http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?bid=1&pid=207869
06/25/2007
Calling Cheney's Bluff
By John Nichols
Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel has come up with the right response
to ***** Cheney's attempt to suggest that the Office of the Vice
President is not part of the executive branch.
The House Democratic Caucus chairman wants to take the Cheney at his
word.
Cheney says his office is "not an entity within the executive branch,"
so Emanuel wants to take away the tens of millions of dollars that are
allocated to the White House to maintain it.
The root of the controversy is in a fight that the vice president has
picked with the National Archives, which is charged with keeping tabs
on how the offices of the president, the vice president and their
appointees handle classified documents.
Under federal legislation enacted in 1995, members of the executive
branch must work with the Archives to preserve classified documents.
The law was backed up, at least in part, by an executive order issued
four years ago by President Bush.
But Cheney and his staff have refused for five years to file reports
that are required as part of the oversight process.
Why?
Because the vice president -- that's the vice president -- claims he
is not exactly a member of the executive branch.
So what is Cheney?
Because the vice president serves in the frequently ceremonial
position of president of the Senate, Cheney's office now claims that
he is a member of the legislative branch -- and thus unburdened by any
responsibility to cooperate with the Archives.
Forget the fact that the Constitution clearly defines the vice
presidency as an executive position.
Forget the fact that, since then-Congressman Cheney wrote the
Iran-Contra investigation minority report defending the "right" of the
Reagan administration to set its own foreign policy, he has been a
consistent and aggressive advocate for increasing the authority of the
executive branch.
Forget the fact that, since the Supreme Court handed power to the
Buch-Cheney ticket in December 2OOO, Cheney has fashioned himself as
the most powerful vice president in history.
Forget the fact that when Cheney has steadfastly refused to share
classified information with the U.S. House and Senate.
Forget the fact that when Cheney actually makes his way to Capitol
Hill it is famously to spew obscenities at Senate Judiciary Committee
chairman Patrick Leahy.
O.K., says Emanuel.
If Cheney's a member of the legislative branch, the Democratic Caucus
chair suggests, the vice president won't need all the money that
currently goes to pay for his executive office, extensive staff and
that secure undisclosed location that is so often his haunt.
So Emanuel plans this week to offer an amendment to a spending bill
that would defund the Office of the Vice President.
Of course, there would still be funding for the Office of the Senate
President.
But, let's be frank, the rare tie-breaking duties and ceremonial
administrative functions associated with that position won't require
more than a smidgen of the money that now goes to the vice president's
epic executive-branch operations.
"This amendment will ensure that the vice president's funding is
consistent with his legal arguments," say Emanuel, a former aide to
President Clinton who, like Cheney, has served in both the legislative
and executive branches.
Come to think of it, no matter what branch of the government he
happens to occupy, doesn't it make sense to defund Cheney?
At this point in the Bush-Cheney interregnum, any move that
disempowers ***** Cheney can only benefit the Republic.
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Harry
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