Cheney to Congress: George is King, Deal with It

CNN watches Faux News so we don’t have to:

Congressional opposition will not influence President George W. Bush’s plans to send more troops to Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday, dismissing any effort to “run a war by committee.” “The president is the commander in chief. He’s the one who has to make these tough decisions,” Cheney said. Cheney’s defiant stance comes as both the House and Senate, now controlled by Democrats, prepare to vote on resolutions that oppose additional U.S. troops in Iraq. Cheney said those nonbinding votes would not affect Bush’s ability to carry out his policies. “He’s the guy who’s got to decide how to use the force and where to deploy the force,” Cheney said. “And Congress obviously has to support the effort through the power of the purse. So they’ve got a role to play, and we certainly recognize that. But you also cannot run a war by committee.” Any attempts to block Bush’s efforts would undermine the troops, Cheney said. He took particular aim at Democratic lawmakers who have blasted the president for increasing troops despite opposition from Congress, military advisers and a disgruntled electorate that in November ousted the Republicans as the majority party on Capitol Hill. “They have absolutely nothing to offer in its place,” Cheney said of Democratic leaders. “I have yet to hear a coherent policy from the Democratic side.”

If Cheney has not heard a coherent policy from Democrats, it has to be because he and President Bush refuses to LISTEN. Heck, they didn’t even listen to Baker-Hamilton. But we have yet to SEE a coherent policy from this Administration. To say a Democrat led Congress has nothing to offer and to also say that “Congress obviously has to support the effort through the power of the purse” shows the arrogance of this White House.

Article I of the U.S. Constitution grants to the Congress the power

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress

It seems Dick Cheney has inserted his own interpretation to the Constitution changing “power” to something like – obligation to do whatever King George wants it to do.

Update: I have been known to be testy to the Ken Mehlman wannabe comments such as Movie Guy’s recent “Democrats have no plan” pathetic repeating of the lies from Dick Cheney. Not only will I not apologize for being testy, I promise to keep firing back at how incredibly STUPID this line is. Sure, there are 51 Senators on the Democrat side. Some are close to the Howard Dean position – we never should have invaded. Some are like Congressman Murtha – supported the invasion but now realize we should not have and we should leave now. Some are like Joe Biden – should have gone in with more force. And then there is Bush’s lapdog – Joe Lieberman. But look at the Republicans starting with Chuck Hagel – who is the anti-Lieberman. Then there is the Lindsey Graham and John McCain coalition who have constantly said – we should have gone in but Bush’s refusal to adopt the Powell Doctrine was a mistake. Movie Guy wants to defend Cheney’s dishonest remarks on the premise that not all 51 Senators on the Democrat side have exactly the same view. Well guess what – not all Republican Senators have the same view either.

But none of this matters – the Iraq Study Group took some of our best from both parties and formed a coherent plan. Whether one agreed or did not agree with its recommendations – this is clear. This White House refused to listen. After all – Bush is king and the rest of us do not matter. And that’s the point. Of course, the Ken Mehlmans of the world – which alas seem to include Movie Guy – will find ANYTHING to pick on so as to deflect from the arrogance and the destructiveness of this White House. I would just hope our readers could do better than to act like a Ken Mehlman wannabe.

My apologies to the other AB readers for this tirade, but this garbage needs to stop. After all – our kids are sacrificing their lives in Iraq for the mistakes of Ken Mehlman’s boss.