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Joe Biden: We should impeach presidents who launch attacks without Congressional approval
Hotair ^ | 03/23/2011 | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 03/23/2011 7:21:46 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Say, maybe this is why Barack Obama has decided to shave a couple of hours off of his South America tour by skipping the Mayan ruins in South America. With Joe Biden insisting that he would personally take charge of impeaching a President that launched military action against another country without getting authorization from Congress, Obama may feel the need to race back to Washington to keep his own VP from ousting him from the Oval Office.

No worries, Mr. President; Biden said this while talking to Iowa Democrats in 2007, in the context of potential military action against Iran. You know, that country that wants to build nuclear weapons and holds conferences on creating a world without the US and Israel? When the target of the attack is a country that hasn’t presented a threat to the US for years, it’s apparently no big deal … especially if that President is a Democrat. Via Drudge:

Ladies and gentlemen, I drafted an outline of what I think the Constitutional limits [garbled] have on the President with the War Clause. I went to five leading scholars, Constitutional scholars, and they drafted a treatise for me that is being distributed to every Senator. And I want to make it clear, and I’ll make it clear to the President: that if he takes this nation to war in Iran, without Congressional approval, I will make it my business to impeach him.

I wonder if any copies of that treatise are floating around Capitol Hill at the moment? Of course, Biden apparently didn’t ask those Constitutional scholars about the impeachment process itself, because if he had, Biden would have floated those copies to the House. The House impeaches federal officials, not the Senate; the Senate can only convict impeached officials and remove them from office. As we all learned during Bill Clinton’s adventures in Constitutional accountability, an impeachment is an indictment, not a removal. Were all five Constitutional scholars Biden consulted named Barack Obama?

It’s not exactly a surprise that Biden doesn’t know his Constitution — he famously cited the wrong Article in his VP debate with Palin for executive authority — so take the whole impeachment threat with a Lot’s Wife-size grain of salt. We can be absolutely certain that Sheriff Joe will definitely not be on this case.

Some other Democrats might be, though, which is why Obama has suddenly decided to head for home:

In the end, President Barack Obama apparently decided that photos of himself touring historic remnants of a collapsed society might not be the best image for a commander in chief fending off charges even from Democrats that his Libya policy is in shambles. …

Clearly aware of the growing disenchantment with the move from fellow Democrats, however, Obama quickly noted it “doesn’t mean we can solve every problem in the world.”

Those words are not likely to do much back in Washington to calm liberals who are furious at Obama, particularly his decision to move forward with a military engagement without a full debate in Congress.

Four House Democrats fired off a letter to Obama on Tuesday filled with tough words and phrases like “quagmire” and “rush to war” that read more like a missive they would have sent to former President George W. Bush than a Democratic president whose agenda they’ve supported from top to bottom.

He might want to get back to DC before some of them dust off Biden’s treatise.

CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO OF BIDEN's 2007 SPEECH



TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: congress; constitution; democrats; impeach; impeachment; joebiden; libya; obama; obamaswar

1 posted on 03/23/2011 7:21:55 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

It’s always amusing to listen to candidates say what they will do when elected. Then they get into office themselves and find out what the job is really like.


2 posted on 03/23/2011 7:34:57 AM PDT by stuartcr (Everything happens as God wants it to...otherwise, things would be different)
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To: SeekAndFind

Joe is so stupid. I know he said it years ago but had we impeached every President that we have had for not getting congressional approval before bombing, we would have impeached every President since Nixon. So there you have it. Just fire every President. We would have about 60 Presidents by now instead of 44.


3 posted on 03/23/2011 7:38:36 AM PDT by napscoordinator
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To: SeekAndFind
More proof (as if it was needed) that the “anti-war” Democrats and protesters were really “anti-Bush”.
4 posted on 03/23/2011 8:06:07 AM PDT by PogySailor (The ruling class will not go down easily. And neither will their paid hacks.)
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To: SeekAndFind
Are any Republicans drafting Articles of Impeachment now? Or were they just kidding when they gave their oath to the Constitution? People are treating Obama's and Biden's former words denouncing military action like this as if it were a source of comedy rather than a grievous tragedy and a cause for firm, unflinching response. We chuckle as the Republic falls.

Likewise, what's the deal with the soldiers in the military? Being ordered to make unprovoked attacks on another nation without a congressional declaration of war is plainly an illegal and unconstitutional order. They ought to force the issue by refusing to accept such orders. Are we now slaves of the UN, with a military that consists of lawless thugs rather than principled defenders of our liberty? Whatever happened to constitutional government?

5 posted on 03/23/2011 8:59:51 AM PDT by Liberty1970 (Ephesians 2:8-10)
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To: SeekAndFind
BTTT


Flashback: Candidate Obama on Unilateral Use of Military Force, December 20, 2007

FLASHBACK: Senator Clinton Says Bush Must Ask Congress Before Using (any use of) Force Against Iran

(FLASHBACK) Pelosi: Bush needs approval to invade Iran (needs congressional OK)

Wars Should Be Declared by Congress, Not Merely Launched by Presidents

6 posted on 03/23/2011 9:11:27 AM PDT by EdReform (Oath Keepers - Guardians of the Republic - Honor your oath - Join us: www.oathkeepers.org)
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To: Liberty1970

Let’s be a little balanced in our desire to impeach by asking ourselves a few questions :

* Did Reagan consult congress before he invaded Grenada?

