I was inspired to write this from a discussion on Bush being a
lying disingenuous dolt.
Ever since 9/11 there has been talk of Bush being a wartime president. It's so pervasive many who oppose Bush seem to accept it as fact.
Only it isn't...
The only war is a war of rhetoric. According to the US Constitution (paraphrased, emphasis mine):
Article I Section 8.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
...
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
...
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Bush is the Commander in Chief, but he does NOT have the power to declare war. Only Congress has that power and so far it has not used that power in regards to Iraq. Congress only resolved to let Bush use necessary force against terrorism, particularly those involved in 9/11 or who may be planning attacks against the US. Therefore Bush is NOT a wartime president. It is nothing more than a cynically applied rhetorical device designed to supress dissent by painting any criticism of Bush as being unpatriotic.
Instead of protecting and defending the Constitution as he swore to do, not once, not twice, but three times (National Guard, two inaugurations) he is running roughshod over it by claiming we're at war despite the fact only Congress holds that power and it has not been invoked, by chipping away at our rights, and by trying to bring back the concept of the unitary executive. Congress has obviously abdicated it's role as a check and balance. Otherwise the man would have been impeached. The true partisans here are the Republicans who hold party above the good of the country.
It is incumbent upon all of us who are truly patriotic to do everything in our power to stop the madman Bush by removing his enablers from Congress and electing representatives who take their oversight role seriously instead of putting their party over the good of the people.
