Out Of Control

If there were ever a case for someone who has gone out of control on a power trip, it would have to be Bill Clinton and his injudicious use of Executive Orders. He has used this process to do an end run around Congress. He has increased the amount of his raw power; he has confiscated thousands of acres of land from the American people and in at least one instance, it was done as political payback for some foreign campaign donors.

I refer of course to the decision to declare off-limits for development, the Escalante Staircase National Monument in Utah and Arizona. This area is known for its low-sulfur coal that could make for cleaner burning energy plants, yet Clinton closed it off as a means of returning a favor to the Riady brothers in Indonesia for making a large campaign contribution to Bill Clinton. Other than Utah, Indonesia is the only other place in the world that has this low-sulfur coal, and we as a nation, are now dependent on this country because our President has failed to exercise his leadership in the national best interest.

Not only has Clinton used and abused the Executive Order process, but also hasn’t cared less who knows about it. Even his then White House Communications Director Paul Begala got in on the act. Begala’s now-famous quote was: "Stroke of the Pen. Law of the land. Kinda cool." Stirred up quite a controversy when it appeared in print around the country.

Such an action only demonstrates the degree of contempt that Clinton and his pals have for the American people who put him in office in the first place. And you know that because of the degree of contempt with which Clinton holds the American people, that he will be issuing Executive Orders up until 12 noon on January 20, 2001 - the moment he leaves office. Heck, he may even pardon himself - you never know.

Also to consider is the fact that as soon as Clinton got into office, either he or Hillary had an ex-bouncer by the name of Craig Livingstone named chief of personnel security at the White House. Livingstone was instrumental in illegally obtaining the FBI files of over 900 people that the administration perceived as either possible or probable enemies - this was done I assume, to gain leverage on these people and to get them to follow the Clinton party line. This very act alone makes the Nixon enemies list look like the proverbial Sunday school picnic. This was done in order that they may have insurance markers in the event the need for one should arise, and arise it did.

When the House voted to impeach Clinton in December of 1998, the word was out on the Hill nice and early. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) told House Manager Henry Hyde (R-IL) that he didn’t care if they had video of Clinton raping the woman and standing over her dead body, that there was no way that Henry would get the 67 votes needed to convict. The impeachment trial was not a fair trial as senators were compromised, the fix was in, the outcome predetermined and the process corrupted.

Lest you think that Clinton is the only one who is affected by the trappings of power, there are others who have been as well - on both sides of the aisle. Clinton or his staffers have been quite effective in bringing them to heel by having ‘dirt’ on them, much of which has become public.

Look no further than Dan Burton (R-IN) who admitted to fathering a child outside of his marriage. There was Helen Chenoweth (R-ID), who admitted to an affair with a married man in the 1980’s. There was also Bob Livingston (R-LA), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and heir apparent to the House Speakership when Newt Gingrich fell on his sword after the 1998 elections, who admitted to ‘straying’ during his marriage and left Congress shortly thereafter. Finally, the last one who comes to mind is former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) himself, who it turns out, was banging a 33-year old Hill staffer at about the same time his wife Marianne was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She has since justifiably filed for divorce.

With all these people having been compromised, perhaps the incoming administration should be taking a closer look at those placed in positions of trust and authority. I am sure that if they looked hard enough they could find people of integrity with no skeletons in their closets. I know they are out there, and many of them would welcome the opportunity to serve.

In addition, I believe that in the highly likely (but not yet certain) event that Governor Bush is elected President in November, that he would do well to take a close look at ALL Executive Orders that were issued by the Clinton administration and see which ones need to be rescinded.

In fact, I think George Bush should take it even one step further. What better way to indicate to the American people the inherent and epidemic corruption of the Clinton White House, than to rescind ALL Executive Orders issued by the Clintons and then reissue the ones that are appropriate in keeping with the powers prescribed the President in the Constitution, and toss out the rest. The one that comes to mind the most is the one titled "Federalism", which is currently under suspension due to protests from Governors and others who value States’ Rights pursuant to the Tenth Amendment.

Clinton sought to strip the powers of the States in order to build up his personal kingdom of sorts. I can truly say that I am thrilled to know that Clinton’s days in office are near their end, and can only hope that things will improve, however great or small, on the next watch.

You can e-mail your comments to Timothy at trollins@idirect.com.

Copyright © 2000 by Timothy Rollins.
All Rights Reserved.

-Published with permission