George Bush Sr. on Government Reform

President of the U.S., 1989-1993; Former Republican Rep. (TX)

Claimed records of White House Office of Personnel Security

The Office of Personnel Security, despite its imposing title, did not perform "security checks"--that was done by the FBI. Nor was it responsible for security--that was the job of the Secret Service. I never quite figured out what else it did, but it was responsible for keeping track of present White House employees, making sure their clearances were up to date, and giving security briefings to new White House personnel. When President Bush left the White House in January 1993, his people took all the files of the Office of Personnel Security--which they were allowed to do under the Presidential Records Act--for the Bush Library. The incoming Administration thus had none of its own records (as distinct from the Secret Service's records) of the permanent employees in the White House. Source: Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton, p.371 , Nov 1, 2003

Appointed Justices with intent of changing Court's direction

Changing the Court through appointments is a failed tactic. Republican presidents have appointed Justice after Justice with the avowed intention of changing the Court's direction. That has not worked. Most of those appointed turn out not to be restrained or start that way but then, having no firm judicial philosophy, migrate to the left. Presidents Reagan and Bush, who quite deliberately tried to bring the Court back to a judicial rather than a political role, had five appointments, three of whom voted to retrain Roe v. Wade. Now that Bill Clinton has made two appointments, the Court is certain to be activist on the cultural left well into the next century.

Any more serious efforts to limit the power of the courts will run in to the familiar refrain that this would threaten our liberties. To the contrary, it is now clear that it is the courts that threaten our liberty--the liberty to govern ourselves--more profoundly than does any legislation.

Source: Slouching Towards Gomorrah, by Robert Bork. p.114-115 , May 31, 1996

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