Separation of Powers

The only commercial activity the Left seems to have any regard for is prostitution.--me

According to the 2017 BP Statistical Review of World Energy, since 2005 annual U.S. carbon dioxide emissions have declined by 758 million metric tons. That is by far the largest decline of any country in the world over that timespan and is nearly as large as the 770 million metric ton decline for the entire European Union.

By comparison, the second-largest decline during that period was registered by the United Kingdom, which reported a 170 million metric ton decline. At the same time, China's carbon dioxide emissions grew by 3 billion metric tons, and India's grew by 1 billion metric tons.

Halcyon, n. and adj.

1.‘In classical mythology: a bird, usually identified as a kingfisher, which brooded around the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea, charming the wind and waves into calm. In later use also (chiefly poetic): a kingfisher, esp. the common kingfisher, Alcedo atthis.’

2. A period of calm, happiness, or prosperity; (as a mass noun) calm, tranquillity. Also: a period of calm or pleasant weather; spec. = halcyon days n. 1. Usually in plural.

On December 23, 1783, following the signing of the Treaty of Paris, General George Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army and retired to his home at Mount Vernon, Virginia.

                       Separation of Powers

For a while now, the Press and the Dems have been excoriating Rep. Nunes with personal attacks. I have not been paying very close attention to these Whack-A-Mole, revolving impeachment hearings because they are so obviously insincere but, when the Dems deny smoke, there is usually fire. This is from the hard-eyed Kim Strassel in the WSJ (from Clarkey):

On Feb. 7, 2018, Devin Nunes, then chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, sent a letter to Judge Collyer informing her of its findings in his probe of the FBI’s Page application. He wrote that “the Committee found that the FBI and DOJ failed to disclose the specific political actors paying for uncorroborated information” that went to the court, “misled the FISC regarding dissemination of this information,” and “failed to correct these errors in the subsequent renewals.” Mr. Nunes asked the court whether any transcripts of FISC hearings about this application existed, and if so, to provide them to the committee.

Judge Collyer responded a week later, with a dismissive letter that addressed only the last request. The judge observed that any such transcripts would be classified, that the court doesn’t maintain a “systematic record” of proceedings and that, given “separation of power considerations,” Mr. Nunes would be better off asking the Justice Department. The letter makes no reference to the Intelligence Committee findings.

Mr. Nunes tried again in a June 13, 2018, follow-up letter, which I have obtained. He told the court that Congress “uncovered evidence that DOJ and FBI provided incomplete and potentially incorrect information to the Court,” and that “significant relevant information was not disclosed to the Court.” This was Mr. Nunes telling FISC exactly what Inspector General Michael Horowitz told the world—18 months sooner. Mr. Nunes asked Judge Collyer to “initiate a thorough investigation.” To assist her, the same month he separately sent FISC “a classified summary of Congress’s findings and facts” to that point. The letter was signed by all 13 Republican members of the Intelligence Committee.

Judge Collyer blew him off. Her letter on June 15, 2018, is four lines long. She informs Mr. Nunes she’s received his letter. She says she’s also received his classified information. She says she’s instructing staff to provide his info to “the judges who ruled on the referenced matters.” She thanks him for his “interest” in the court.

Indeed, the Separation of Powers in the Constitution is an ingenious creation but it implies several things, integrity and honesty among them. If the entire system is too stupid or too dishonest to abide by the high ideals created in that astonishing document, the Constitution probably doesn't matter much. This is especially true if incompetence and mendacity is in the very marrow of the entity whose job it is to interpret and enforce the Constitution itself.

Trump's importance in history may not have anything to do with what he does in office but rather the mind-blowing revelations about government itself that his election has stimulated. We now seem to be subject to the same self-importance, arrogance, short-sightedness, and mendacity that would have made the 18th Century  Royal Court proud, a system of government and bureaucracy whose raison d'être is itself and whose loyalty goes no further. The original Constitution was a blueprint created by men with high aspirations for others. Unfortunately, today the ship of state has smaller men at the wheel.