President Bush, Presidential Secrecy, and Government... your thoughts?

[Phokus]

I was listening to the radio and heard the report about President Bush wanting to evoke executive priviledge and pass laws that would make it extremely hard to get presidential papers, even years after the president has stepped down from office. I can say that i'm delighted that both parties, democrat and republican are taking a non-partisan stance and fighting the Bush administration to keep all his activities forever secret to the public. Even public liberal and conservative groups are joining in on the lawsuit. In fact, even the head of the GAO, who once worked under Reagan (which i find highly ironic, considering you'd think Reagan would have a lot to hide after the Iran Contra scandal), is suing the Bush administration.

So what are your thoughts on all of this?

 

[Ameesh]

it seems to me that bush doesnt want people to see the evidence of what a fvck up he is.

 

[UltraQuiet]

it seems to me that bush doesnt want people to see the evidence of what a fvck up he is.

It's too bad that thought process doesn't keep you from posting here.

Almost all Presidents have invoked executive privledge at one time or another. And almost all of them have had it challenged. If GW is trying to expand this privledge in some way, I'd like to read about it and find out why. I seriously doubt he is "trying to keep all his activities secret forever", but he does feel strongly about the seperation of the 3 branches of gov't. He has invoked privledge and sometimes I agree (Nat'l security issues) and sometimes I don't ( energy policy meetings). I think it is really something that needs to be contingent upon the situation. There are some things that not everyone needs to know.

 

[308nato]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
it seems to me that bush doesnt want people to see the evidence of what a fvck up he is.

Perhaps you could give him some instruction in the art of deep thinking.

 

[FelixDeCat]

>it seems to me that bush doesnt want people to see the evidence of what a fvck up he is.

Gore lost. Get over it.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Doesn't matter who came up with a bad idea, it's still bad. All governments (and administrations) have used national security to cover up things that should be made public at an appropriate time. Most often it is to cover up embarrasing or inappropriate behaviors. Public scrutiny is a measure of accountability. To remove it allows all sorts of wrongdoing to happen unchecked by this or any other future administration. Bad, bad idea.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: DaveSohmer

it seems to me that bush doesnt want people to see the evidence of what a fvck up he is.

It's too bad that thought process doesn't keep you from posting here.

Almost all Presidents have invoked executive privledge at one time or another. And almost all of them have had it challenged. If GW is trying to expand this privledge in some way, I'd like to read about it and find out why. I seriously doubt he is "trying to keep all his activities secret forever", but he does feel strongly about the seperation of the 3 branches of gov't. He has invoked privledge and sometimes I agree (Nat'l security issues) and sometimes I don't ( energy policy meetings). I think it is really something that needs to be contingent upon the situation. There are some things that not everyone needs to know.

The issue isn't executive priviledge really (although i think it's getting abused as well), the issue is a law that bush is trying to change that would make it nearly impossible for anyone to get access to presidential papers after his presidency ends. You'd have to get permission from both the president whose paper's your trying to get, and also the current president has to approve. Of course the past presidents probably wouldn't agree to it, and the current president wouldn't do that either because he wouldn't want future presidents allowing people to see HIS papers (kind of a *wink wink* quid pro quo handshake).

 

[UltraQuiet]

The issue isn't executive priviledge really (although i think it's getting abused as well), the issue is a law that bush is trying to change that would make it nearly impossible for anyone to get access to presidential papers after his presidency ends. You'd have to get permission from both the president whose paper's your trying to get, and also the current president has to approve. Of course the past presidents probably wouldn't agree to it, and the current president wouldn't do that either because he wouldn't want future presidents allowing people to see HIS papers (kind of a *wink wink* quid pro quo handshake).

You need to read more about this. Executive privledge is a constitutional power. The current law says that in certain cases all the parties must agree. Every President from Washington on up has invoked it at some point. Bush isn't doing anything differently or trying to change anything.

 

[shiner]

I bet this is part of the WTC cover up isn't it Phokus? Hey look....BIGFOOT RIDING THE LOCH NESS MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Capn]

I bet this is part of the WTC cover up isn't it Phokus? Hey look....BIGFOOT RIDING THE LOCH NESS MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!

Whatever, everyone knows it's really just Elvis and the grey aliens in disguise.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Capn

I bet this is part of the WTC cover up isn't it Phokus? Hey look....BIGFOOT RIDING THE LOCH NESS MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!

Whatever, everyone knows it's really just Elvis and the grey aliens in disguise.

Is that the smoking man in the corner?!?:Q

 

[CocaCola5]

Didn't they call that obstruction of justice when Clinton was around.

 

[skace]

I'm declaring politics: poor man's entertainment. You guys have computers, entertain yourselves, play a video game and stop slinging petrified mud.

 

[Jzero]

In fact, even the head of the GAO, who once worked under Reagan (which i find highly ironic, considering you'd think Reagan would have a lot to hide after the Iran Contra scandal), is suing the Bush administration.

The same GAO that sues presidents and congressman and congressional committees all the time? Please look up exactly what the GAO (General Accounting Office) does, and you'll realize that it didn't "work under Reagan" and if it's suing the Bush administration, that's really nothing new.
I'll give you some hints:
The GAO was created in 1921 and is called the "government's accountability watchdog."
Their website is www.gao.gov

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: shinerburke
I bet this is part of the WTC cover up isn't it Phokus? Hey look....BIGFOOT RIDING THE LOCH NESS MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, sinking to Texmaster's level aren't we?

Right, even though both republicans and democrats are suing the Bush administration, i must be wrong still!

 

[Czar]

dont know if this is the same issue, but isnt this the law that was passeed some years ago that made presidental data open to everyone 8 or 10 years after that president left the office?

 

[shiner]

Right, even though both republicans and democrats are suing the Bush administration, i must be wrong still!

No, you are wrong because you have your facts twisted and are trying to make it out like this is something that has NEVER happened before. If you want to talk abotu the GAO lawsuit against the White House then it will be a slam dunk win for the White House. The GAO is responsible for Congressional oversight and has no, zero, zilch, nada power over the White House.