Monday, June 20, 2005

HOW TO REACT WHEN UNDER FIRE? HOW TO LEAD?

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React with a smirk, a spreading of hands, and a condescending manner when tough questions are asked?

Lead by making recess appointments of controversial appointees?

From AP, 6/20/2005:

Hours before an expected vote in the Senate, Bush called on the Senate to approve the nomination of John Bolton for U.N. ambassador. He sidestepped a question on whether he would go around Congress to give Bolton the job if delays continue.

“I think it’s time for the Senate to give him an up-or-down vote. Now,” the president said.
The Senate was scheduled to vote later Monday on whether to end Democratic delaying tactics that have blocked a final vote on Bolton’s nomination.

Asked pointblank whether he would give Bolton a recess appointment, bypassing the nomination process after Congress leaves Washington for the Fourth of July holiday recess, Bush did not answer.

Snave's note: I have to imagine this is exactly what Bush would like to do if there hasn't been a vote on Bolton by the time of the holiday recess. But would he have the gall to make such an important appointment of someone who may not be altogether popular within his own party? Wouldn't that make a statement of what basically amounts to "I can do anything I want and you can't do anything about it"? And/or "Who needs the U.S. Senate? They're just a nuisance to me anyway"... without him actually saying as much?

What do you think of "recess appointments"? Do any of us know how often this has been done in previous administrations? Or is this only a Bush thing?

2 Comments:

Blogger Snave said...

Thanks for your kind comment! I don't really think I am as astute as I am OPINIONATED, because I will readily admit that most of my analysis of news comes from my gut and intuition, which makes me more akin to Dubya than I care to contemplate.

Anyway, conclusions I draw from what I read are colored by many things, including where I live (NE Oregon). For example, while I may tend pretty far left on social programs/issues, I tend toward the middle when it comes to agriculture, the timber industry and land-use issues. I'm not completely satisfied with the Democratic party and with being a Democrat, but I abhor right-wing politics in their current form.

I mostly check other weblogs (many of which are linked here on my site, and I look at

http://www.msn.com

and

http://www.mediamatters.org

fairly often.

I also like to look at right-wing sites, or at left-wing sites where right-wing folks come to troll, taunt, comment, whatever. By looking at the other side's opinions, I tend to make judgments about their motives. I have found that right-wing bloggers usually don't have motives other than parroting the agenda shown to them by their leaders (who may or may not represent their best interests).

I refer back to the Constitution and to the Bill of Rights from time to time, just to remind myself of what our politicians should strive toward protecting and preserving. When I look at those things, I also think this site fits in well

http://www.aztriad.com/fathers.html

because I don't believe Christianity or any religion is the be-all or end-all.

If you listen to talk radio from either side of the fence, the following site may be helpful in determining whether or not the talkers are trying to fool you, and/or whether they value your intelligence:

http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/

Analyzing the ways in which people argue their points can often tell you about whether or not they have your interests in mind, or just your allegiance.

Anyway, good luck in your journey! Whether you land on the right or the left side of the fence, it's a pretty fascinating study!

Thanks for coming by! Stay tuned, there may be others who will comment, and who will have suggestions for you too!

4:14 PM  
Blogger Jim Marquis said...

Alextrex- I'm biased to the Left but I would also recommend the columnists at the New York Times or the ones featured on Workingforchange.com.

8:10 PM  

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