Posted on 12/05/2001 3:00:31 PM PST by Howlin
Brit Hume reports that Mary Frances Berry, chairman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, is refusing to acknowledge the Bush White House's latest appointment to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.
Ms. Berry sent a letter to the White House Counsel, Al Gonzales, saying that if they do intend to send the nominee to the meeting tomorrow, they best send along the U.S. Marshalls to seat him, as she will not allow it.
Fox reports that the term of one of the Democrats has expired and President Bush is exercising his right to appoint a member of his choice. The Panel on Hume's show said that this has NEVER been done before; that when someone is appointed to fill a term that hasn't been expired, when the term expires, the person leaves the committe. They also report that the woman who is being removed from the commmittee plans to show up tomorrow with a civil rights attorney and claim that she should get a full six year term, not just complete somebody else's.
Ms. Berry contends that the person leaving the committee was appointed for six years, not just to fulfill the term of a member who either died or left the commission (I can't remember which!)
CAUTION: this is typed from memory. Nothing on the news site yet.
I was just telling the folks at the Florida page that my 5-year-old niece still likes to sing different lyrics to that tune: "Who won the White House?! Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush! Who lost the White House?! Gore, Gore, Gore, Gore, Gore!"
Mary Frances Berry (Chairperson)
Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought
Professor of History and Adjunct Professor of Law
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Independent
Cruz Reynoso (Vice Chairperson)
Professor of Law
University of California at Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Democrat
Yvonne Y. Lee
Yvonne Lee Consultants
San Francisco, California
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Democrat
Victoria Wilson
Vice President and Associate Publisher
Alfred A. Knopf
Vice President, PEN Executive Board
New York, New York
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Independent
Congressional Appointees (4):
Christopher Edley, Jr.
Professor, Harvard Law School
Founding Co-Director, The Civil Rights Project,
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Democrat
Elsie M. Meeks
Executive Director, Lakota Fund
Co-owner and operator of Lone Creek Store in Wanblee, South Dakota
Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Democrat
Russell G. Redenbaugh
Partner and Director, Cooke & Bieler, Inc.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Independent
Abigail Thernstrom
Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute
New York City, New YOrk
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Republican
Staff Director (Presidential Appointee):
Under this abominable creature, this is not a civil rights commission, it is a Socialist Democrat's blackmail Lobby, forcing it's will on politicians and businesses across the nation.
Clearly, Berry is certifiable, and should be removed from the commission. I would personally love to see that happen, and can imagine the political hot potato that would be. She won't go quietly into the night by any means.
Bush should let it be known that he will sign no legislation until a bill appears on his desk abolishing this commission.
The first impeached President, Andrew Johnson, was charged, if I remember correctly, with firing one of his cabinet heads. The Senate considered it an impeachable offense to fire someone after the Senate had confirmed them.
Andrew Johnson was not convicted (by one vote). I thought that Cabinet heads have served at the pleasure of the President since that time.
Bush just needs to make it clear that he wants nothing to do with a commision which answers to Congress and not him.
There are still Klintoon cheaters in positions they do not deserve to be in. But, they stand out now because they look ridiculous in stark contrast with the new tone in DC and the new folks who are blessed with common sense and decency.
I could find nothing about this on the web site that I linked. I suppose that if the last time Clinton appointed her to a "six year term" he appointed her as chairman, she would argue (probably successfully)that she is deserving of a six year term as chairman.
IF so, the next question then is: Is it politically wise to can her?
Why not? President Bush isn't going to get the black vote ever.
why do we need a U.S. Civil Rights Commission, and why can't we just abolish it by the House ceasing to fund it?
That would be a political problem - for sure.
Can the lot and start over. He has the power and he ought to use it.
Mother of God, when did the Democrats' "big tent" policy begin to include embracing raving lunatics?
You may be surprised about that.
Two examples:
First of all, in the polls, just about 55 percent of white people think the government should racially profile Muslims. In the black population, an astounding 86 percent agree with it!
And, also, today on Talk Back Live, a black female teacher stood up and defended Bush for freezing the Holy Land Foundation's assets, saying that the president had to do what he had to do to protect this country; she then went on to say, "I trust the government to protect this country."
I was just flabberghasted.
I thought it was 2002, but no matter - she herself tried to pencil in an extension on to her term. My thoughts - get ride of her now while the approval ratings are high and the media is occupied with glee of the trashing of Ashcroft.
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