The Senate versus Dick Cheney

The Senate today refused to vote for cloture on the Bolton nomination. This actually had little to do with Bolton himself or the fact that he clearly doesn't measure up to the job. It has to do with the contest between the Senate and the White House (Dick the Slimey). Bolton is Cheney's protege (or "boy"). It is Cheney who wants him as U.N. representative. And therefore it has to be Cheney who is refusing to turn over the information the Senate wants. Cheney obviously doesn't believe that anyone has the right to question him or oversee his vast (probably quite criminal) activities, including the U.S. Senate. He is unlikely to get any protection this time from the Supreme Court as the information requested is such that the Senate has every right to have it. So why does he refuse to turn in over? The only logical conclusion one can draw is that he knows if he does Bolton's "goose will be cooked," so to speak. Biden and Shays made it clear they are willing to vote on Bolton immediately once they receive the requested information. Republicans, of course, insist this is merely a delaying tactic like a filibuster, totally ignoring the fact that this is information the Senate has every right to have. So now the Bolton confirmation is held up for another week or so, frustrating Cheney, and setting the stage for who knows what? If Bush were actually the President and in charge of what goes on he would certainly withdraw the nomination at this point and find someone more acceptable to the Senate. But he obviously doesn't dare question Cheney's totally bull-headed insistance that the Executive Branch should have dictatorial powers. It is perfectly clear by now to anyone with half a brain that Bolton is an absolutely terrible choice but, then, there don't seem to be many Republicans with half a brain or, indeed, any brain at all. Just do whatever your are told to do, the party comes first, screw the public, and look forward to the Rapture.

Whatever happened to the Gannon/Guckert scandal? Is he still making house calls at the White House? Who greased his way into the White House? Why is no one upset about this? Where is the press? Oh, I forgot, with their noses up Republican butts.

It is truly wonderful to learn that Amnesty International has finally declared the U.S. to be one of the world's worst offenders when it comes to torture and such. And it is nice of them to warn our war criminal leaders to stay away from Acapulco and other such places because they might be arrested and tried for war crimes. Kissinger, you might recall, cannot travel freely to many places in the world for the same reason. It is nice to dream about Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice/Wolfowitz/ and others being restricted to home, but even nicer to dream they might actually be held accountable here at home. If the 2006 elections are not already fixed perhaps they might be.