Adm.: "Zone of Autonomy" Justifies Energy Task Force Secrecy

[DeepModem Mom]

"...projecting a vision of presidential power in both war and peace as far-reaching as any the court has seen and posing important questions of the constitutional separation of powers...."


New York Times:

Administration Says a `Zone of Autonomy' Justifies Its Secrecy on Energy Task Force
By LINDA GREENHOUSE

Published: April 25, 2004


WASHINGTON, April 24 — The Bush administration's effort before the Supreme Court to shield the names of private citizens who helped devise its energy policy might appear on the surface unrelated to its defense, in cases also before the court, of the detention of those the administration has classified as enemy combatants.

But the legal arguments are strikingly similar, projecting a vision of presidential power in both war and peace as far-reaching as any the court has seen and posing important questions of the constitutional separation of powers.

Just as the administration is arguing in the detainee cases for the exercise of presidential authority without judicial interference in policies related to the war on terrorism, it is making sweeping claims in the energy case for the existence of a constitutionally protected "zone of autonomy" for presidential advice received in the ordinary course of proposing legislation.

In this case, which the court will hear on Tuesday, the administration is appealing a judicial order permitting limited inquiry into who outside the government provided advice to Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force in early 2001. The organizations seeking the information maintain that the formal list of the task force's members — the vice president, six cabinet members and four other government officials — did not tell the whole story, and that energy industry officials were so closely involved with the deliberations as to have become de facto members....


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/25/politics/25SCOT.html

[aquart]

1. Checks and balances argues against an unchecked Executive.

"Zone of autonomy," my ass.

Let's bet the farm: Scalia will buy it.

[htuttle]

2. Okay, so I just went through the whole constitution again...

And I can't find ANYTHING in there about a Zone of Autonomy™.

I think they just make this shit up as they go along.

:shrug:

[Snazzy]

3. You're on to something

As far as I can figure, the government is employed by us. There's no damn secrets authorized by me--I mean, I gave 'em a thin inch for national security purposes, took a nap, walked the dog, came back, and then I find they built a statue to that thin inch, started worshiping it and doing some freaky voodoo ceremony. And no offense to DU Voodooists intended, 'cause I'm sure they're messing with your thing too.

Before I knew it, that thin inch was forgiving all sins. Hell, Ashcroft found a way to cover many a statute with that thin inch and still have enough left over to tie people up in limbo (<<< a voodoo term, perhaps?).

[Kinkistyle]

5. Zone of Autonomy growing...GROWING.

Boy oh boy, this Zone of Autonomy sure is handy, we could just extend its range everytime something bothersome occurs.

[Dr Fate]

4. Remind conservatives that the "Liberals" will be able to do it too...

...if they ever get back in power...

Not a good idea, one way or the other...

[Flubadubya]

7. Ah, but you miss the point...

They have no intention of ever allowing a "liberal" to darken the door of the White House again... and, by God, I'm convinced they believe they can prevent it from ever happening. It's just like Hitler who envisioned the 2,000 year reign of the Reich... so, the neocons envision a "liberal-free" government for generations to come.

They have spent the past thirty years working to achieve this goal. They have succeeded in wrapping up the W.H., the Senate, the House, nearly the Supreme Court, and absolutely the media. They now have black box voting on their side.

Believe, me they have truly convinced (hopefully deluded) themselves into believing that this government is theirs in perpetuity!

[Flubadubya]

6. It's more like a "Zone of Authority" that's behind this...

These silver-spooners ultimately have such an overblown sense of entitlement that they believe they have the inherent right and authority to determine what the other branches of government (and ultimately 'the people') may have access to, or knowledge of (which turns out to be precious little).

It is the old "Divine Right of Kings". The practice may have mostly passed into history, but the concept still lives very strongly in these thugs, and, this sort of self-importance has no place in a democracy.... but then, of course, Bush&Co really have no use for democracy whatsoever.

[leetrisck]

8. Remember Hillary Clinton asking for "Zone of Privacy"

for her family - she asked, didn't demand. She never got it either. The Republicans made fun of her - "who does she think she is" and it had nothing to do with government.

[Disturbed]

9. Plutocracy

If BushCorpse usurps another term Amerika will be a full
fleeced Plutocratic Police State.

Everyone who votes should use an Absentee Ballot.

[Moderator]

10. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=508468