“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."
Thursday, July 02, 2009
The US should leave a reliable ally, Honduras, alone to settle their own affairs.
The effete Obama Administration should stop the disgraceful attempt to bully Honduras. This little clip tells it like it is.
Of course we have a congress that can't be bothered to read 300 to 1000 pages of legislation affecting the lives and fortunes of 300 million Americans and vote on them anyway. Why should we expect our rulers and masters to actually read the Honduran Constitution regarding changing the terms of the president.
# Chapter VI, Article 237: "The presidential term is four years... ." There is no provision for self succession.
# Article 42 forbids inciting, encouraging or supporting the re-election of a president, which Zelaya was unambiguously doing.
# The Honduran constitution makes no provision for impeachment as we understand the process. However, Article 239 provides that,
______________
No citizen who has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President.
This re-emphasizes that a president may not succeed himself in office - having "already served as head of the Executive Branch," Zelaya was constitutionally inelegible to remain in office after his term expired.
# Article 239 continues,
Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform [Sp.: reforma, or amendment], as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years.
Since the constitution strictly prescribes a single term for the president, and since Zelaya was openly campaigning for a second term, the country's supreme court properly ruled, on purely constitutional grounds, that Zelaya must "immediately cease" in his function as president.
# Chapter 10, Article 272:
The Armed Forces of Honduras are ... established to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic, keep the peace, public order and the rule of the Constitution, the principles of free suffrage and alternation in the presidency of the Republic.
Consitutionally, it is the military that is charged, in concert with civilian organs of government, to ensure that the one-term limit of the presidency is enforced. It is the military that is constitutionally charged with ensuring the intregrity of national elections.
Therefore, the removal of Zelaya from office by the army was not merely appropriate, it was constitutionally required that the army do so. Why does the army have such responsibilities? See my post, "The role of the Honduran military," in the country's history.
# Furthermore, when the army's chief of staff refused to send Zelaya's ballots to polling places, Zelaya personally led a mob to the warehouse, stole the ballots and had his minions start to distribute them. This act also violated the constitution because only the army has the constitutional authority to do so.
Yet somehow, the American MSM, the White House and State Department don't do the simple research to see what Honduran law and constitutionality have to say about recent events. Instead, they knee jerked from the beginning and kept on doing it. Their ineptitude is, sadly, no longer surprising. At least I hope it's mere ineptitude, which can be overcome. The alternative is explained by Roger Simon, and it ain't good. sense of events blog
...the excessive personalisation of politics, the search for political hegemony, and the fragmentation of the opposition reflected in Latin America's neo-Caesarism have served to concentrate power in the executive and hollow out countervailing institutions, including intermediary bodies between the state and society...
They don't bother with their own Constitution, placing, instead, those on the bench who will countenance political agendas rather than rule of law.
As a republic, we have failed the test of Franklin. We have sown the wind; we shall reap the whirlwind.
For a time, our legions will maintain the facade of legitimacy and continuity, but that too will crumble as the sense of meaninglessness saps esprit des corps.
I expect none of this in my lifetime; but the dice are cast.
Trish and 'Rat think they should go by Mister Rogers rules of order, as that is the only way to extract the co-operation of Hugo, always the stickler for the Rule of Law down to the tiniest detail.
Trish informed me the universe would come to an end if any other course was pursued. All my ideas turn out that way, tho, so I'll be used to it.
Always go with Match.com. A beautiful friend runs kissandtell.com, but that is another story for another day...just don't be a bad boy...except in the best sense ;-)...Check out Jacey, she needs the traffic.
"Die" is singular. But, then, I'm about five bottles down...who knows...
It is not Roberts Rules of Order, doug, but maintaining control of the storyline.
What did they think Manuel was going to do, in Costa Rica, catch some waves?
With his release they gave him the opportunity for inititive, and he has siezed it. If the Hondos had held Manuel for public trial, he'd have been found in violation of the Constitution and the International uproar would not be over a coup, but Hugo's economic imperial expansionist policies.
The Hondos played their cards poorly. As one would have presupposed they would, with them not understanding the new world order in DC.
Well, none of us here really knows who wrote the Constitution of Honduras or what influences went into the writing of the same.
It may have been written by some boys out of Harvard Law, for all we know. Or, it may be home grown.
Constitution of Honduras From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Honduras
view • talk • edit The current Political Constitution of the Republic of Honduras was approved on January 11, 1982 and has been amended in 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.[1]
It is Honduras' twelfth constitution since independence in 1838. Previous charters were adopted in 1839, 1848, 1865, 1873, 1880, 1894, 1906, 1924, 1936, 1957 and 1965.[2]
Since I don't really know who wrote it or what the influences was, I'd go along with the idea that a one term President is a good idea.
Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth said today she was canceling plans for an exclusive "salon" at her home where for as much as $250,000, the Post offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record access to "those powerful few" — Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and even the paper’s own reporters and editors.
The astonishing offer was detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he felt it was a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its “health care reporting and editorial staff."
With the Post newsroom in an uproar after POLITICO reported the solicitation, Weymouth said in an email to the staff that "a flier went out that was prepared by the Marketing department and was never vetted by me or by the newsroom.
She made it clear however, that The Post, which lost $19.5 million in the first quarter, sees bringing together Washington figures as a future revenue source. “We do believe that there is a viable way to expand our expertise into live conferences and events that simply enhances what we do - cover Washington for Washingtonians and those interested in Washington,” she said. “ And we will begin to do live events in ways that enhance our reputation and in no way call into question our integrity.”
"The decision to suspend U.S. military activities in Honduras was announced by Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman, who said, "We've postponed any activities in Honduras right now as we assess that situation."
Whitman would not be specific, but the suspension could have broad implications because the United States runs a large Central American security and counternarcotics operation from a jointly run air base in Honduras. Whitman said only operations affecting Honduras itself are on hold."
Ingraham caller said bases belong to Honduras, not sure what arrangement we have (had?) for stationing our troops there.
The so-called crowds of Hondurans marching in support of the return Zelaya are all the usual hard core leftists and union organizers.
ReplyDeleteOf course we have a congress that can't be bothered to read 300 to 1000 pages of legislation affecting the lives and fortunes of 300 million Americans and vote on them anyway. Why should we expect our rulers and masters to actually read the Honduran Constitution regarding changing the terms of the president.
ReplyDelete# Chapter VI, Article 237: "The presidential term is four years... ." There is no provision for self succession.
# Article 42 forbids inciting, encouraging or supporting the re-election of a president, which Zelaya was unambiguously doing.
# The Honduran constitution makes no provision for impeachment as we understand the process. However, Article 239 provides that,
______________
No citizen who has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President.
This re-emphasizes that a president may not succeed himself in office - having "already served as head of the Executive Branch," Zelaya was constitutionally inelegible to remain in office after his term expired.
# Article 239 continues,
Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform [Sp.: reforma, or amendment], as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years.
Since the constitution strictly prescribes a single term for the president, and since Zelaya was openly campaigning for a second term, the country's supreme court properly ruled, on purely constitutional grounds, that Zelaya must "immediately cease" in his function as president.
# Chapter 10, Article 272:
The Armed Forces of Honduras are ... established to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic, keep the peace, public order and the rule of the Constitution, the principles of free suffrage and alternation in the presidency of the Republic.
Consitutionally, it is the military that is charged, in concert with civilian organs of government, to ensure that the one-term limit of the presidency is enforced. It is the military that is constitutionally charged with ensuring the intregrity of national elections.
Therefore, the removal of Zelaya from office by the army was not merely appropriate, it was constitutionally required that the army do so. Why does the army have such responsibilities? See my post, "The role of the Honduran military," in the country's history.
# Furthermore, when the army's chief of staff refused to send Zelaya's ballots to polling places, Zelaya personally led a mob to the warehouse, stole the ballots and had his minions start to distribute them. This act also violated the constitution because only the army has the constitutional authority to do so.
Yet somehow, the American MSM, the White House and State Department don't do the simple research to see what Honduran law and constitutionality have to say about recent events. Instead, they knee jerked from the beginning and kept on doing it. Their ineptitude is, sadly, no longer surprising. At least I hope it's mere ineptitude, which can be overcome. The alternative is explained by Roger Simon, and it ain't good.
sense of events blog
Latin America's Caesar Temptation
ReplyDelete...the excessive personalisation of politics, the search for political hegemony, and the fragmentation of the opposition reflected in Latin America's neo-Caesarism have served to concentrate power in the executive and hollow out countervailing institutions, including intermediary bodies between the state and society...
Up here the Gringos have neo-Messianism.
--
If you liked the Dirty Dozen, you'll love the new Tarantino flick.
duece,
ReplyDeleteThey don't bother with their own Constitution, placing, instead, those on the bench who will countenance political agendas rather than rule of law.
As a republic, we have failed the test of Franklin. We have sown the wind; we shall reap the whirlwind.
