John Nichols: Mitt Romney Goes All Alberto Gonzales on the Constitution

[marmar]

from The Nation:



BLOG | Posted 10/09/2007 @ 11:24pm
Mitt Romney Goes All Alberto Gonzales on the Constitution



Call it the Alberto Gonzales approach to the system of checks and balances.

Asked whether he would obey the Constitution and consult Congress before sending U.S. troops into combat, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney says he would consult his lawyers first.

Just as President Bush turned to Gonzales for legal opinions that the disgraced former White House counsel and Attorney General wrote with the purpose of absolving the commander-in-chief of any duty to uphold the Constitution, so Romney says that he would take his cue from contemporary counselors rather than the Founders of the American experime.

The question in Tuesday's Republican presidential debate in Michigan came from MSNBC host Chris Matthews, who asked, "Governor Romney... if you were president of the United States, would you need to go to Congress to get authorization to take military action against Iran's nuclear facilities?"

Romney's responded, "You sit down with your attorneys and (they) tell you what you have to do. But obviously the president of the United States has to do what's in the best interest of the United States to protect us against a potential threat. The president did that as he was planning on moving into Iraq and received the authorization of Congress..."

Matthews interjected: "Did (President Bush) need (a go-ahead from Congress)?"

"You know," Romney replied, "we're going to let the lawyers sort out what he needed to do and what he didn't need to do."

Most of the other GOP contenders paid at least a measure of lip service to Constitutional niceties, with Arizona Senator John McCain ☼ and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson displaying relative respect for the separation of powers while former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee adopted the mad-bomber line. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?bid=1&pid=241385

[Justyce]

1. THIS is why that man scares me. I believe he would be worse than bush even. nt

[TwilightGardener]

2. Comparing Thompson and McCain to Romney and Rudy, one

thing is clear--at least Senators understand the Constitution a little better. McCain is still the most reasonable, as nuts as he is.

[groovedaddy]

3. Yeah, sure, consult your lawyers...fire them, if they don't say what you want to hear

and find replacements who will.
The power to declare war, according to the Constittution, rests solely with Congress. Clearly, Congress has abdicated its role.
All these repub candidates want a continuation of the worst abuses and encroachments on the constitution our country has ever seen. They can all go to hell.