The most interesting part of the U.S. attorneys controversy is that no one in Congress knew that the revised the USAPATRIOT Act changed how interim attorneys were to be selected, giving new power to the executive branch. No one. Not even Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), who prides himself on his legal and constitutional expertise. What other laws have these clowns passed without realizing it?
The Anti-federalists wouldn't have been surprised.
That's not surprising considering that the Patriot Act was handed to Congress by the executive branch and rammed through without debate (as recounted by Ron Paul). Of course, few of them bothered to read it after the fact.
ReplyDeleteThat's not all they didn't read. This sort of thing has surfaced before. "Representation" is a sham.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I support Downsize DC's Read the Bills Act.
ReplyDeleteI second the Read the Bills Act.
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to be a constitutionalist to expose the sham. I certainly am not. My point is not that reading the bills would improve things. My point is that they are frauds.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Sheldon. I fall into the trap of thinking about the system too. I have no excuse -- I should know better. But I've greatly reduced my capacity to care about it anymore, in just a few short years of individualist thinking. It's astounding to me that you're still at it in your years of experience.
ReplyDeleteIs it that you love being a member of the peanut gallery as I? That the low-hanging fruit is too tempting? Is it that hope springs eternal (e.g., Hayek and the 30-year buildup to critical mass)? Could that still be possible?
I guess I'll always be the kid in the back row in high school who had more fun ridiculing the system than conspiring with it.
Anything to do with reforming the system is an exercise in pig-singing lessons. Anything to do with criticizing it is the umpteen-millionth restatement of the blindingly obvious.
Sorry for the rant.
Mr. Richman-
ReplyDeleteI must say that you have become much more sarcastic in your notes to news stories on the FEE's In Brief
I couldn't stop laughing the other day in your response to article about postal rates increasing, "Oh privatize it already."
I certainly don't mean to insinuate that it is a laughing matter, but I found the response priceless. Just enough disdain and frustration to be a perfect response.
You were supposed to laugh! (Perhaps to keep from crying.) Thanks for letting me know.
ReplyDeleteJames: Virtue is its own reward. :-)