Quote:
Originally Posted by dc_dux
He believed much of the Watergate investigation was illegal (particularly Congressional subpoenas for the White House tapes). While in Congress, he defended Reagan actions, re: Iran/Contra by insisting on the floor of the House that the Boland Amendment was unconstitutional. While Sec of Defense under GHW Bush, he routinely bypassed Congress.
So when the opportunity arose in 2000, particularly with a supportive Republican Congress, he jumped on the opportunity to restore and expand the powers of the Executive Branch at the expense of the Constitutional system of checks and balances.
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I actually think this is a very large part of the reason he picked himself to be the VP on a Bush topped ticket. He knew he could influence W and reverse a lot of things he viewed as bad for the Presidency from the #2 spot. I frankly find it a bit odd for a guy with this much history in the Congress to be so pro Executive Branch but he is.
I have thought for a long time now that the people around W are more the problem than W is. I miss Powell as SecState and having Cheney and Rumsfeld involved in the administration was a mistake from the very beginning. I really think the last 7 years would have been very different if W had done a better job of picking his top advisory team.