... if one decides to act with decency and actually obey, say, the constitution and rule of law, that just allows the Republicans to wreak havoc whenever they are in power, to have the Democrats then play nice when they get in office ...."

This would be true absent any strengthening of Congress.

As Glenn noted, What fueled the abuses of the last eight years as much as anything else was the ongoing (and several accelerated) abdication of power by Congress to a bordering-on-omnipotent presidency... That means restricting the President's role to what the Constitution prescribes and having Congress fulfill its assigned duties and perform its core functions.

Without this, almost certainly, you're prediction of what the future would hold is sadly true.

karr(sic)--Doc, I need a refill on my vicodin (that back pain, um, it's still there. Really).

given what Glenn has said/not said about Obama as President-elect/still Senator, I saw we take the easy way out and just tar and feather Lieberman.

you should also keep in mind that the insult Lieberman perpetrated was to Obama above all others

Frankly, the insult was to the rest of us since he lied in an effort to get McCain elected, a lie whose price we would've all paid for.

Congratulations on your election to the position of Spokesperson for my Readership. God damn it! My vote was not counted again! We guys down here in Florida always get fucked over.

I'm the guy lost the position as resident idiot. I feel I should have first claim (particularly as I declined the war-monger-in-resident position).

as you now have a new job, why don't you hand that over that prescription pad?

I'm not sharing anything I get with NotOrbitBoy;

I'm looking into that recount issue while deferring to the skilled expertise of NotOrbitBoy and Fox & Friends;

You're a noble and saintly person. See you in prison!

at this Fox story in question, then clicked on the author's link. As I'm currently having lunch, I stopped reading after learning that the author, John Lott, said Glenn Beck [was] nice enough to have me on his show again to talk about my article at Fox News on the Minnesota Senate election.

God bless these noble Americans (flag waving in the background) with their consistent concern over American democracy.

And note! I didn't even mention Glenn's post and the original subject for today (nicely done, NotOrbitBoy and shooter242).

There is nothing unconstitutional about executive orders. Although they are not mentioned in the Constitution, they are implied by the constitutional mandate that the president "shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed." Executive orders are how the president accomplishes this.

I'm one the guilty parties. I was thinking, in the long-ago up-thread portion of the comments, of the abuse of EOs (and signing statements, too) that let a President circumvent the legislative branch's duties, rather than a legitimate use of the practice.

Every four years, as the last two years of campaigning have vividly illustrated, the presidency is effectively used as a proxy for the legislature and its legislative agenda. Note how all the many commitments to policy changes the presidential candidates made conveniently omitted mention of the role of Congress in enacting (never mind in originating) those policies and programs.

Excellent point. To my mind, as I mentioned earlier, I attribute this to a near Stockholm Syndrome among the public, Congress and media as a consequence of imperial presidency.

I wish you came around more. And are you related to sysprog (and that's entirely complimentary, in case you were wondering).

But what I despise is a paedophile. And why this hasn't been exposed is, in my opinion, a crying shame.

I've never heard this. What do you know about his and what is the evidence?

I think shooter242 is trying to say - what is the point of being a US citizen if it does not get you immunity from prosecution for war crimes?

A probably apt summation of what I suppose has been his argument all day. Nothing else makes much sense.

You've been making typos all day. Stop.

You move me in ways that are not explainable.

Thank you, and Happy Veterans Day (and to RMP, and all others with whom I'm not familiar). I honor you.

is what comes from working at Fox. Oh, the infection, it really burns.

this reasoning The government has immense leverage right now to force the Big Three to make progress on multiple fronts, and should not be afraid to use it was being employed right now (along with transparency, need I add) to the financial bailout. AIG, Paulson and Neel Kashkari, I'm looking your way (and don't think I haven't noticed the KASH in Kashkari which, translated from the original, means "foolish taxpayer! I laugh at your impotence!").

Nick Di Paolo work for Hot Air?

I think he must. He knows how to blow it.

I think this is pathetic, preposterous, puzzling, but not pusillaminous.

"He’s got momentum, and we need to keep him in the caucus, and this fits into Barack Obama’s message of change and moving forward. The message here is that we don’t want to start off a new era with retribution" says an ever reliable "anonymous" person.

First, what 'momentum'? But apart from that, what is meant by 'retribution'? Since when does one reward a self-declared enemy? Since when is saying, essentially, "obviously, you don't agree with our party positions" retribution? Has anyone said, "Hey, Lieberman should be tossed out of the Senate"? Nope.

If the powers-that-be are afraid of politically punching Lieberman for his betrayal due to the matter of a filibuster-proof Senate, well then, for pete's sake, say so! It's not rocket science to state the obvious.

It's no wonder we're in the mess we're in.