Would you agree Congress has failed in it's duties?

Question

To be a check on Presidential excess.....

Clinton lied, there was an investigation into impeachment....

Bush Lied and thousands of Americans died, plus a million world citizens.. namely Iraqis and Afghanis.....

Now which was worse?

Answer 1

Yes,I would.
Clinton should never have been investigated in the first place.He was ruthlessly harassed and bothered about his personal life by politically motivated enemies.
Any men who's sex life would be put under a microscope like that would probably get into embarrassment at some point.I also still deny he lied.The definition of sexual relations in that lawsuit could be understood as not including the activities between him and Miss Lewinsky.He misled about something that only concerned him and Monica,his wife and his family.He didn't lie.

What Bush did is much worse for America and the world.Bush lied and continues to lie about issue's that are vital to American security and the well being of the American people

Answer 2

Yes, our Congress has failed us, but we have failed it also. The Congress is not supposed to be comprised of ‘leaders’. What we need in our Congress is ‘followers’. Representatives of the people. Business has enough going for it. We need people who will follow the lead of the people.

‘Henry 8’ I don’t know how often you’ve tried to contact your Reps, but I often do try, and it is not a pleasant experience. The staffers are all I ever get to speak with, and they want to know who I am and where I live, as if who I am has any bearing on the merit of what I might have to say. For example, suppose I wanted to contact all the members of the Judiciary Committee. I effectively cannot. I am not in their district. I can only legitimately communicate with those of my own district or state. Otherwise, according to the staffers, they cannot take my opinion. Are the opinions I voice ever carried to the Representative? As busy as they are likely to be obtaining and soliciting ‘contributions’, I hardly think they have time for me. Funny, though… If I were a large contributor, would it matter much who I was or where I was from to get the Representative’s attention?

Thank you College for your clarity and the reference.

Turtle, what a brilliant comment. Good show!

Re-roch-cop, you have been caught playing into the tantrums of petty reactionaries, demanding retribution for little crimes, ignoring the ones that get others killed. Where is your humanity? Or did life as a cop destroy your soul? How about some principled opposition to Clinton, like his bombing of civilian populations in Kosovo, and the bloodbath that all of his advisors predicted would occur afterwards, which Clinton, with all the power of the US, hindered 'allies' and did nothing to stop? But principles are a hard task-master, aren't they? They have to be applied equally. Bush is at least as guilty in Iraq, if not moreso. However, comparing one administration to another is a lot like choosing between the Gambinos and the Rosellis for 'protection'. As far as crimes agaisnt others go, Bush is just another in a long line of war criminals paraded as Presidents, the 'consigliari' to established corporate wealth and power. Bush's damage to the rights enshrined in our Constitution are somewhat greater than most, and that's where principle, and the criteria for the responsibilities of citizenship come into play.
Please see that we have but one party in this country. The Business and War party, the party of property and wealth, and it has two right-wing factions, Repub and Dem. It is up to We the People to fill our Congress with OUR representatives.

And Crabby, I salute your enlightenment. It takes works to see the forest for the trees. I commend you.
But, please don’t “wait to see what happens next”. Please be a civic-minded American and get involved somehow. I’m sure you can find a way. Contribute to an organization that supports your views or something. Please. Our Republic needs all of us.

Answer 3

In case you haven't noticed in the Constitution that the Congress represents us. If we don't communicate with THEM how are they to know how we want to be represented? They will listen to those who do communicate with them (lobbyists) and do what they think is best based on what people tell them we want. To take our government back from the corporations, lobbyists, and special interests we need to start inundating our Congressional representatives with emails, letters, phone calls and when they have a town meeting be there. Remind them they work for us and that we vote. Also remind them that we also can find money for campaign contributions. When a few of them start losing because they aren't listening to constituents they will all start falling into place. Each of us has 3 reps., 2 Senators and 1 House Member so it should be easy. I write one letter to one of them and then write the same letter to the other two. It is fast and easy. With computer technology we have copy and paste that really makes things simple.