For a time, our legions will maintain the facade of legitimacy and continuity, but that too will crumble as the sense of meaninglessness saps esprit des corps.
I expect none of this in my lifetime; but the dice are cast.
Isn't it "die," or did you think that was too dicey?
ReplyDeleteTrish and 'Rat think they should go by Mister Rogers rules of order, as that is the only way to extract the co-operation of Hugo, always the stickler for the Rule of Law down to the tiniest detail.
ReplyDeleteTrish informed me the universe would come to an end if any other course was pursued.
All my ideas turn out that way, tho, so I'll be used to it.
Huckabee thinks Sanford is getting his advice from e-harmony.com.
ReplyDeleteYou thot the staged Obamacare infomercial was bad:
ReplyDeleteTurns out that fly was drugged before the show to make BHO appear even more Awesome than usual.
doug,
ReplyDeleteRe: e-Harmony
Always go with Match.com. A beautiful friend runs kissandtell.com, but that is another story for another day...just don't be a bad boy...except in the best sense ;-)...Check out Jacey, she needs the traffic.
"Die" is singular. But, then, I'm about five bottles down...who knows...
It is not Roberts Rules of Order, doug, but maintaining control of the storyline.
ReplyDeleteWhat did they think Manuel was going to do, in Costa Rica, catch some waves?
With his release they gave him the opportunity for inititive, and he has siezed it. If the Hondos had held Manuel for public trial, he'd have been found in violation of the Constitution and the International uproar would not be over a coup, but Hugo's economic imperial expansionist policies.
The Hondos played their cards poorly. As one would have presupposed they would, with them not understanding the new world order in DC.
As Manuel said so well, in NYCity
ReplyDelete"The United States has changed"
It has come as a surprise and a shock, to ALL of them Hondos.
But it should not surprise you, of all people. What did you expect of Mr Obama. anyway. Is he not living up to your expectations?
Why feign shock or suprise?
I see your point.
ReplyDeleteNever seem to do that with the teacher's "explanations."
Doug: Turns out that fly was drugged before the show to make BHO appear even more Awesome than usual.
ReplyDeleteIt was a message to Kim Il Jung, and it was received. No Taepodong II fireworks on the 4th.
Well, none of us here really knows who wrote the Constitution of Honduras or what influences went into the writing of the same.
ReplyDeleteIt may have been written by some boys out of Harvard Law, for all we know. Or, it may be home grown.
Constitution of Honduras
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Honduras
view • talk • edit
The current Political Constitution of the Republic of Honduras was approved on January 11, 1982 and has been amended in 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.[1]
It is Honduras' twelfth constitution since independence in 1838. Previous charters were adopted in 1839, 1848, 1865, 1873, 1880, 1894, 1906, 1924, 1936, 1957 and 1965.[2]
Since I don't really know who wrote it or what the influences was, I'd go along with the idea that a one term President is a good idea.
"Never deformed, never reformed"
The Cistercians.
If it were our fate to have a proto prick like Rat as President, for instance, it would be a damned good thing to have term limits.
ReplyDeleteIt's "Honduras," Deuce.
ReplyDelete:)
Washington Post cancels lobbyist event amid uproar
ReplyDeleteFor a price, the paper offered lobbyists off-the-record access to
"those powerful few."
Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth said today she was canceling plans for an exclusive "salon" at her home where for as much as $250,000, the Post offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record access to
"those powerful few" — Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and even the paper’s own reporters and editors.
The astonishing offer was detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he felt it was a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its
“health care reporting and editorial staff."
With the Post newsroom in an uproar after POLITICO reported the solicitation, Weymouth said in an email to the staff that "a flier went out that was prepared by the Marketing department and was never vetted by me or by the newsroom.
She made it clear however, that The Post, which lost $19.5 million in the first quarter, sees bringing together Washington figures as a future revenue source.
“We do believe that there is a viable way to expand our expertise into live conferences and events that simply enhances what we do - cover Washington for Washingtonians and those interested in Washington,” she said.
“ And we will begin to do live events in ways that enhance our reputation and in no way call into question our integrity.”
"The decision to suspend U.S. military activities in Honduras was announced by Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman, who said, "We've postponed any activities in Honduras right now as we assess that situation."
ReplyDeleteWhitman would not be specific, but the suspension could have broad implications because the United States runs a large Central American security and counternarcotics operation from a jointly run air base in Honduras. Whitman said only operations affecting Honduras itself are on hold."
Ingraham caller said bases belong to Honduras, not sure what arrangement we have (had?) for stationing our troops there.