Surgeon General Says Bush Politics Trumped Science. Duh.

[anitram]

Originally posted by deep

Do you really there is no difference?

I think there is a difference in some ideology, obviously. But there is not much of a difference in getting things done.

This Democratic Congress is 100% useless. The Constitution provides them with inherent contempt powers. Why are they not using them today? They are very "disappointed" that Bush has directed Miers et al. not to appear and/or testify. Who gives a shit if they're disappointed?? It's just one example of them abdicating their duties for reasons that don't even make any sense to me.

[DrTeeth]

This thread has Terri Schiavo written all over it

[Irvine511]

Originally posted by anitram

This Democratic Congress is 100% useless. The Constitution provides them with inherent contempt powers. Why are they not using them today? They are very "disappointed" that Bush has directed Miers et al. not to appear and/or testify. Who gives a shit if they're disappointed?? It's just one example of them abdicating their duties for reasons that don't even make any sense to me.

it also shows the extent to which the present adminstration refuses to be governed by the laws.

a dictatorship would be so much easier.

[martha]

Originally posted by phillyfan26
The two-party system sucks.

But the fragile coalition governments of parliamentarian Europe don't seem all that much better.

[anitram]

Originally posted by martha


But the fragile coalition governments of parliamentarian Europe don't seem all that much better.

I don't know...we have 3 national parties in Canada + a 4th major party that runs only in Quebec (but bags enough seats to be significant) and a newly emerging Green party and the system works FAR better than the one in the US, in my opinion. It is really not akin to the European system, and the government is not a fragile coalition of small parties.

[Irvine511]

considering how high the "stakes" are with the US, there's a stability to the two party system that i do think is advantageous. it prevents a Hitler-like figure from an obscure party from rising to power and suddenly being in control of the most powerful army in history and the engine of the world economy. sure, we might get an idiot like Bush, but we're not about to have a neo-fascist like Le Pen, for example.

also, the executive is given more power than a PM precisely because the US Constitution wants an executive who can act quickly and decisively and not get bogged down in parlimentary proceedings and laborious coalition building. positives and negatives to this, but that's the system of government.

drawbacks? yes, a million of them. but considering that nearly everything the US does reverberates around the world, and the enormous responsibilites that are placed (fairly or unfairly) on the US's shoulders, i'd rather the stability. an effective third party is appealing, like in the UK, but i can't see a European model working in the US.

[anitram]

Originally posted by anitram

This Democratic Congress is 100% useless. The Constitution provides them with inherent contempt powers.

Giving credit where it's due:

A House panel has cleared the way for contempt proceedings against former White House counsel Harriet Miers.

Let's hope they continue on this path.

[Irvine511]