David Thomas: “Mr. President, I cannot fathom that this issue has gotten to this point. First, it is very evident to me that the…”

“Mr. President, I cannot fathom that this issue has gotten to this point. First, it is very evident to me that the Constitution precludes the President from returning the bells without Congressional assent. Article IV, section 3, clause 2 provides: ``The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting . . . Property belonging to the United States.'' The bells are certainly property of the United States as contemplated by this clause, and thus clearly can only constitutionally be disposed of by Congress--not by the President. Second, I was amazed to find, even in these days of political correctness and revisionist history, that a U.S. President--our Commander-in-Chief--would appear to be ready to ignore the wishes of our veterans and tear down a memorial to U.S. soldiers who died in the line of duty in order to send part of it back to the country in which they were killed. Amazed, that is, until I recalled this President's fondness for sweeping apologies and what some might view as flashy P.R. gestures, as most recently evidenced by his Africa trip.”