Palin and the unitary executive theory

[Joanne98]

Note: Yep, another election post … bear with me, we are getting close to this thing being over. Like many, I believe this to be the most important election in a long time, which is why it is dominating my idle thoughts.

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It seems much of the media and meta-media reactions to the VP debate between Senator Biden and Gov. Palin is focused on who ‘won’, who had the best soundbite, the best zinger, or how Palin was able to exceed the lowest expectations in the history of expectations.

Call me nerd, but I’m a bit more interested in some of the substance. I’m particularly frightened by this answer by Palin regarding executive authority:

IFILL: Governor, you mentioned a moment ago the constitution might give the vice president more power than it has in the past. Do you believe as Vice President Cheney does, that the Executive Branch does not hold complete sway over the office of the vice presidency, that it it is also a member of the Legislative Branch?

PALIN: Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president’s agenda in that position. Yeah, so I do agree with that we have a lot of flexibility in there, and we’ll do what we have to do to administer very appropriately the plans that are needed for this nation.

Chills should be going down your spine right now.

Much has been written and discussed about Cheney’s philosophy of the executive branch. He has spent most of his career articulating his position rather explicitly. For example, here’s a segment from a Washington Post article from October 2004:

Cheney has tried to increase executive power with a series of bold actions — some so audacious that even conservatives on the Supreme Court sympathetic to Cheney’s view have rejected them as overreaching.

If you don’t know much about this, watch this episode of Frontline called “Cheney’s Law”, which outlines his (along with others) philosophy on executive authority and their actions towards implementing that. Proponents of the unitary executive notion argue that language in the Constitution grants the executive branch more authority than it has traditionally had, especially during wartime (which we’ve been in for just over 7 years now).

Gov. Sarah Palin says she agrees with Dick Cheney regarding the “flexibility” of the Constitution in this regard. Palin is surrounded by Rove-Cheney aides, repeats the Bushian over-simplified platitudes regarding global affairs (good vs. evil), and has a history of running her own administrations in creepily similar ways.

This woman is dangerous.

Finally … if you are a proponent of the Bush-Cheney-Palin philosophy of executive authority because you agree with their policies and think they need this power to do “what’s best for America”, consider this: What happens when someone you don’t agree with gets into office and has that power?

http://clasticdetritus.com/2008/10/03/palin-and-the-unitary-executive-theory/

[EstimatedProphet]

1. Exactly!

It's good to see someone discussing this, because so far it's not gotten much airtime. What Palin proved last night is that she doesn't understand the Constitutional role of the VP. If she doesn't understand it, then there is no way she can be qualified for it!

[phantom power]

2. One of the many great moments Biden had last night...

BIDEN: Vice President Cheney has been the most dangerous vice president we've had probably in American history. The idea he doesn't realize that Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the vice president of the United States, that's the Executive Branch. He works in the Executive Branch. He should understand that. Everyone should understand that.

And the primary role of the vice president of the United States of America is to support the president of the United States of America, give that president his or her best judgment when sought, and as vice president, to preside over the Senate, only in a time when in fact there's a tie vote. The Constitution is explicit.

The only authority the vice president has from the legislative standpoint is the vote, only when there is a tie vote. He has no authority relative to the Congress. The idea he's part of the Legislative Branch is a bizarre notion invented by Cheney to aggrandize the power of a unitary executive and look where it has gotten us. It has been very dangerous.