Bush To Congress; I Don't Have To Listen To You

You can't blame George Bush...he's not used to having Congress checking his power. He used to be treated like a dictator...whatever he wants, he gets. This is all new to him.

You know he's hit rock bottom when his only defense against the Democrats in Congress calling his staff to testify at the hill is that they are trying to gain political points, that it is a partisan hit job. Essentially he's stating; "The Democrats are using the fact that I am immensely unpopular for their own gain."

Still, Congress has the authority to investigate what they may believe to be illegal or unethical events in the Executive Branch. They use that authority to their discretion with the knowledge that if it is abused, it will cause a change to who controls the Legislative Branch. The Republicans did not use that power at all, which in part is the reason they're the minority party right now. If the Democrats abuse the power, they may go the way of the Republicans.

This is not, however, an abuse of power. Congressional Democrats have reason to believe an offshoot of the Executive Branch (the Justice Department,) made an unethical decision to fire federal prosecutors for political reasons. While this is not an illegal offense, it is an unethical one and Congress had the complete authority and in my opinion, the responsibility, to investigate it and make sure nothing unethical happened or those who did commit a violations of ethics.

It is not reasonable for a person involved in a possible ethics violation and possible abuse of power to come to the Hill and testify not under oath. The oath is what makes sure the truth is told, because to lie under oath is to end up like Scooter Libby. Congress needs to oath to make sure they are getting truthful testimony. The President would never accept less from Congress, so Congress shouldn't expect less from the President.

By acting like he's too good to talk to Congress, the President is playing to what's left of his base; those Americans who would support Bush if he had Democratic leaders arrested, tortured, and paraded around Washington in chains; these people who think Congress doesn't have a lick of power in the country and Bush is the end all, be all of the American government. These Republicans, and I say Republicans cause if they weren't a part of that party before, they sure are now, are dangerous to democracy, and they hold little to no power in national politics or in the voting population.

Bush is not going to win this argument in the courts; He may win the argument among the minority of the populace who think he is being abused by the Democratic Congress, but the country voted in November for a Congress willing to check the out-of-control power of the President and that's exactly what they are doing. The people are getting what they voted for.