Democratic Party News - The Illegal, Unconstitutional Bush-Obama Auto Bailout.
14. September 2009 by Democratic Party News - The News of the Democratic Party.
When the president takes an official action, let alone one fundamentally altering the relationship between government and a major industry, two questions must be asked: Is it constitutional? Does the president have legal authority to do it?
The answer to both questions is, “NO”.
As the Constitution puts it, “No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law.”
“Call me old-fashioned, but I believe in democracy,” former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich said Dec. 17 on the “Marketplace” public-radio show. “And under our Constitution, Congress is in charge of appropriating taxpayer money. If Congress explicitly decides not to appropriate it for a certain purpose, where does the White House get the right to do so anyway?”
Citing Reich and Heritage, CNSNews.com’s Fred Lucas asked White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs at Monday’s briefing why President Obama was going to “use more TARP funds, considering that it is legally questionable.”
Gibbs essentially said it is legal because the Obama administration—like the Bush administration before it—says it is legal.
“I think that determination has been made, both in the previous administration and in the current administration, that this is assistance that is—is legal,” said Gibbs. “Our goal is to ensure that taxpayers in any instance where money is used feel confident that it’s being done in a transparent and accountable way, and one that protects their interests.”
What about our interest in having presidents who obey the Constitution?