Bush mocks Dems with Fox appointment
So much to get to today - a welcome day off from work. I will post more today than I ever have in a single day, without question. Anyway, I'll get to it - more outrages in our government to comment on.
It looks like Bush got his man after all, with yet another recess appointment.
Sam Fox, the partisan political contributor who gave $50,000 to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in 2004 so they could slander and try to destroy John Kerry, is now our brand spanking new ambassador to Belgium! President Bush, via recess appointment, got his man yesterday. Put differently, Bush said, "Thanks for a job well done smearing and slandering my opponent, John Kerry, during the 2004 election. Enjoy your ambassadorship!"
Fox's nomination was withdrawn last week when it became clear to the Bush Administration that he had zero chance of being confirmed in the Senate.
This is not the first time that Bush has used a recess appointment to elevate a controversial figure to a position when Senate approval was unlikely. Former UN Ambassador John Bolton was appointed on August 1, 2005 by Bush, and he remained as ambassador until December 9, 2006. When Bush resubmitted Bolton's name to be U.S. Ambassador, he had no chance to be reconfirmed, and his name was subsequently withdrawn.
Presidents have the right to use recess appointments, as outlined in Article II Section II of the Constitution. I was doing some reading earlier today about recess appointments, though, and this was put into the Constitution when Congress seldom convened during the very hot summer months, so giving the president the power to temporarily fill vacancies was prudent.
I think it's time that we change that, or at least modify it in some way. Congress does take some time off in the summer, but not as much as 200 years ago. What's more, Bush is using recess appointments to elevate unconfirmable nominees.
According to Wikipedia (with a nod that these numbers might not be completely accurate), Bush has made 167 recess appointments in just over six years in office. Comparatively, President Clinton made 140 over two terms, and Reagan 243 over his two terms.
It just angers me that presidents have the ability to sidestep Congress by making these appointments. Bolton served as UN ambassador for 16 months because of this provision, and it appears that Fox will serve until near the end of Bush's term, if I'm not mistaken.
I'm pretty angry that a partisan hack has been awarded an ambassadorship. Surly he isn't the first and he won't be the last ~ both parties are guilty of it. But, Fox is a special case - he was a slash and burn operative for the president in 2004, and he's being rewarded for it. This has got to stick in John Kerry's craw just a bit.
This is just the latest example of President Bush:
A. Being "A uniter, not a divider," or
B. "Restoring honor and integrity to the Oval Office"
It looks like Bush got his man after all, with yet another recess appointment.Sam Fox, the partisan political contributor who gave $50,000 to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in 2004 so they could slander and try to destroy John Kerry, is now our brand spanking new ambassador to Belgium! President Bush, via recess appointment, got his man yesterday. Put differently, Bush said, "Thanks for a job well done smearing and slandering my opponent, John Kerry, during the 2004 election. Enjoy your ambassadorship!"
Fox's nomination was withdrawn last week when it became clear to the Bush Administration that he had zero chance of being confirmed in the Senate.
This is not the first time that Bush has used a recess appointment to elevate a controversial figure to a position when Senate approval was unlikely. Former UN Ambassador John Bolton was appointed on August 1, 2005 by Bush, and he remained as ambassador until December 9, 2006. When Bush resubmitted Bolton's name to be U.S. Ambassador, he had no chance to be reconfirmed, and his name was subsequently withdrawn.
Presidents have the right to use recess appointments, as outlined in Article II Section II of the Constitution. I was doing some reading earlier today about recess appointments, though, and this was put into the Constitution when Congress seldom convened during the very hot summer months, so giving the president the power to temporarily fill vacancies was prudent.
I think it's time that we change that, or at least modify it in some way. Congress does take some time off in the summer, but not as much as 200 years ago. What's more, Bush is using recess appointments to elevate unconfirmable nominees.
According to Wikipedia (with a nod that these numbers might not be completely accurate), Bush has made 167 recess appointments in just over six years in office. Comparatively, President Clinton made 140 over two terms, and Reagan 243 over his two terms.
It just angers me that presidents have the ability to sidestep Congress by making these appointments. Bolton served as UN ambassador for 16 months because of this provision, and it appears that Fox will serve until near the end of Bush's term, if I'm not mistaken.
I'm pretty angry that a partisan hack has been awarded an ambassadorship. Surly he isn't the first and he won't be the last ~ both parties are guilty of it. But, Fox is a special case - he was a slash and burn operative for the president in 2004, and he's being rewarded for it. This has got to stick in John Kerry's craw just a bit.
This is just the latest example of President Bush:
A. Being "A uniter, not a divider," or
B. "Restoring honor and integrity to the Oval Office"
Labels: John Bolton, Recess Appointment, Sam Fox, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, U.S. Ambassador to Belgium
posted by RJ at 7:16 AM
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