President Obama Threatens to Veto Intelligence Bill

The only branch of government I trust less than the Executive Branch is the Legislative Branch. Neither has acted in ways that earn the trust and confidence placed in them by the American people. With the ascension of Sotomayor to the Judicial Branch, it looks like that branch too is going the way of all flesh.

guesswhaturwrong:"Do you think the first Congress of the United States (you know the drafters of the U.S. Constitution) would want the President to keep secrets from them?"
They probably expected it since the Constitution is designed to keep the Congress and Executive quite seperate. In fact, early presidents did not even go to Congress to give the State of Union - they sent a letter.

And while George Washington was never offered a kingship, as a common myth suggests, he was held in great esteem and trust by most members of the first Congress.

Traffic Cop Timmy and guesswhaturwrong, if you want to bash Obama and the current government, head over to the story about "$18M Being Spent to Redesign Recovery.gov Web Site" and I'll join you. :) Posted by: Jaylah | Jul 9, 2009 12:06:44 AM
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Unprecedented Transparency 2.0:

"ABC reports this morning that the Maryland firm Smartronix has won what seems like an enormous $18 million contract to re-design the Recovery.gov website. Approximately $9.5 million would be spent by January in order to make “Recovery 2.0″ out of the site that is at least supposed track the spending of federal stimulus funds in detail.

"Smartronix, a medium-sized Maryland-based firm (over 500 employees) founded in 1995, boasts a large number of government clients, mostly military. The company appears to have just one important political connection: according to FEC records, Smartronix president, Mohammed Javaid, vice president Alan Parris, and partner John Parris have together given $19,000 to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D) since 1999."

'...requiring the disclosure to the Gang of Eight "internal Executive branch legal advice and deliberations."'

Sounds like Congress has finally decided that an all-powerful Executive branch is a bad idea. Better late than never. It does sound like Congress is overreaching a bit, but in light of the catastrophic Republican abuses of the last administration it is time for the pendulum to swing back to Congress. I am a big Obama supporter, but the health of the nation dictates the Executive branch powers being trimmed down (Palin could be in there next!).

This certainly makes those claiming President Obama is some sort of a cult of personality look like idiots. Once again, he can't even get a Democratic Congress to give him as much deference as the abject obedience Bush was showered with by his Republican Congress (and Senate filibuster record setters the last couple years).

I heard something on the radio about the CIA admitting the have lied over the years. Not sure what the context was. It was just a teaser on the radio.

Do you think the first Congress of the United States (you know the drafters of the U.S. Constitution) would want the President to keep secrets from them?

I still think its wrong that President Obama demanded 100% government transparency from G.W. Bush and government and now that Congress wants to know what the executive branch is doing he wants a veto of the bill. I am sorry but you're still wrong. Why shoudnt congress be aware of all national security issues? Otherwise why do we even have a congress if they are clueless.

Can we get Pelosi out of the gang of 8? She doesn't seem to have paid attention since about 2002. Obama already weakened our CIA enough and maybe he is starting to realize it. "Plausible deniability" was thrown out thanks to Nancy Pelosi and it wouldn't surprise me if our CIA looked the other way on some issues because of what has happened. Pelosi accuses with no proof and answers to nobody. Get rid of her.

Homeland Security is a joke now since GWB combined every department and no one knows what the hay they are doing now. Posted by: Ron | Jul 9, 2009 9:52:17 AM
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So when they were all separate no one knew what they were doing and when they were combined no one knew what they were doing. That tell you anything about the govt?

So let's apply what we've learned here and create universal health care run by the govt! What could go wrong?

Posted by: Jaylah | Jul 8, 2009 11:56:59 PM

"But a lot of people wish to read these comments to see a relevant discussion of the actual article, and aren't particularly impressed when people high-jack the section to talk about any old thing that crosses their minds."

"it's not really why the option of leaving comments ABOUT THE ARTICLE IN QUESTION is here." _________________________________

We all come here for different reasons and unless the moderators are willing to control the thread... well, I have posted on this myself. A matter of self-governance I guess. And you are certainly free to express your opinion about it.

I agree with Obama on this. However, he had better look into our Homeland Security after several GAO workers were able to penetrate so-called "security" in a Federal Building no less. Our National Security is at risk right here in our own Capitol. Homeland Security is a joke now since GWB combined every department and no one knows what the hay they are doing now.

I did not vote for Obama but he's right on this one. Nancy Pelosi thinks it's a good idea for the two chairmen of the Intelligence Committee to have authority to declassify anything they want. How do people become chairmen of the Intelligence committee? First, they get elected by their state or the portion of the state they get elected (never by all US voters). Then, they get appointed by the leaders of their political party--normally because of their extreme party loyalty and seniority. So, you have the most partisian individuals, with the highest interest in keeping their jobs, guaranteeing jobs for politicians in their party, and discrediting the President (if the President is from the opposite political party) and Pelosi thinks it's smart to allow these people to reveal any government National Security or other secrets they happen to want to? BAD BAD BAD idea. Once again, Pelosi is only looking out to expand her own personal realm of power, regardless of the consequences. Obama is right to veto this.

