Posted on 02/07/2007 5:42:02 PM PST by Hadean
A source close to the controversy over the request made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for use of a military plane that can fly to and from her home district in San Francisco, Calif., without having to stop to refuel, tells ABC News that the Pentagon has rebuffed Pelosi's request.
The source says that Pentagon officials and the Bush administration have instead offered Pelosi use of the same plane made available to former Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois: a C-20, which seats about 12 passengers and five crew members.
A C-20 can make the 700-mile flight to Hastert's Aurora, Ill., district easily but would generally have to stop to refuel to complete the 2,800-mile trip from Washington D.C. to the San Francisco Bay Area, depending on the headwinds.
Pelosi has expressed concern about having to stop and refuel, primarily for security reasons, her office says. Since 9/11, the Speaker of the House second in line behind the Vice President in the line of presidential succession has been able to use a military plane for travel, for security reasons.
In response to the Pentagon offer, Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly tells ABC News, "We appreciate the Defense Department's continuing concern for the Speaker's security. We are reviewing their letter."
Exactly OhioWfan.
What I don't understand is these elected offical, Dems & Repub., are sent, via the voting public, to Washington to perform tasks that are for the good of the USA.
It just seems that once they get there, the voters and the USA are a secondary concern. The first is to be treated as little GODS, they expect the best of everything with little regard for accountability.
When they feel the least bit slighted, they will decide amongst themselves how to get whatever they want, even enacting a law that applies only to them.
Maybe some day, I would expect long after I'm gone, the voters will wake up and stop electing whoever is running under a certain party name.
Maybe some day, I would expect long after I'm gone, there will be term limits so that nobody will have a lifetime to figure out how to cheat and steal for 30 years.
Oh well I can dream can't I.
Let her fly military standby, just like the troops trying to get home.
Oh yes, I was willing to take No-Doze to make sure I watched that little side show. When she said it's not coming from the president I almost tossed my lunch from last week. "DoD=bad. But the president likes me so how come all you little right wing whack jobs can't like me and support what I want."
Really great to see your name in my ping list. Hope you have been well!
I think we should give her a fleet of hang-gliders for her and her entourage.
Since when is she worried about security? Let her negotiate on the tarmac with those who might do her harm. Oh that's right. This is different. This is HER security.
Here take this one.
Yup! Range is 4200 miles. Good catch ............. FRegards
I disagree with the populace....as long as she holds the position, she deserves a direct flight across the country...
Didn't she refer to war in Iraq as a 'situation'?
From Wikipedia:
Constitutional concerns
Several constitutional law experts have raised questions as to the constitutionality of the provisions that the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate succeed to the Presidency.[1] James Madison, one of the authors of the Constitution, raised similar constitutional questions about the Presidential Succession Act of 1792 in a 1792 letter to Edmund Pendleton.[2] Two of these issues can be summarized:
The term "Officer" in the relevant clause of the Constitution is most plausibly interpreted to mean an "Officer of the United States", who must be a member of the Executive or Judicial Branch. The Speaker and the President pro tempore are not officers in this sense.
Under the principle of separation of powers, the Constitution specifically disallows legislative officials from also serving in the executive branch. For the Speaker or the President pro tempore to become President, they must resign their position, at which point they are no longer in the line of succession. This forms a constitutional paradox to some.
In 2003, the Continuity of Government Commission, a private nonpartisan think tank, suggested that the current law has "at least seven significant issues
that warrant attention," including:[3]
The reality that all figures in the current line of succession work and reside in the vicinity of Washington, D.C. In the event of a nuclear, chemical, or biological attack, it is possible, perhaps even likely, that everyone on the list would be killed or incapacitated.
Doubt (such as those expressed above by James Madison) that Congressional leaders are eligible to act as President.
A concern about the wisdom of including the President pro tempore in the line of succession as the "largely honorific post traditionally held by the longest-serving Senator of the majority party." For example, from January 20, 2001 to June 6, 2001, the President pro tempore was 98-year-old Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.
A concern that the current line of succession can force the presidency to abruptly switch parties mid-term, as the Speaker and the President Pro Tempore are not necessarily of the same party as the President.
A concern that the succession line is ordered by the dates of creation of the various executive departments, without regard to the skills or capacities of the persons serving as their Secretary.
The fact that, should a cabinet member begin to act as President, the law allows the House to elect a new Speaker (or the Senate, a new President pro tempore), who could in effect remove the cabinet member and assume the office him- or herself at any time.
The absence of a provision where a President is disabled and the Vice Presidency is vacant (for example, if an assassination attempt simultaneously wounded the President and killed the Vice President).
After the way Nancy and her pals are treating our troops maybe she ISN`T safe when she lands at a military base?
After the way Nancy and her pals are treating our troops maybe she ISN`T safe when she lands at a military base?
They didn't say it was in the Constitution, although the Constitution does give Congress the power to determine the order, which they did, in several instances, the latest being the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 codified as (3 U.S.C. § 19)
So unless someone challenged the existing law, the SCOTUS would not be a factor. In the circumstances, the death of both the President and Vice President at the same time, or of the President who had succeeded from VP when the former President died in office and before a new VP could be selected, it's highly unlikely that there will be time or inclination to run to the Court. The authority for Congress to enact such a law is Article II, section 1, clause 6 of the United States Constitution.
Nancy, what are you talking about? Don't you realize how much poisonous fuel the C-20 will spew over the ozone layer while you make your trips to Iran, France, Syria and North Korea? I'm sure all the "scientists" your good buddy Albert always uses would be appalled at your hypocrisy. My God, woman haven't you heard about Global Warming. Think of all your grandchildren you are protecting.
A C-20B is a G-III, but a C-20H, is a G-IV. From the Air Force Fact sheet
The C-20A/B, military versions of the Gulfstream III, was chosen in June 1983 as the replacement aircraft for the C-140B Jetstar. Three A models were delivered to the 89th Airlift Wing under a cost-saving accelerated purchase plan. Upon delivery of the C-20B's, Andrews transferred the three C-20A's to Ramstein Air Base and all C-140B's at both locations were phased out of the U.S. Air Force inventory. In 1992, Gulfstream delivered their latest model, the C-20H (Gulfstream IV) to Andrews AFB. In 2002, the C-20A was selected for decommissioning and two C-20Hs at Andrews were transferred to Ramstein.
So it the -Hs are at Ramstein, then the ones at Andrews must be -Bs, since the fact sheet also shows only two -H models in USAF service, and 5 -B models.
She doesn't fight in the trenches, but behind the scenes, she undermines those trying to do the fighting p>
Weren't these the idiots that lambasted the President for not flying directly to Washington on 9/11?
And now she's worried about stopping for gas?
Oh brother.
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