Posted on 02/13/2009 9:41:35 PM PST by james500
The White House has provided the use of a government airplane to a key Democratic senator in order to ensure the availability of what may prove to be the deciding 60th vote in favor of the $787 billion economic stimulus package.
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has returned to his home state to attend a wake for his 88-year-old mother, who died February 2 from complications from leukemia. At the end of the wake, Brown will be flown from Mansfield, Ohio, to Andrews Air Force Base.
After he casts his vote, he will return to Ohio for his mother's funeral early Saturday.
The plane is being provided by the White House, Brown's office said, because the vote is considered "official business," and there are no commercial flights available that would allow him to cast the vote and return to Ohio for his mother's funeral Saturday morning.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
The problem here, as I see it, is that something that is “just known and understood” by anyone with a basic knowledge of our system of government’s separation of powers concept wouldn’t even consider spending money and offering executive branch resources to a legislator to facilitate a unique function of the legislator, especially when the President wants that legislator to perform his function in a way that furthers the President’s ambitions. It is not that it is wrong or a violation of the Constitution for the President to offer a ride to a congressman on a plane, say, if the President happens to be giving a speech in Legislator’s home town with him present and offers him an empty seat on the flight back to Washington. But when it is done to specifically further the Executive’s interest in a piece of pending legislation, and when the President wants that legislator’s vote, it clearly and obviously crosses the line.
When we are considering things like this, there can’t be a statute or regulation to cover everything that could happen.
We must depend upon the President (or any other governmental member of the other 2 branches) to know when a particular act, even if not a violation of a particular statute or regulation, is a violation of the separation of powers concept or any other Constitutional requirement.
The really sad thing is to me is that I doubt if they(the white house) had any idea or thought that to do this infringes on the Constitution. It would take a statute or reg before they would even consider their actions in light of the Constitution. We can’t even begin to think of what they may do in the future that isn’t directly controlled by a statute or regulation.
My prediction is that if they aren’t called on this they will continue to do whatever they think they can, regardless of the Constitution, in order to “save the country”.
When I read this I immediately thought that we were heading down the path of the Roman Senate calling upon Julius Ceaser to save the Republic and it doesn’t matter how it is done. And that very act thus ends the Republic as we once knew it.
Three things: 1) If the nation survives until 2010 2) IF we even have free elections in 2010. 3) What can be done before 2010?
We need to start by contacting the RNC Chairman’s office and ask how we can ensure that conservative candidates are available for primaries in our own districts. We will need names of candidates and organizatiuons supporting them. Then we need to contact them and get involved either by working full time, part-time or or whatever time we can.
Obama fancies himself emperor. The sycophantic media that snuck his no talent a$$ into office are the willing accomplices who would have eviscerated any republican for providing or receiving such a perk.
This is only the beginning. I pray for our country, the United States of America (not the brainless zombies who voted for this wretch — they can all go to hell).
Yes, the executive did just breach a rigorous interpretation of constitutional jurisprudence for personal advantage. He started small, he'll keep doing it until he gets out of hand. It won't shock me if he winds up impeached.
I hope Mr. Steele mounts a huge primary campaign to replace all three of them. Also- how many Freepers are still hot to trot to have Joe Lieberman switch parties?
Raising campaign cash comes first.
Did someone use Snopes as a reference?
If they’ve done this much damage in 3 weeks, what the heck will 2010 look like?
You know, you are right. We have got to get heavy major involved in our local elections and start from there.
We have seen how a Sarah Palin can rise up the ranks, why can’t we?
Or why can’t we help the next Sarah Palin. I use her as an example because she didn’t start her life out expecting to become a politician.
I want to know who voted for Minnesota’s 2nd seat? Franken or Coleman?
“The short version is that any multi-hundred-billion-dollar company that sends its CEO around on commercial airlines is grossly irresponsible.”
I don’t think anyone has a beef with a profitable company owning a corporate jet and flying anyone they wish on it.
The problem is when your company is technically, if not actually bankrupt - and the government is providing the cash that keeps your bankrupt enterprise afloat. In this case, a company will be criticized for spending money flying their CEO on a corporate jet, because, the government gave them the money.
This is not class envy - if an enterprise is bankrupt, the CEO should be flying economy class (if at all) - and preserving capital above all else.
Congress, when controlled by democrats, will flying the wings off of any jet they can get their hands on.
Indeed, we do.
The local level is the way to go. We can have plenty of say about having a conservative candidate.
Start with RNC or check in directly with our state headquarters to get to our local districts and precincts. Let’s find out what is going on. I don’t want to see another McCain or Dole run for President.
“This is not class envy - if an enterprise is bankrupt, the CEO should be flying economy class (if at all) - and preserving capital above all else.”
I understand how appearances are, but in reality, if you are dealing with a business with 9-digit daily revenues, it is just crazy to stick top officers in the commercial air travel grinder to chew up their productive hours (even without delays/cancellations). It is just crazy. These people make decisions with tremendous economic impact on the company. You cannot risk what amounts to a few days a year minimum spent dealing with commercial air travel crap, and that is assuming no overnights in hub cities, missing important meetings, etc. The potential financial risk to the company exceeds the cost of the chartered/whatever flight hugely, at least for top officers. How many people deserve/need such access is another matter for debate.
To address the class-warfare rhetoric directly, as I noted on the example, would the house banking committee have been sympathetic if one of their 8 punching bags had been a no-show because of weather in ORD causing a canceled connecting flight?
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