Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Bush can simply pardon Cheney (and everyone else) and immediately resign. Cheney becomes president and pardons him, perfectly legal!


As you know I am very concerned with undoing everything Bush has done to create his new Disorder more importantly I want him held accountable! President-elect Barack Obama will have limited authority to overturn federal regulations approved in the waning months of the Bush administration. But a little-used power offers the new Democratic Congress an early test of how aggressively lawmakers might unravel such rules pushed through by Republicans. Under a special fast-track authority, Congress could repeal current rules from as far back as May. Many are related to the environment and health. Aside from congressional action, such changes involve a laborious rule-making process that can take years.

The Congressional Review Act of 1996, used just once in the past 12 years, could become a sweeping tool for Democrats against late regulations from the Bush presidency. Environmental activists are compiling lists of regulations they believe Congress should target, including ones covering water pollution at huge farms, pollution control equipment at older power plants and hazardous waste restrictions. "One of the things to watch is whether there are actions in Congress that reflect a new philosophy that is a different direction than the Bush administration, which has been a pro-industry approach to governing," said Rick Melberth, an expert at the Washington-based OMB Watch, a nonprofit watchdog organization.

Bristling over suggestions the Bush administration was too cozy with industry, the White House has defended its new regulations and cites requirements for increased auto fuel efficiency as "maybe not particularly welcomed by members of the business community." "We're trying to do them in the best way that protects the interests of the nation," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said at a news briefing. For pending rules, Obama could freeze them as soon as he takes office in January. Separately, Obama could use his presidential authority to reverse executive orders by Bush on policies such as stem cell research and the gag rule on overseas family planning groups that might advise women on abortion. "There's a lot that the president can do using his executive authority without waiting for congressional action, and I think we'll see the president do that," Obama's transition chief, John Podesta, said on "Fox News Sunday" last weekend. "I think that he feels like he has a real mandate for change. We need to get off the course that the Bush administration has set." But once regulations are in effect, only Congress could overturn them, outside the cumbersome rule-making process. fast track to kill Bush's rule

Just as important is making sure he is held accountable for his destruction and can not pardon himself and his cronies! From Democrats.com: As we celebrate our new President-elect and all the changes he will bring to our nation, we must not turn a blind eye to the final actions of George Bush. Incredibly, Washington is already buzzing with Bush's plans to block all investigations of his crimes and even to pardon everyone involved - including Cheney and himself. Chris Matthews is even counting down the days .

Does Bush have the power to pardon everyone in his administration? Yes. Will he abuse that power to stay out of jail? Only if we let him. "you bet he will if he can find a way" We must create a groundswell of opposition to any pardons by George Bush, so he understands that he will be impeached and prosecuted for issuing corrupt pardons.

Please help us launch a massive movement against pardons by signing our petition to Congress and telling your friends:
We will announce additional plans to stop Bush's pardons in the coming days

* We must undo all bush's damage and prevent him from getting away with it, Please help! While Obama's team is endeavoring to undo all Bush's damage his team is endeavoring to make it as permanent as possible and enable him and his fellow criminals to get away with their destruction of our America our Constitution and the myriad of treasonous crimes around the world. We must not relent in attempting to hold him accountable!

Charlotte Dennett promised that, if she won her race for attorney general of Vermont in the recent election, she would prosecute George W. Bush for the murder of 4,000 American soldiers and more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians after he left office. Unfortunately, Dennett did not become Vermont's attorney general. But it is possible (perhaps very possible) that one or more of our other 49 state attorneys general will take up that case after Jan. 20. Hopefully, that AG will appoint -- as Dennett promised to do --famed criminal attorney Vincent Bugliosi (author of The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder) as special prosecutor. However, there will be no prosecution or trial of George Bush -- or Dick Cheney, or Donald Rumsfeld, or Condoleezza Rice, or any of the others who deliberately deceived America into a war that should never have been waged -- if Bush decides to pardon not only his accomplices in crime but also himself.

