H
Hu_Fan
Guest
Pardon if this has been tossed around on this forum.. I can't recall and don't come here all that often. A "search" did not show anything.
I've run some Google searches to find discussions on rights of Congress to investigate. I've found little.
Congress is a co-equal branch but also a limited branch with it's own powers and limitations that do not, as I understand it, overlap with the other two branches.
So why wouldn't the Justice Department.... Federal and State... be the only branches of government with the right to question a citizen over some matter?
Frankly I find it disturbing that elected ordinary citizens are in position to sit on a panel and question fellow citizens about anything. Why doesn't that strike the public as out of line with an orderly society that has full separation of powers?
In my opinion, no citizen should be questioned about either legal or moral behavior by elected officials. The only questioning should come under the Judicial Branch of government, in complete compliance with all protections of due process.
I'm really at a loss why we tolerate Congress hauling people into the Capital to question them -- on anything. On whether or not you are a Communist. On whether or not you paid taxes. On whether or not you have the "right" lifestyle.
My point is this: If it's a question of obeying laws, it's a matter for the justice system. If it's a question of morality, it's no business of any government.
I'm thinking that in the past 100 or so years, this country has given back a lot of power to government that it's founders made a stand to deny rulers in the late 18th century. We've done that with the Legislative Branch, and we've done that with the Executive Branch.
I'd like to read where Congress actually has a Constitutional right to investigate or question anyone about anything other than matters pertaining to bills of legislation. Congress writes laws, the executive branch executes them into law, and the judicial branch rules on matters pertaining to those laws.
And that's it. But for now, Congress is behaving as investigative attorney, as jury and presumptively as judge. I'm perplexed that is not challenged.
I've run some Google searches to find discussions on rights of Congress to investigate. I've found little.
Congress is a co-equal branch but also a limited branch with it's own powers and limitations that do not, as I understand it, overlap with the other two branches.
So why wouldn't the Justice Department.... Federal and State... be the only branches of government with the right to question a citizen over some matter?
Frankly I find it disturbing that elected ordinary citizens are in position to sit on a panel and question fellow citizens about anything. Why doesn't that strike the public as out of line with an orderly society that has full separation of powers?
In my opinion, no citizen should be questioned about either legal or moral behavior by elected officials. The only questioning should come under the Judicial Branch of government, in complete compliance with all protections of due process.
I'm really at a loss why we tolerate Congress hauling people into the Capital to question them -- on anything. On whether or not you are a Communist. On whether or not you paid taxes. On whether or not you have the "right" lifestyle.
My point is this: If it's a question of obeying laws, it's a matter for the justice system. If it's a question of morality, it's no business of any government.
I'm thinking that in the past 100 or so years, this country has given back a lot of power to government that it's founders made a stand to deny rulers in the late 18th century. We've done that with the Legislative Branch, and we've done that with the Executive Branch.
I'd like to read where Congress actually has a Constitutional right to investigate or question anyone about anything other than matters pertaining to bills of legislation. Congress writes laws, the executive branch executes them into law, and the judicial branch rules on matters pertaining to those laws.
And that's it. But for now, Congress is behaving as investigative attorney, as jury and presumptively as judge. I'm perplexed that is not challenged.