Yes Bush's excess was far worse than Clinton's but in both cases it is because we, the people, allowed it to happen by not staying on top of things and preventing much of it before it happened. Sure we couldn't stop slick Willie from his fun with Monica but the aftermath we had control over. We could have stopped Bush by having a Congress that would stand up to him and say NO. Better yet, not elect him in the first place.

People, if we don't start taking control of our government now we will lose all control forever.

Answer 4

I'm waiting to see what happens now.

Up to now, I've supported the decision to go ahead and give Bush his funding--for the sake of the troops. No one is under any illusion ta the woud let them sufer for a funding cutoff just to keep his war going and make political points. In short, they were hostages to extract money from Congress.

As I said, for the tie being I supported tthe decision to put the troops welfare first--but only to a point. It is clear that the surge has failed--not that it ever had a chance o f success. And it is cclear Bush intends to continue this horror.

So--let's see what Congress does now. I had hoped that enough Republicans--who clearly don't support the war--would have the guts to stand up with the Democrats and force a timetable for withdrawal on Bush. That, sadly, no longer appears likely.

So--cut off the funds. That's about the only option left, except to just wait out the rest of Bush's term in office.

Answer 5

I wish someone would give Bush some head so we could have him impeached.

I seriously thought that Congress was lax and not aware, or even complicit, in allowing the executive branch unconstitutional freedom. Until I got up this morning and read an email from ALIPAC that the Senate (with Arlen Specter as a co-sponsor no less!) had passed a bill last night to stop those mexican trucks!!! WOOHOOO!!
I guess (or rather, hope) that all the emails I sent and phone calls I made to Specter demanding his resignation based on senility got to him.

Answer 6

Our Government is more corrupt, over powering, greedy than it has ever been. Congress has not only failed with keeping the President in check but they have failed the people in general. They are an elected governing body that is put in place to represent the people. The only thing they represent is their pocket books and their power hunger. I think its time the PEOPLE represent the PEOPLE!

And for those who do not know what they are talking about please read http://www.usconstitution.net


Section 8 - Powers of Congress
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States

Answer 7

I doubt a million people world wide have been killed. Iraq and Afghanistan's population before the war only equaled 50 million. If a million had died there would be a much greater impact on their populations.

Bush "Lied" is misleading. A lie is when you know the truth and say something you know is incorrect. He was told there were WMD and believed it, just like Clinton did for two of the bombing campaigns he had against Iraq.

Now you can say Bush and the intelligence community failed in their assessment of Iraq. Which lead us into a war that was not needed.

Answer 8

Going out on limb with this rant too I see.
At first you "ask" a question about Congress but it was merely a weak attempt to bash Bush.
Yes, the Congress has been weak because of partisanship of both parties. Clinton lied and people did die under his "leadership". You lefties still have no proof of Bush's "lies". His intel came from the same people that Clinton relied on. Now you say that Bush is responsible for a million people worldwide? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Where's your proof? Did you know that Iraqis and Afghans are mostly (if not completely) dead because of insurgents killing them or using them as human shields? Get a good argument if you're going to rant next time "Humanist".


***This just in - Clinton was not impeached because he was cheating on his wife... do some research before you sound stupid again.

Answer 9

It took no fraeking time to start impeachment proceedings against a man who was merely cheating on his wife. Not that that wasn't a bad thing. It just wasn't the business of the country. Killing our sons and daughters for no d--n good reason ought to have this clown impeached right now. RIGHT now. YESTERDAY. YEARS AGO!

Answer 10

It has only failed the people and its duty is to a small group of investors who own the politicians .
Those investors get what they want and that is the PORK that is attached to everything .

When a 1.5 million dollar request for funds to restore a historic landmark is attached a local contractor benefits who also just happened to donate to the elected officials campaign .

So you see , in all reality they are not failing the people who get them elected .
They only fail the people who voted for them .