Executive or Legislative, That is the Question

The Vice President asserts executive privilege to shield his activities from Congress, but when it comes to Executive Orders that he doesn't like, he asserts that he's not part of the Executive Branch. A lesson in basic Constitution is in order.

Article I Section 3 states "the Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided." Article II defines the term, manner of election and manner for removal from office of the Vice President along with the President. The Vice President seems to be claiming that he is in the unique position of stradling both the Legislative and the Executive Branches. He is claiming that he is not subject to the authority of either. He has invented a new branch of the government, one not subject to the checks and balances of the other three.

It is clear to me, from my reading of the Constitution, that the Vice President is a member of the Senate only as a representative of the Executive Branch. He has no vote unless there is a tie, in which case, he is clearly authorized to cast a vote favorable to the position of the Executive.

Dick Cheney has conducted his office with nothing but contempt for Congress. As the issue of whether the Vice President is a part of and thus subject to the orders of the Executive is destined to be decided by the Supreme Court, the question then becomes, does the Vice President recognize the authority of the Judicial Branch over the Executive and Legislative Branches and does the current President have the balls to compel his Vice President to submit to Executive Orders?

Democrats Losing Congress

The Democratic majority in Congress won't last out the 2008 Election. Their approval rating is lower than the President's. They've pissed off the Independents and Left-wing that got them elected. Where is their 23% approval coming from? The Republicans had twelve years to change the way Washington works and they were corrupted by the process and did worse than the Democrats. The Democrats were relected in 2006 because people didn't trust the Republicans anymore, and the Democrats simply picked up where they left off in 1994. It is time for the American electorate to really change Washington by throwing the Republicans and the Democrats out for good. The time is right for every third party in the country to take over. The question is, can the third parties capitalize on the perfect political storm?

The Libertarian Party doesn't have a strategy for taking control from unpopluar Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Their strategy is to raise money for Presidential campaigns and leave local campaigns on their own. They have to focus on local, Congressional campaigns, but they aren't organized for that task. Their stragtegy is top down instead of grassroots up. Ron Paul, a Libertarian, has coopted the Republican machine in places like Brazoria and Victoria. He has a message that people chose by 20 points over his Democratic challenger. Where are the other Ron Pauls of the Libertarian Party? Any Libertarian running for Congress needs to learn from Ron Paul.