BS: budget creates a 1 branch government

Subject: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 08:24 AM

One paragraph virtually hidden in the proposed US budget creates what is called the Sunset commission. It is a President appointed 8 member panel that could be comprised of lobbyists, lawyers or even TV evangelists. Their job is to eliminate any government program of any government agency based upon information obtained by the Office of Management and Budget over 10 years - unless Congress votes to overturn their decision.

Imagine Congress acting quick enough to undo the de-funding and disbanding of all employees of a particular program.
They certainly were quick enough to pass the Patriot Act in a few days even though members could not even read it since there were only a few copies. But I doubt they would act so quickly to save a program that imposes regulations on a corporation or any other program the President might deem unworthy to exist.

What this does is to eliminate any program that Congress has ever approved or that any agency has established. The Power will rest solely with the Executive office - unless Congress mobilizes quickly enough to undo the Sunset commission.

The courts are already under attack as you know. Lately any judge that is labeled an activist judge by the administration is attack with rhetoric that even includes the Stalin quote of "no man no problem" which is another means of saying murder works. Nuclear options to ensure appointing any judge the President selects are now being touted as a religious war Christians must win to eliminated secular judges.

First Judicial review and now Congress are becoming totally dominated by the executive branch.

Now listen carefully, anyone who works a federal job in the DC area knows what I am talking about when I say that OMB, the department of management and budget, has taken extraordinary precedents and pain in the ass demands on every agency in the government. Often a demand for statistics are demanded within 72 hours come hell or high water.
More man hours are now spent chasing numbers the OMB demands on an immediate basis than ever before.

Huge errors are being made, covered up or relabeled and being passed on to the OMB. I suspect this will serve as ammunition the OMB will use to do the Presidents bidding to eliminate select programs.

New ombudsmen programs (appointed administration judges which most are lobbyists, are being implemented so that scientists and researchers will have to go before a special panel should they disagree with Pharmaceutical company claims.

In conclusion the proposed Sunset Commission will be hailed as a weapon against wasteful spending. Much like the frivolous lawsuit law was hailed as a weapon against silly lawsuits - when what it really allowed was the intentional lie by any CEO regarding its actual bottom line. The extreme brevity of the law (one paragraph)establishing the Sunset Commission also allows for a huge degree of latitude in its implementation.

Think tanks and front organizations like the American family council have been at work a long time to maximize Executive power and weaken the Judiciary and Congress.
Their work will soon be done.

Best regards to all catters,
Don Hakman

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 08:56 AM

As I watch the USA produce ever greater similarities (in effects) to some European countries in the 1930's, I shake my head and remember George Orwell from near the end of Animal Farm

roughly

"and the pigs looked from the men to the pigs and back again, and now could tell no difference"

Queensland killed off its Upper House - and later on Uncle Joh (recently deceased) then used the single house by mostly ignoring it and doing everything in Cabinet, which often consisted of only a handful.

Funny thing, he was going to have the Police Force Special branch wear brown shirts till he was convinced some worldly wise peopel that it might be a very noticeable and unfortunate thing....

If George and his nutter mates do enough damage before Yellowstone, then enough people just might vote for someone useful for the country & their best interests - but with only first past the post voting, I severely doubt it.


Never Mind - once Yellowstone blows its top, your worries are all over - the MidWest will be history - and they will all stay there waiting for God to bear them up in the Rapture....

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Amos
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 09:02 AM

This is grounds for concern, for sure, given that while such a capability has a positive side ( a way to eliminate wasteful rice-bowls) given the average intelligence level of the implementers it will be used for abuse without safeguards being built in.

It seems to me that the notion of COngressional intercession is not an adequate safeguard because it is so easy to kill a program on the q.t. -- passively letting Congress not notice it, by presenting it late at night or just before a vacation, for example.

A

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 09:12 AM

King George though he had a divine right to rule too, and look how he upset the colonials...

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 09:35 AM

Doom and gloom has not been the founding principle in establishing this country.

It took over 200 years to get to this point. It may take as many years to retreat from the new dictatorship but there should be plenty of good intentioned compassionate people to re establish democracy with free speech, fair elections and original constitutional guarantees.

I am still waiting and looking for a clear beginning to the process.

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 09:45 AM

Can anyone else here explain from first hand experience the new and extreme policies and demands of the office of management and budget?

I have been waiting for the other shoe to fall and reveal the purpose of the recent OMB tactics. I believe the Sunset Commission is the hammer to the OMB nail.

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Peace
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 04:58 PM

N

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Peace
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 04:58 PM

W

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Peace
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 04:59 PM

O

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 05:21 PM

Looks like the watchers are well aware of this...a Google search on

"OMB + 'sunset comission'" reveals...


http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/4/23/21115/5213

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0423-21.htm

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/_/id/7265052?&rnd=1114251617470&has-player=true&version=6.0.8.1024

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1741167

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 05:26 PM

a clip from one page...

"Note that the president is given the power to appoint the eight-member panel, which means the Sunset provision commission would "violate the constitutional separation of power between Congress and the executive branch, enabling the president to dismantle programs created by lawmakers."

However, Republicans already have a work-around for that little constitutional problem:

Under a bill expected to be introduced soon, the power to appoint the commission would be given to Congress rather than to the president -- simply transferring the authority from Bush to his GOP allies on the Hill.

Wouldn't the courts pose a problem? Oh, the Republicans have that figured out too, reports Rolling Stone:
And if the commission is challenged in court, the administration is likely to drag out the fight until it has firmly established a conservative majority on the Supreme Court"

it just follows what I have been saying here for several years...the Republicans intend to jury rig the entire system to retain the appearance of a Democracy, while making sure that they always win....."legal stacking of the deck."

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Susu's Hubby
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 05:37 PM

you guys REALLY need to find another hobby....




Hubby

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 05:38 PM

Thanks Bill, one link you posted was from the Democratic Underground.
Last year they banned me and my political cartoons for being against the family values of the Democratic party.

Instead of a constitutional government we are getting a myriad of star chambers and ombudsmen judges to decide/exterminate any issue, substance, law or person that might interfere with the will of a corporation.

Corporate Stateism is a "gentler" form of fascism but worst of all it is being done in the name of God. Of course this is not a new phenomenon nor will it pass any time soon.

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Peace
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 05:39 PM

Susu's Hubby.

You have yet to become the moral conscience of the Mudcat.

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 06:05 PM

hubby: check out the Mudcat Crafters thread to see some of our marvelous hobbies.

Subject: RE: BS: budget creates a 1 branch government
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 07:20 PM

Mr. Hubby, sir....we'll get off this subject when this attempt to hijack the Republic stops.....