It still infuriates me, every time I think of Harriet Miers - who was proposed for a seat on

[hisownpetard]

nothing less than the Supreme Court of the United States - willfully ignoring a subpoeana
and refusing to even appear; not to mention Condi Rice who STILL, to my knowledge, has not responded
to the subpoena issued to her months ago. What disrespect, what condescending nerve!!

Unfortunately, this behavior was condoned and possibly ordered by the President and his back-up team, which makes it
even more despicable.

I think something should be written into law to counteract this 'trend.' There should be a built-in penalty attached to
ignoring a subpoena, especially one issued by a congressional committee. I know there's the possibility of issuing a citation
for contempt of court but - as recent non-events have shown - this apparently is a long drawn out process and is dependent
on getting a certain consensus.

That's why I think a penalty should be automatically imposed and written into law.
Anyone?

[libodem]

1. I don't know how they get away with it

Is it a legal president, can we all ignore subpoenas now?

[rudy23]

4. Because the ultimate enforcement of those subpoenas requires impeachment, or a court battle, neither

of which is "on the table" for Democrats.

[BuyingThyme]

5. Or they can just enforce them on their own.

(With the help of the Capitol Hill Police.)

[rudy23]

7. Apparently that's off the table, too. Jeffersonian Democracy is off the table.

Anything that makes the Republicans mad--off the table. The voters may rally around the Republicans if we give them reason to be mad.

[libodem]

2. dupe

posted twice

[BuyingThyme]

3. You said it. These attacks on the Constitution should be

on the minds of every American, but most have no idea they're occurring.

[Beelzebud]

6. The Democrats have made their own subpeona power useless by their inaction.

There are already penalties for this, but the Democrats, for whatever reason refuse to enforce them.

[hisownpetard]

9. But I think the penalties are discretionary, right? (I mean, the possibility of eventual

contempt of court). I'd like to know if it's possible to make the penalty COMPULSORY - so that
no one has to make a decision or get a consensus.

You fail to honor a subpoena within, say, 10 days of issuance? Summarily
arrested and tossed in jail!!! ESPECIALLY if it's a subpoena issued by a Congressional
Committee...

[NotGivingUp]

8. It's proof that we have no democracy...it's all a charade...to keep the masses in line. n/t