Bush to Congress: "Screw You"

George Bush has done it again. The minute that Congress left town for the summer, Bush went ahead and made contentious UN Ambassador nominee John Bolton a recess appointment -- in effect saying "Screw You" to the Senate that had stalled on confirming him.

Senator Edward Kennedy called the move (which is good until January, 2007, when a new Congress in convened) an "abuse of power," which seems to be a little redundant, since this entire administration has done nothing but abuse their power -- starting from before they entered the White House. It's typical of the way this administration operates. They want to have their way -- no matter what. And if the rule of law proves inconvenient, well, so much the worse for the rule of law. They want what they want and they will do whatever it takes to get it, whether it's ethical or legal or not.

But there is a real possibility that this tactic might just blow up in their face. I think that Democrats in Congress have had quite enough of Bush's contemptible methods of going behind their back in violation (of the spirit, if not the letter) of the constitution. Bush has nominated John Roberts for the Supreme Court, and many people, including myself, were convinced that Roberts would have an easy time getting confirmed by the Judiciary Committee and then by the full Senate.

Now I'm not so sure. Unfortunately for President Bush, Supreme Court justices can't be made by recess appointment. And I think it's entirely possible that Judge Roberts will have a much harder time than he might otherwise have had in getting confirmed by a Senate that takes a dim view of the way that this president has gone behind their backs in appointing Bolton to the UN.

Will Roberts be rejected by the Senate because of Bush's thumbing his nose at them by appointing Bolton? Possibly not. But he's not going to get a free ride, either. And I'm assuming that, whatever his odds were of confirmation, they just got a whole lot worse.

Payback's a bitch, Mr. President. My guess is that you're about to find that out.

Tom Moran