I'm glad to see Obama is willing to use his veto pen more than Bush did. I think signing anything that landed on his desk hurt Bush in the long run.

And I think this is a matter where Obama is right. Yes, we are all for transparency, but then again, some things need to remain private in order for people to do their jobs properly. I have no problem with Obama resisting attempts to give the Gang of 8 even more information on internal matters. Security info is one thing, internal debates on policy is another.

See, sometimes I agree with the prez!

This administration has become so transparent, I can see right through them.

Obama-Reneg-Orama
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More of same ole same ole Bush or is it really the Council on Foreign Relations which has infiltrated Repub and now Dem parties with intent to subvert the country and Constitution? Obama's brain is Zbigniew Brzezinski who is a warmonger and started the CFR and Trilateral for his master Rockafella. They hate democracy and work to destroy the politics and economy all the while playing the American People as fools.
Are we fools or have we been played by secret cults that infiltrated the Government and planted treasonous people on both sides of the political ticket while disabling the Justice Department and Courts the reason we have no law enforcement for War Crimes, Torture, Financial Crimes, etc.?
To stop the cults is simple which would try for treason anyone involved in cults with oaths to destroy democracy such as CFR (Cheney, Obama & almost every other candidate from last election except Ron Paul and Mike Gravel), Skull and Bones (both Bush & Kerry), Trilateral Commission and Bilderbergers. Try and Fry is the way to prevent them from committing these crimes against hard working Americans, as fear from hanging is a good deterrent, as always nooses free
We are in the midst of a coup on the US that began with the Business Plot and since the failure there they have been plotting and planning their demented scheme, note all the players of that Coup are the same families and companies involved in destroying our country in the last years. Obama and his wife are CFR, Zbigniew well his father is credited with starting WWII and if you watch MSNBC his daughter Mika spews his garbrage out daily attempting to start war with Iran as the Iraq war did not go so well (unless you are Rockafella and oil prices surged or Haliburton of Dubia). Zbigniew now appears weekly on his Propaganda channel and Richard Haas pres of CFR visits once a week with Austan Dean Goolsbee (Skull & Bones) Obama Economic Advisor to brainwash the American Sheep. Turn these tv bobbleheads off, what does Mika have in journalistic integrity, nothing.
Wake up America your government has become a joke, demand justice and accountability, force the cults to the light, fear not these greed and warmongers taking our country into the abyss in their delusions of grandeur. Try them, demand true justice, not truth commissions but war crime trials or you have surrendered the Democracy to Nazism and your children will pay the price. Where's Eric Holder, where's justice to Wall Street Crimes, where's Justice to "too big to fail" (this would be called Antitrust and breaking up too big), these spoiled rotten New World Order freaks need to tried for the crimes called Treason and Hung at Dawn.
E

TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...ENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...RENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRATRANSPARENCY...NSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...TRANSPARENCY...

I love it. The Obambots are seeing just how much their vote is destroying America. Good job sheep.

I find it more than just a little FUNNY that Obama would threaten a bill that would allow information to be shared amongst the entirety of Congress.

Since HE clearly wasn't amongst the "Gang of 8" back when he was a newbie in Congress, he obviously knew LITTLE of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan when he was telling us all he was opposed to them. Opposed, without knowing anything of importance (e.g., classified intelligence).

Now he wants to make sure that others like HIM are just in the dark about HIS dealings abroad...

TYPICAL!!!

What happened to Obama's "transparency" promise??

Oh yeah, that was when he was on the campaign trail, lying to ALL of us.

Why does it NOT surprise me that Obama has threatened to use his veto authority to 1) any bill that authorizes the no-strings-attached expenditure of tax revenues (keep us dependent), and 2) any bill with the word "intelligence" in it (keep us stupid)?

Since when did Obama care about the Constitution anyways? NOW he does? He's basically scrapped it in all of the months he has been in office. You tell me how it is Constitutional to have 16+ CZARS who answer to only the President, and not a legislative branch, who all have the same thing as diplomatic immunity, that he has not essentially trashed the Constitution.

And what is this garbage posted about the President only dealing with certain gangs of 8 for the Honduras situation? A blind man can see that Obama is trying to destroy the Constitution, and implement his own government. Any one who wanted to take down a country, could not create a better scenario than Obama has. The man is a diabolical genius, with the community organizing scheme. And why would he want to support Honduras' government, that by their Constitution, and Supreme Court, rightfully rejected a tyrant? Hell no, he wouldn't want to be seen as supporting any kind of country's Constitution, individual liberty or freedom, as he sees that maybe WE would finally see that in the United States and rise up! How many times have you heard the man mention liberties and freedoms? Obama hates capitalism and the Founding Fathers belief in individual liberties. Bottom line...read what he has read, and what he has said. It's right out there if you want to.