an open letter to GOP members of Congress (House and Senate)

[salin]

If you do not believe in the responsibility of the Congress to provide oversight over the executive branch,

and,

you do not believe in the responsibility of legislating laws lies with Congress (that is, that laws as passed by Congress are to be followed - not laws created extra-constitutionally via executive signing statement),

and,

you do not believe in the responsibility of "the purse" (creating budgets and allocating monies) and instead pass that duty on to the administrative branch (approving verbatim all admin budgets, or abdicating the role in favor of corporate interests pre-written budgetary legislation),

than it would appear that you do not believe in the balance of powers between the three bodies of government as established in the Constitution.

The only conclusion to be reached is that you are solely in Congress for your salary and perhaps finding ways for self-enrichment.

In which case, we the people, ask you to step aside. We challenge members of your own party who do believe in the constitutional role of congress to challenge you in the next primary and we challenge members of the democratic (and other) parties who believe in the constitutional role of congress to challenge you (or whoever makes it out of your primary) in the general election.

You see, that We the People, still believe in our Constitution. We still believe in three co equal bodies of government that provide checks and balances over each other. If you persist in working to undermined the institution of Legislative Branch of Government, than you need to get out of the way for We the People to work to restore our government and the Constitutional system that underlies the legitimacy of our government.

[williesgirl]

1. Great letter - recommended

[salin]

2. thank you - I just wish that something like this would get

circulated in congressional districts. It does really seem that the GOP in congress has abdicated its role - in which case folks should be talking about it at the local level and wondering aloud why people working to undermined the role of congress want to sit in congress. It appears that the Bushjr administration basically wants to work as if they have the authority to disband congress (as happens in some dictatorships) - and congressional members of the president's party are willing participants. That is what I wish We the People were talking more about around the proverbial 'water cooler.'

[loyalkydem]

3. I'm going

to email this to my congressman. John Yarmouth is a good guy and I think he would support something like this.

[salin]

4. Thank you

I should send it also to Baron Hill - to be used against his likely (3rd time around) challenger who acted as a bushjr enabler. This is now about more than political party. This is about political institutions and more basically our Constitution.

[salin]

5. When the GOP in Congress obstruct Congress from doing its

Constitutional business - then they should be held to account or sent home. They should be called out on whether partisanship or the Constitution is more important. This should be the sound ringing out from our party leaders and the few liberal media voices. This should be the message we begin asking people on the street. Do we really want a one-party, one-branch of government system? Do we really want to trash the Constitution? Is this unpopular and dangerous president worth protecting at the risk of our form of Government?

Sirs and Madams of the GOP congressional delegation - just what is "too far" in terms of the President's encrouching on Congressional authority? And if NO POINT is too far - than why the heck are you serving in Congress? If congress is a worthless body - why are you in it?

[salin]

6. a vain kick for the evening crew.

[burythehatchet]

7. I posted essentially the same sentiment and got scorched for 24 hours.

[salin]

8. not sure which is worse,

being scorched - or ignored.

The message - and the theme that we should take to each and every GOP congressional office - is important. Their actions suggest that they believe, like the admin behaves, that there is no Constitutional role for Congress in our government. Voters need to get that explicit - do you want to vote for NO congress and essentially a monarchy (one-body government), or do you believe the Constitution has served us well for more than 200 years and ought to be our governing document?