Russ Feingold, Robert Byrd to Bush: You Have no Authority

[babylonsister]

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/92538/russ_feingold%2C_robert_byrd_to_bush%3A_you_have_no_authority/

Russ Feingold, Robert Byrd to Bush: You Have no Authority
Posted by Russ Feingold, AlterNet on July 23, 2008



The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Bush,

The United States is participating in a Ministerial meeting of the World Trade organization (WTO) this week in Geneva, Switzerland. We understand that the purpose of this summit is to finalize an agreement on certain outstanding issues related to the WTO Doha Round.

The announcement of this WTO Ministerial was surprising to us. Typically high-level negotiations only occur when all parties have authority to make a deal. Yet, the U.S. Constitution grants Congress exclusive authority "to regulate commerce with foreign Nations" and to "lay and collect Taxes Duties."

As you know, for decades U.S. presidents have obtained delegations of this congressional trade authority under what is commonly known as Fast Track. However, your delegation of Fast Track Trade Promotion Authority terminated on June 30, 2007. Congress has refused to provide you with further authority -- either more Fast Track or any other form of trade authority -- nor is there any prospect of that occurring before the end of your term. Indeed, it is likely that in the future the Fast Track process will be replaced altogether with a trade negotiation and approval mechanism that better reflects Congress's constitutional role regarding trade policy.

Therefore we are interested in understanding what USTR Schwab or other U.S. trade officials are representing to other countries' officials regarding their capacity to make binding commitments at this Ministerial on behalf of the U.S. Congress.

We are eager to ensure that if U.S. trade negotiators participate in the current WTO ministerial, they represent U.S. positions that comport with the sort of WTO agreement that could obtain support in the U.S. Congress.

Sincerely,
Russell D. Feingold
United States Senator

Robert C. Byrd
United States Senator

Digg!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

1. One less toy in W's box.

Quack quack. :D

[woodsprite]

2. Handslap. What are they gonna do about it? Impeach him? n/t

[liberalla]

3. that was a joy to read!

I wonder what response Feingold and Byrd will get.

[malaise]

4. Love it n/t

[formercia]

5. So much for a trade blockade of Iran

"I'm not the decider any more."

[madrchsod]

6. bush is kind`a like my dog that shits all over the house

before i can get her out the door. oh great... i have her stinky mess to clean up.

[indepat]

7. What nit-picky shit: the Congress has already ceded its most crucial powers to junior and mostly

rubber-stamp his every whim in lockstep otherwise. What a lovely charade. :P

[no limit]

8. And if Bush doesn't listen he'll get a really angry letter.

[bvar22]

9. Oh Good. Another stern letter.

This will work.
:eyes:

[happydreams]

10. K&R! Hit the son-of-a-bitch as often and in as many places as you can!!

Congress should be searching for more ways of reeling in this maniacs power.

[eppur_se_muova]

11. Well, this whole maladministration is past its "best sold by" date. nt

[DCKit]

12. Y'all don't get it: This is letting foreign governments know 43* has no authority.

He can say and do anything he wants, but whatever deals he makes have no legal basis and are not binding.

This is Toto pulling the curtain - then biting the SOB's ankle.

Given his past behavior and what they *have* let him get away with, this is a big ol' wallop upside the head with a very stinky fish.

Who needs "stern letters" when you can (publicly) embarrass them into shutting the hell up and crawling back into their hole?

Don't discount the implications of this public chastisement. They've just made him irrelevant in one of his favorite roles.