We know that a president can pardon anyone, for any reason, and for any federal crime (except in cases of impeachment), not only after a conviction has been handed down in trial, but before any trial has even taken place, indeed before any charges have even been filed -- as Gerald Ford infamously pardoned Richard Nixon for Watergate; as George H. W. Bush pardoned Caspar Weinberger, Elliott Abrams and various CIA officials accused and/or convicted in connection with the Iran-Contra affair; as Bill Clinton pardoned his brother, Roger, for drug trafficking and financier Marc Rich for tax evasion (after Rich's wife made a significant donation to the Clinton Presidential Library); and as current President George W. Bush more recently commuted "Scooter" Libby's prison term. So -- can Bush do it? Can he pardon himself before leaving office?

** According to attorneys whom I asked, there is no definitive legal answer.There is no case law on the subject and not even much legal analysis of the possibility. All there seems to be are three law review articles that analyze the self-pardon power with arguments for and against its legality. (I am convinced by the arguments against its legality, but given the present Supreme Court, who knows?). You might be interested in a much less troublesome -- and perfectly legal -- route that Bush can take to avoid prosecution. He can simply pardon Cheney (and everyone else) and immediately resign. Cheney then becomes president and pardons him. Short, sweet, and -- after consulting with an attorney -- perfectly legal.

Would the entire country freak out over such brazen self-dealing? No doubt. Would Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al., care? Not a bit. After all, given the choice between a trial for high treason and murder (resulting in a possible death sentence) versus millions of people thinking badly of them (which 82 percent of the public already does), the answer is obvious. But though the public might rise up in horror, politicians on all sides would secretly breath a sigh of relief. Especially Democrats. In fact, it is my guess that Obama and virtually every Democrat in Congress is secretly praying for Bush to "self-pardon" himself. Not because they wish him to escape justice, but because they don't want the politically dangerous, nationally divisive, and ultimately thankless task of having to administer it. If Bush pardons himself, or gets Cheney to pardon him, he will let the Democrats off the hook, freeing them from the growing importuning of millions of Americans whose rage at Bush and Cheney will only grow greater as more and more insiders come forward to reveal the truth. My only question is -- why is no one even discussing this? Bush can Pardon Cheney then Cheney can pardon Bush

* Start Impeachment proceedings! That is the only way to keep Bush from getting away with this! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com

6 comments:

One Fly said...

The pardons are coming for sure. On what scale who knows. Probably massive as these killers don't care what others think.

I understand the argument from team Obama to not investigate because of the immediate situation but we need our elected officials to be held accountable particularly when they take our country to wars on lies. That is not hard to understand.

It should be no other way! They will never get a pass from me on that.

PoliShifter said...

I can't wait for BushCo to leave office.

I have not doubt they will pull some shady shit on their way out the door.

The sad reality is it looks like it will be up to historians to document the crimes committed by BushCo. Future generations will look back and wonder why we didn't prosecute them.

jmsjoin said...

Both sides of the issue are being worked but I expect them to get away with it. That scenario of Bush pardoning everyone then stepping down and Cheney pardoning him is interesting. I thought it was too late for Impeachment but all you have to do is start the proceedings and then Bush can not get away!

jmsjoin said...

Shifter
You know I agree with you . Everyone has proven powerless against the underhanded Bushco machine but you have to hope they get one right and that is holding him and his enablers accountable. While the Bush team is working to make their damage permanent Obama is trying to undo it and their are those working to hold those criminals accountable. Oh what a tangled web!

Unknown said...

Absurd in the extreme but they (Bush and Cheney) might just do it -- pardon-resign-pardon-resign.

I heard somewhere that presidential pardons is a presidential prerogative that cannot be challenged, i.e., no force on earth can stop Bush if he decides to pardon a criminal.

I guess he can even pardon himself and no one can do anything about it. (Now, that would be the height of absurdity!)

jmsjoin said...

Hillblogger
Hi! I have been updating on it but while Bush is screwing around Obama is taking charge already! He has a list of 200 things to undo already. Bush is seeing how to get away with what he did while others are working to keep him from getting away with it. From what I see get impeachment going once you do he can do nothing and will be held accountable!