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PRESIDENTIAL POWERS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION-PART 1
PREFACE
My fellow American’s we live under a constitutional republic with our representatives elected democratically. Thus we are called a democratic republic. The Constitution of The United States of America sets out a division of powers equally between three co-equal branches. We know these as the judicial branch, the legislative branch, and the executive branch of our government and each has certain enumerated powers set out in The Constitution.
I would like to examine those powers as they relate to the executive branch today. One of the enumerated powers of the executive branch i.e. The President of The United States is shown in Article II, Section 2.
ARTICLE II SECTION 2
I ask that you read and digest the information shown below:
Article. II. - The Executive Branch
Section 2 - Civilian Power over Military, Cabinet, Pardon Power, Appointments
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United
States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective
Offices, and he shall have POWER TO GRANT REPRIEVES AND PARDONS FOR OFFENSES AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, except in Cases of Impeachment.
Do you understand the information highlighted above? Do you know the ramifications and implications of this power of the pardon? If not please read it again and try to concentrate on the information.
I think that all of you are able to comprehend the possible ramifications of this unfettered power of the pardon. If used with evil intentions the results could be horrific. The last controversial use of this pardon power occurred under President William Jefferson Clinton in the year 2000 AD, shortly before he left office. This pardon was brokered and largely crafted by now President Obama appointee, Attorney General Eric Holder. I’ll give you a little time to let that information sink in.
This pardon was for a long time fugitive and financial schemer Marc Rich who had been holed up in Switzerland. The FBI had almost captured him many times but he always managed to give them the slip like he had inside information.
Now turn your attention back to present days. Think of the various Federal Government officials who are going against the “Will of the People”. Think of the Presidential appointees who have questionable backgrounds. Think of the bribes in the Health Care legislation. We have seen “The Cornhusker Kickback, The Louisiana Purchase, and Gatorade” codified into the law of the land. Think of the overreaching by the EPA in declaring CO2 a dangerous pollutant bypassing the legislative process. Think of the legislation by fiat as practiced by President Obama to placate Representative Stupak in his fight for innocent babies. All of these examples are happening today and more are coming you know it will never end during this administration!!!!!!!! Remember the pardon power is not subject review by any branch of government it is total , final , and unfettered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have but one more question to ask you, how many pardons do you think have already been written? They are signed, sealed and delivered just waiting for the time they are needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comments
AuthorSpringboard,
You said it perfectly. I know I would have supported Colin Powell in 1996. I would also support Col. Alan West in 2012. It's "Not about the color of a mans skin it's the quality of his character." To quote a famous American!!!!!
The Marc Rich pardon always sat uncomfortably with me; it's one that, to me, really didn't make a lot of sense. Yet, I'm fully of the understanding that the issue of presidential pardons also happens to be an issue of presidential perogative. I support the office of the president, and because I support the documents which lay out his powers, I have to support that as well, even if there are aspects I find too loosely open, and even if I find suspect the intentions of the pardoner.
In your last comment to Wayne, though, you do bring up something which has been troubling me terribly about Obama, and you said it exactly...
For all the bad policies of former administrations, good administrations or bad, you never once had the feeling that what stood before the American people was anything but a patriot. A president of the United States. An icon of our democracy. Barack Obama, for me, has an eerie quality about him, and I mean to make no references to the color of his skin being a factor in feeling that way (just to immediately dispel any inferences to anything racial here). In another world far, far away, where the will of the people may not be so strong, I think in many ways a man like Barack Obama would be a very dangerous man. I'll let you draw your own conclusions as to what I may be referencing in that comment.
There is something off, here.
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Wayne,
I think the difference in the current situation is I'm not sure which side this man is on, Carter was inept, Nixon had his demons to fight, and Clinton's weaknesses were of a purient nature, but I never doubted they were on our side.
Power corrupts but in this case that was already handled by Geoge Soros when he became The Obama puppetmaster. Without a doubt, Obama's absolute disregard for the will of the people and his blind birddogging of every Soros whim make him the biggest criminal and abuser of the powers awarded to the Office of President in the history of this country and that speaks volumes considering he is competing against the likes of LBJ, Carter, Nixon, and Clinton. God Bless Us All!
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Thanks Dan for reading and commenting on this subject.
Great Civics lesson....
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Pop,
I explore that possibility also in Part 2, but my scenario may vary some from 50 Caliber's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Terrific and terrifying hub Tom. Power in the wrong hands is a deadly state of affairs. Think about 50 caliber's hub, in which he explained that the heath care bill gives Obama the power to call up an emergency army of his own choosing.
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50 Caliber,
That is very true of the news agencies we used to be able to trust many of them but sadly today many are but shiils for this administration. I find this disgusting and abhorant!!!!!!
Tom, a good hub, on a point that every one should know as it has been a custom of presidents leaving office to issue a certain number of pardons and Clinton followed suit an I remember the news agencies crying about his picks. Funny as it was all the news agencies it wasn't Fox only.
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thevoice,
Thank you for coming by and commenting.
first rate American government work thanks
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Pamela,
Let's hope the American people have woke up to the mistake they made and we can change course in 2010 before it's too late!!!!!!!!
Excellent hub Tom. It is a bit scary to think of him with this power, particularly because so much happens behind closed doors. By electing someone without scruples like Obama we really shot ourselves in the foot.
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Hmrjmr1,
Elections (voting or non-voting) do have consequences and we must have our country back in 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tom - clear and convincing evidence that who someones friends and associates are is an important fact before you vote for someone, shame it wasn't paid more attention to in 08. Great Hub!!
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eovery,
I'm afraid that's what it amounts to!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting concept you placed here. We couldn't prosecute these guys if we wanted.
Keep on hubbing!
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Vladimir Uhri,
You speak the truth to power. You have the inpirational spirit of Thomas Jefferson in your wise words. Thank you for visiting and commenting you added much to this hub!!!!!!!!
I do not see in the Constitution that president should run the country's economy, finances, eduction, agriculture and so on. His duty is to protect people from enemies and protect the Constitution.
I do not see in Constitution separation of religion and state either. We should all vote them out.
Thank you Tom for very good and truthful hub. We need it.
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nicomp,
That is true but it took a Constitunal Amendment to overturn that ruling. Now on segragated schools the Supreme Court correced its own course by overturning Plessy v Fergusson with Brown v Board but that took half a century!!!!!!!!!
Hey Tom,
The Supreme Court also ruled that women couldn't vote: http://www.abanet.org/vote/2008/landmarkcases.shtm...
They don't always get it right.
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vrajavala,
You can bet your bottom dollar that he wrote his own pardon for any crime against The United States of America from the beginning of time until the end of time as his first official act!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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nicomp,
Unfortunately the Supreme Court gave a decision that the EPA was allowed to do this under it charter legislation.
Check your spelling Tom. He may be tried for treason soon.
What we have is a mechanism whereby the EPA and other departments are given power to write 'regulations' which are de-facto laws. It is scary.
I can't find the EPA in my constitution. Or the Ag Dept or the Education department.
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Sheri,
I believe he will pardon whomever he pleases and then thumb his nose at the people and ask why the aren't glad!!!!!!!!!!!
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msorensson,
The possibilities for getting away with lawlessnesss are stagering!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW!!! Pretty scary way of looking at things, but probably pretty accurate. This "man" is a liar, a fraud, and he will bribe whomever he wants or needs to in order to advance his New World Order. If it looks like his lackeys are a hurtin' he'll just pardon them on his way out of town in 2012. Wonder if he'll include KSM??
Wow..you are right..I need to digest this info, Tom. Thanks
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