Pardon me, no please pardon me?

[Check12]

What would happen if GWB resigns, then Cheney is prez and he pardons GWB, then he appoints condi as VP and immediately resigns. Now condi is prez and she pardons cheney and appoints the next most likely bushbot as VP, resigns and bushbot pardons condi.

The whole lot of them can then retire and live happily ever after.

Political Pardons SUCK!

[whistle]

1. Those were Scooter Libby's words right

[MADem]

2. Presidential pardons are a curious quirk, and we've had them forever.

They'll never go away. They are a perogative that makes that lousy job worth having.

[Geoff R. Casavant]

3. Even worst case scenario, wouldn't happen that way.

Bush could resign, ok. Cheney could pardon him, also ok. But Cheney can't simply appoint Rice as new VP -- both houses of Congress must approve her under the 25th Amendment, and you can be sure that no such appointment would get to the floor of either house in any short time.

[Check12]

4. Two words, signing statement! nt

[MGKrebs]

6. Three words: Sargent at Arms!

[gratuitous]

5. Two other words: Recess appointment

Yeah, I know, but with this bunch of crooks, I wouldn't put anything past them. If it were me, I'd frisk every last one of them on their way out, and have someone count the silverware.

[Geoff R. Casavant]

7. Amendment 25 doesn't permit recess appointments for VP n/t

[gratuitous]

8. Knowing ths bunch, though?

There's no direct prohibition on a recess appointment, and Bush has shown no real compunction for doing anything he doesn't want to do. The pertinent clause of the 25th Amendment is:

"2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress."

The use of "shall" implies that it's an obligation for the President to nominate a Vice President who will take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress. But in the case of a recess appointment (and never forget that here in Oceania we are in a state of perpetual war, and therefore in a constant state of emergency), Bush would appoint his best crony as soon as Congress adjourned for a weekend because the country can't wait on Congress to makes its dawdling way to confirming a nominee, and it's just the kind of opening the terrorists would be looking for, and besides, it's just a recess appointment that will only last until the end of next year, and what's the big deal, the President needs to be able to appoint his own people to fill sensitive positions around him, and why is Congress trying to meddle in the affairs of the Executive?

The Faux arguments practically write themselves by this time.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Pardons are a necessary evil

They are an important check on the judicial system.