Promoted from the diaries by Erick

From the lips of Obama at the United Freak Show last week:

No one nation can or should try to dominate another nation. No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed.
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[snip]
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There are basic principles that are universal; there are certain truths which are self-evident — and the United States of America will never waver in our efforts to stand up for the right of people everywhere to determine their own destiny.

OK then, big boy. How about let’s start with Honduras? How about you butt the heck out of Honduras, seeing as how the smart people conclude you are wrong about the recent so-called ‘coup’?

This week we find that the Congressional Research Service (CRS) states that Honduras acted within their laws in deposing Chavez-buddy, would-be dictator Manuel Zelaya.

Specifically, they conclude:

Available sources indicate that the judicial and legislative branches applied constitutional and statutory law in the case against President Zelaya in a manner that was judged by the Honduran authorities from both branches of the government to be in accordance with the Honduran legal system.

[they go on to say that deporting him was not legal, but I expect everyone agrees that the alternative was putting Zelaya in jail and trying him for crimes against the state; in other words, the deportation hardly constitutes some kind of outrageous breach that must be remedied by international interference]

The CRS, by saying so, merely agrees with most Republicans in Congress, for example Jim DeMint; with Honduras-born District Judge, Asst Solicitor General, and filibustered Appeals Court nominee Miguel Estrada; with Fausta Wertz; with the gloriously, immeasurably awesome Pamela Geller, and with your humble servant.

So who is the Congressional Research Service?

I’m glad you asked.

The Congressional Research Service is an agency of 700 employees operating under the authority of the Library of Congress, whose mission is to provide research and informed analysis of pretty much any question any member of Congress requests an answer to. They do original research as well as pore over the public record and whatever private information that have access to.

Their reports go to the Congressmen or committees that request the information, and their availability to the public is subject to the discretion of the Congressmen who receive the information (i.e., CRS cannot release any data, but those who use it may if they choose). In addition to reports, they provide testimony before Congress or committees, and provide seminars and training.

This is the Congressional Geek Squad, an army of scientists, accountants, business analysts, economists, lawyers, policy wonks, and miscellaneous experts. They have a mostly solid reputation and go to some lengths to foster a name for nonpartisanship. But like all geeky people in the federal bureaucracy, they might wear a veneer of political objectivity but they tilt a bit to port (left), at least according to conservatives.

Which is all the more damning to the Obama administration. Let me quote the CRS again, just because it’s fun to read:

Available sources indicate that the judicial and legislative branches applied constitutional and statutory law in the case against President Zelaya in a manner that was judged by the Honduran authorities from both branches of the government to be in accordance with the Honduran legal system.

Obama has levied sanctions in order to force the rightful government from power; he’s revoked the visas of all the high Honduran officials to keep them from attending the recent UN summit; the UN and the OAS have spoken against Honduras; thugs like Chavez, Evo Morales, and Castro are naturally in favor of their pet mini-thug Zelaya; Reuters and AP routinely use phrases like “the de facto goverment” and “military coup” in order to marginalize the rightful government.

But the smart guys, the left-leaning smart guys — they call BS.