GioBlog

Amazing column by George Will on the Miers nomination

What an amazing column by George Will on how to think about the Miers nomination!

One of the most interesting things in the column:

In addition, the president has forfeited his right to be trusted as a custodian of the Constitution. The forfeiture occurred March 27, 2002, when, in a private act betokening an uneasy conscience, he signed the McCain-Feingold law expanding government regulation of the timing, quantity and content of political speech. The day before the 2000 Iowa caucuses he was asked -- to ensure a considered response from him, he had been told in advance that he would be asked -- whether McCain-Feingold's core purposes are unconstitutional. He unhesitatingly said, "I agree." Asked if he thought presidents have a duty, pursuant to their oath to defend the Constitution, to make an independent judgment about the constitutionality of bills and to veto those he thinks unconstitutional, he briskly said, "I do."

Great point. I'd like to add another: Regardless of the rationale for the Iraq war, the President also violated the Constitution by not obtaining a clear declaration of war from Congress before proceeding. In the U.S., the Constitution requires a Congressional declaration of war before the U.S. can go to war.

Does anyone doubt that the U.S. just fought a war of regime change against Iraq? It may very well have been a noble, strategic, moral, proper thing for the U.S. to do (which I am not asserting), but it required a Congressional declaration of War.

So the President has done at least two things in violation of his oath to preserve and protect the Constition.