* Did Bush Sr. Consult Congress before he invaded Panama to capture Noriega?


7 posted on 03/23/2011 9:14:39 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Did Reagan ask for permission to Bomb Libya?

Nope.


8 posted on 03/23/2011 10:15:48 AM PDT by Crim
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To: Crim

RE: Did Reagan ask for permission to Bomb Libya?

Nope.


So, the conclusion then is what? Because no one called for Reagan or Bush Sr’s impeachment, we should not call for Obama’s impeachment for by-passing Congress either?

Or should this most recent incident be a clarion call for us to review what most Presidents in the past including this one did and really look at the constitutionality of their actions?


9 posted on 03/23/2011 10:27:57 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

My point is...I approved of Reagans actions....condemning Oh-dumba for the same thing makes me a hypocrite...

Impeach him for blowing it...hell..impeach him for the laundry list of already committed actions...

but impeachment for WWRD(what would Reagan do)?

Meh...I aint playing libtard flip flop games...

Kick their asses and GTFO.....


10 posted on 03/23/2011 10:33:45 AM PDT by Crim
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To: Crim

RE: My point is...I approved of Reagans actions

This looks like a policy that says — if it’s going to be popular with the people, JUST DO IT and forget the constitution.


11 posted on 03/23/2011 10:46:09 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

did they consult with congressional leadership before launching the surprise attacks?


12 posted on 03/23/2011 11:08:04 AM PDT by John Galt's cousin (Principled Conservatism NOW! * * * * * * * * * * Repeal the 17th Amendment!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Looks like the war powers act...

“The War Powers Resolution requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days, with a further 30 day withdrawal period, without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war.”

I can read ya know...


13 posted on 03/23/2011 11:59:50 AM PDT by Crim
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To: SeekAndFind

BTW...I’m all for booting the kenyan dictator...but I’m not going to flail around like a libtard and ignore what the war powers act actally says in black and white...

He notified within 48 hrs...and he’s got 60 days to get permission...or 30 days to get out...

An once aain...Reagon didnt ask for permission to Bomb Daffy...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_El_Dorado_Canyon

This is Obama’s war....and if he screws it up...impeach him for it..


14 posted on 03/23/2011 12:08:52 PM PDT by Crim
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To: Crim

Well, based on the War Powers Act, it looks like (if we believe what he said), Obama was well within the law.

He said he did notify Congressional Leaders. His explanation is that the UN resolution was passed on a Thursday, he notified Congress on a Friday. And the president has 60 days to get congressional approval (we’re in day six of this now so he has 54 left).

Now, if Congress does not give him that approval, he has 30 days to bring those troops home.


15 posted on 03/23/2011 12:11:35 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

“Ladies and gentlemen, I drafted an outline of what I think the Constitutional limits [garbled] have on the President with the War Clause. I went to five leading scholars, Constitutional scholars, and they drafted a treatise for me that is being distributed to every Senator. And I want to make it clear, and I’ll make it clear to the President: that if he takes this nation to war in Iran, without Congressional approval, I will make it my business to impeach him.”

Let’s see if Plugs will call for impeaching Obama.


16 posted on 03/23/2011 12:12:59 PM PDT by CodeToad (Islam needs to be banned in the US and treated as a criminal enterprise.)
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To: SeekAndFind
Let’s be a little balanced in our desire to impeach by asking ourselves a few questions :

I'm not approaching this from the standpoint of 'if a Republican did it, then it must be OK.' Even if Reagan is hailed as a saint, that does not make him infallible. We're never going to get back to constitutional government if we pretend that there have not been serious failures in both the liberal socialist parties dominating America.

17 posted on 03/23/2011 12:16:47 PM PDT by Liberty1970 (Ephesians 2:8-10)
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To: Liberty1970
The Executive is in charge of the armed forces for a reason. The reason is because America can not stand idly by while 535 bloviators each get their time to bloviate while action is necessary.

Nobody doubts that the CIC has the power to engage an enemy attacking Americans or their interests I would hope. While Libya does not fulfill that test the War Powers Act allows the executive to use forces at his judgement while the bloviators vote or don't vote on further authorization.

In the end Congress has the power to declare war but certainly the CIC has the power to engage in war without prior approval of Congress.

After that it becomes a political question and that's probably how it should be.

18 posted on 03/23/2011 12:27:12 PM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: SeekAndFind

Then we are in agreement...and the clock is ticking...


19 posted on 03/23/2011 12:53:11 PM PDT by Crim
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To: CodeToad

“Let’s see if Plugs will call for impeaching Obama.”

Right after Nancy drains the swamp....*snicker*


20 posted on 03/23/2011 1:06:30 PM PDT by Crim
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