21 June 2007

If He's Not A Vice President, I Guess He's Just A Vice

Yar. Go here and read this.

Apparently our pirate-in-chief Dick Cheney, the Vice President (that is to say, the number-two behind the president, ha ha ha), is not part of the Executive Branch.

Okay, quick civics lesson. There are how many branches of government? Three, that's right! And what are they? That's right, the Judicial, Legislative, and Executive branches. The Executive Branch is headed by the President. Now, normally one would assume that the Vice President, who is subordinate to the President, would also be a part of the Executive Branch, insofar as no branch is subordinate to any other; ergo, if two people are in a supervisor/subordinate relationship in government, they must be in the same branch. And if the President is the head of the Executive, presumably, the Vice President... well, you see where I'm going.

Also, let me see here, hold on... ahem
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term...

Now, interesting point, that's about all the Constitution has to say about the veep, apart from that the powers of the president may devolve on the veep if the president is removed or incapacitated; and that the veep may be impeached (yes, it says that); and how the veep is to be elected; and that the veep acts as President of the Senate.

Perhaps Cheney was considering this last part, and believes he is a part of the Legislative Branch? I don't know. Which would mean, of course, that he is not subordinate to the president. Which is probably what he wants.

I'd like to know where he gets this idea and what his intention is. And also, why is he so averse to working with the Information Security Oversight Office that he tried to have the office shut down rather than comply with their requests for information? Hmm.

Anyway, I doubt this will get picked up on the news much (gee, think Fox News will give this any play?), so I thought I'd report it here.

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