–EO Executive Order 12958-Classified National Security Information which governs how the ISOO will enforce US Code Title 44 statutes.

http://www.archives.gov/isoo/p…..dment.html

and

–US Title 44, Chapter 22 Presidential records. Highlights:

–Proscribes the requirement to preserve documents of “historic” significant documents, discussions, deliberations regardless of classification (Sec 2203)

–The President may not destroy items without National Archivist approval (Sec 2203)

–”Vice-Presidential records shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter in the same manner as Presidential records.” (Sec 2207)

http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title44/chapter22_.html

So this scandal is not about the ISOO. It is about the OVP attempt to escape US CODE 44, specifically chapter 22 oversight. I think the executive may exempt itself from Executive Orders. They may not exempt themselves from the US Code Title 44.

The ISOO is set up to ensure that the executive branch and its agencies properly classify information, control classified information and properly preserve information for eventual transfer to the National Archivist at the conclusion of the Presidential and Vice Presidential terms.

When government organizations handle classified items they must document:

–the creation/receipt of the item

–more important the destruction of classified information.

Detailed records are kept of classfied item destruction because if you can’t prove you burned it–you go to jail.

According to Title 44, the Archivist has final say on which items the President and Vice President can destroy, regardless of classification. To destroy anything they have to give the National Archivist a heads up and then wait for his office’s explicit permission. So any item destruction should have a document from the Archivist authorizing it.

If the ISOO properly conducted a on site inspection, unlawful destruction would be easily discovered.

Which is why the OVP stop cooperating in 2003? I surmise that as it became clear that WMD were not to be found, the OVP started a “shredding frenzy”. Thereby destroying documents of “historical significance” in direct violation of US Code Title 44.

The Bush/Cheney administrations have spent 6 years make “their own reality” it comes as no surprise that they want to create “their own history”.

Sorry for the very long post, but I routinely handled highly classified material during my career Title 44/ security/retention requirements.

This is not an elitist position, and frankly I am tired of the republicans’ talking points stating that very thing. The United States as we know it have only been around for a little over 200 years. It is not guaranteed that this country, as it exists today, will perpetuate for ages to come.

Scowcroft, Weinberger and other H.W. Bushies have stated in the press numerous times that the Dick they know is gone. He literally has gone to the dark side.

Impeachment must start with Cheney.

Dear Dick:

Do you and Addington really think this bullshit is gonna fly?

Look up “interposition” sometime.

Sincerely,

There is no federal judiciary. That is precisely why Bush is keeping Gonzo. As long as Gonzo is AG, there is no DOJ in America. The DOJ is a campaign agency to remove Democratic voters from the rolls and nothing else.

The Federal Judiciary

The question of whether the nation is sliding down the slippery slope is a prediction. Most of what we believe are predictions. Since none of us has a perfect crystal ball, one guess is good as another. Some think the surge will work, others like myself don’t. We wait until September to find out who is correct. The same is true of any sense of urgency concerning our nation. Some say “this too shall pass.” Others worry about martial law. One or the other will be right. The question is can we do anything to influence the outcome?

We need some means to know each other’s mind. There’s no question just about any Democrat is preferrable to just about any republican, so when someone says “get involved” as a solution to our problems, they must mean work for the Democrats although the Democrats had a big win in 2006 with somewhat less than satisfactory results.

Which, though a bit off topic, but illustrates what I am driving at, brings me to Michael Bloomberg. I think he’s the best of the lot in either party. I don’t think he means to be a spoiler. I expect if he runs, and I think he will, he will be for immediate withdrawal from Iraq. The real question is can he persuade the bible belt and others that a Jew as president might not be that bad, and can he persuade enough voters to get elected? I would not want to vote for him and find us with another four years of republican rule. That is why we need a way to exchange ideas forthrightly and honestly before November 2008. Comment strings, for the most part, are not it.

Sorry ’bout that.

Now Bush says HE TOO is exempt from his own executive order:

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/….._0622.html