It's not just an idea: it's the law

I do know that some people seem to believe that our current president is the Antichrist. Whether this is the case or not, only time will tell. As for me, although I am in disagreement with my president's choices as regards the manner of prosecution of the war in Iraq, attempts to democratize that nation, and various other matters, I am reminded of Napoleon's maxim: Never ascribe to malice and conspiracy what can adequately be explained by incompetence. I see nothing in our current president's actions that is inconsistent with the latter.

Nonetheless, would some of you guys please get a grip, a life, or the point? When I hear that some Congresscritters are seeking to subpoena the President's staff for the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys, I have to laugh.

The reason for my laughter is 28 U.S.C. section 541, which I will proceed to quote in its entirety:

(a) The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a United States attorney for each judicial district.

(b) Each United States attorney shall be appointed for a term of four years. On the expiration of his term, a United States attorney shall continue to perform the duties of his office until his successor is appointed and qualifies.

(c) Each United States attorney is subject to removal by the President. (Emphasis added by weblogista)

Finish. Punto. End of story.

As I seem to recall, Congress is authorized to subpoena individuals if a federal crime of some sort has been committed. As far as I can see here, no crime occurred. It would appear that under the above U.S. code, the President had full and unqualified authority to remove whomever he chose. While one may disagree with his decision to do so (and personally, I think that the matter stinks to high heaven), as Congress voted on and passed the above law, Congress has in fact authorized the President to take exactly the action which he did. If Congress at this point should decide to change the law, it still would not make the President's actions a crime: you see, there is this little concept called ex post facto. . .

So, boys and girls, can we get on to some really important matters instead, such as why the U.S. Government is not bothering to finance research on what promises to be the best news that we've had regarding fusion technology in the last fifty years?

I've been away

I would like to apologize to my admiring audience (all two or three of you), but I have been away taking care of my work, assisting with St. Andrew's Choir, and studying for the St. Stephen's program. As regards the first, it is my policy in this and other weblogs not to discuss my work; as regards the second, my efforts have mainly been regarding the setting and occasional composition of music for the services at St. Andrew's Church; regarding the third, I have recently completed the essay answers to the three courses I have so far been taking: Introduction to Orthodoxy, Church History I, and Liturgical Theology I. I've gotten my results back on Church History I, and have received both a pass score and some nice notes on my test paper. Please pray for me that I may do at least as well on my two other classes.

I would like also to draw your attention to a "new" weblog that I have started, L'Abbe Faria's Cell, named after the priest in the novel The Count of Monte Cristo, who gave Edmund Dantes an elaborate education while they were both imprisoned at the Chateau D'If. The point of this weblog is to assist those who are wishing, in these apospasmatic days, to obtain a proper education. Right now, this weblog is in a "watch this space" mode. I hope to begin correcting that in the next few days.