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No vice president matched Cheney's power, his abuse of office, the secret government he ran, the damage he caused, and the weakening of democratic rule of law on his watch. Vice presidents also preside over the Senate, have the final say in case of tie votes, and are first in the presidential line of succession should the executive die, resign, or be removed.
As the nation's strongest ever vice president and most ruthless, Cheney directed US national security policies, sidestepped George Bush on major issues, put his top loyalists in key posts, including Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, stacked the bureaucracy with neocon extremists like himself, and held out for eight years despite repeated calls for his removal.
He justified seizing unconstitutional powers "because the world is dangerous (and) because I say we have that obligation." He was the power behind National and Homeland Security Presidential Directives like NSPD-51/HSPD-20 to establish "Continuity of Government (COG)" procedures under a "Catastrophic Emergency" defined as:
-- "any incident (such as a terrorist attack), regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the US population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions."
COG is "a coordinated effort within the Federal Government's executive branch to ensure that National Essential Functions continue to be performed during a Catastrophic Emergency."
These directives give presidents and powerful vice presidents unprecedented authority free from constitutional constraints. Martial law without congressional approval can be declared in case of a "national emergency," so both can rule with dictatorial powers under police state laws. Bush and Cheney took full advantage. So can future executives.
Congressional Collapse
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