" saying Hillary was the source of the Obama madrassa story.
Posted by iamcoyote at January 31, 2007 08:49 AMFox is a fucking cartoon!
Of course they are all getting that way. Really have to cherry pick to understand who is delivering the real goods.
I wouldn't mind Lou Dobbs if he wasn't the illegal immigration broken record. He does get to things a couple of days late.
Cafferty should have his own show and cut out Wolfie for an hour.
Of course we do have Olbermann.
Posted by Seven of Six at January 31, 2007 08:58 AMThanks, peconicrat - I didn't get past the headline, though. Biden isn't even a threat. But he's sure helping the GOP smear his own party. Sure - he's got a chance. Riiiight.
Posted by iamcoyote at January 31, 2007 09:29 AMHe's got terminal foot in mouth disease.
Posted by peconicrat at January 31, 2007 09:38 AMTalking about the press and journalism, next week's Frontline looks like it's going to be a good one.
Posted by dishwashing engineer at January 31, 2007 01:34 PM