http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum/browse_thread/thread/8024ac2e86ce44ea#
On Oct 3, 11:53 am, jgg1000a <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Again the Press's story line is Palin will goof up and all ignore > Biden's major gaps in ignorance on Foriegn Affairs and Constitutional > law... Note Section 1 deals with the legislative Branch > > http://minx.cc/?post=274758 > > >>> Biden is just plain wrong about this. First of all, Article I defines the > >>> legislative branch, including its composition and the scope of its powers > >>> and the powers and privileges of its members. Article I, sec. 3, clause 4 > >>> is the first time the Vice President is mentioned in the Constitution. It > >>> gives the Vice President an important role to play: > > The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the > Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided. > > The Constitution goes on to direct the Senate to chose a President pro > tempore to preside over the Senate in the VP's absence. Though it is > not explicitly stated, the VP is also the President of the Senate > during all trials of impeachments other than trials of the President. > In other words, when Biden says that the VP has "no authority relative > to the Congress" the truth is actually that the VP has a special > authority, reserved to no other unless the VP chooses to let another > wield it. > > Article II does not extend to the VP any executive powers. Sections 2 > and 3 specifically grant duties and powers to the President; the VP > goes unmentioned. In fact, Article II provides for compensation for > the President, but doesn't direct the VP to receive anything! > > So Joe Biden is talking out his ass when he says "Article I of the > Constitution defines the role of the Vice President of the United > States. That's the executive. He works in the executive branch." > Article I doesn't define the VP's executive roles. In fact, neither > does Article II, because the VP has no role to play within the > executive branch except to take over in case of death or > incapacitation of the President. > > Now, this wouldn't ordinarily be all that big of a deal, but Joe Biden > is supposed to be Mr. Big Constitutional Lawyer who is going to cure > all the excesses of Darth Cheney. But it doesn't seem like he's got > much of a grasp of the Constitution at all. Nowhere in the > Constitution does it give the Vice President the "primary role ... to > support the President of the United States of America." Under the > Constitution, the VP only has two things to do: break ties in the > Senate and wait for the President to die. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
