Dick Cheney's Middle Finger Argument

Vice President Cheney's office is engulfed in the usual power struggle with the civilized world. Recently it was revealed the his office has been arguing that it does not have to submit to a Presidential order requiring routine inspections of classified material because "THE VICE PRESIDENT"S OFFICE IS NOT PART OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT". Clearly the founding fathers intended to separate our Government into three co-equal branches. The Vice President is in effect arguing that there is a fourth branch which no one happened to notice for the last few hundred years.

I would assert that this argument is so absurd as to invalidate itself. Arguing that the Vice President's office cannot be classified as a part of any Branch of Government because it has duties related to the both the Executive and legislative Branches is the equivalent of arguing that a duck is not a bird or a fish because it spends half of its time in the water swimming and the other half flying. Classifying his office as a part of both branches would be more logical. However, this argument is not about logic. When anyone uses an argument this devoid of reason it makes a very clear and blunt statement. I'll spare the relevant expletive but it is the equivalent of holding up a middle finger to anyone daring to question their actions. Congress should certainly seize upon this opportunity and demand documents and information from the Vice President which would force him to claim Executive Privilege in his refusal to hand them over and immediately invalidating his own legal claim. There is little doubt that he would try to have it both ways by arguing that since he is in fact attached to the Executive Branch he can still make that claim. The true Cheney plan is is to take this argument to court and fight it until after the 2008 election. Then after a few nights of working overtime with the White house Shredder, walk away smiling.