So Shrub still hasn't signed the War Crimes and Torture Legalization Act?

[Greeby]

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/10/10/olbermann-why-does-habeas-corpus-hate-america

According to Olbermann, although he has signed just about everything else under the sun.

Huh, am I missing something? Why would they push so hard for this then not sign it? :shrug:

[cynatnite]

1. Maybe the ghosts of founding fathers paid him a visit...

:shrug:

[spanone]

2. Mysterious. Olbermann left the question unanswered.

But who would have known otherwise?

[pooja]

3. Because he's pissed he had to ask congress... He is the decider.

He shouldn't have to ask permission. His signing this bill says that he has to ask permission.. He will sign it when he wants to or not at all and continue on with his mass murder.

[No Exit]

29. They're still teaching him to write his name.

[tk2kewl]

4. He probably has another special signing statement in store fo us

but doesn't want folks to know what it is before the election. Or it has something to do with Roves October Surprise maybe? :shrug:

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Rumor had it they wanted to do it very publicly

then foley cropped up...

You'd think they want to hide and sign that in the dark of night

[nam78_two]

8. Yeah that doesn't make sense to me either

Why the hell would they wanna publicize this :shrug:?
I mean they can use it in stump speeches with their "speshul" base but I don't see why they would wanna bring it to the attention of any non-zombie....

[Kagemusha]

6. They want to rub it in the Dems' faces closer to the election.

Simple as that.

[Perky]

7. Political calculus time I guess

THe whole thing in part was about creating a wedge issue. Now they are afraid that the backlash may be greater than any benefit they might drwa from it.


He dopes not have to sign it. If he fails to sign it within ten days (not including sundays) it becomes law.

[yankeeinlouisiana]

10. Is there a time limit to sign bills?

If so, do you know how long?

[Perky]

11. He has 10 days to sign it or it becomes law anyway. Read your Consitution

this is not a photo op moment. It is law at this point.

[yankeeinlouisiana]

12. Sorry, didn't have my copy handy.

n/t

[Perky]

13. Try wikipedia.eom

[Perky]

14. Try wikipedia.eom

[Geoff R. Casavant]

21. There's an exception to the 10-day rule:

"If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law."

Since Congress adjourned almost immediately after passage, it appears it's still just a bill.

[Marie26]

25. I don't think so.

The House & the Senate each passed different versions of the bill. When that happens, the bill has to go into conference so that a consistent version of the bill is created. Then, the bill is passed to the president to be signed into law. Since the Senate passed this on Friday, the last day of the session, I don't see how they could have created a final version already. Correct me if this is wrong, but I don't believe this bill is binding law (yet).

[Perky]

good point they may not get to a conference at all.

It is into election season.

[Perky]

30. good point they may not get to a conference at all.

It is into election season.

[notadmblnd]

18. I thought he had 10 days to either sign it or veto it...

after that, it dies?

[David Zephyr]

9. Not until after election so his "signing statement" won't embarrass McCain

It's the deal they struck. Take it to the bank.

[Generator]

15. Yeah since the only things not allowed are

Death, mutilation and rape-which one will he cross out?

[bigbrother05]

16. He can blame it on congress

if he doesn't sign, will go down in the history books as Congress of 2006, changed the constitution

[notadmblnd]

17. he only has 10 days doesn't he?

nt

[jumpoffdaplanet]

19. because it will go to the courts immediately upon signing

and will probably have a court order stopping it, and it will be news.

Can't allow that until after the election.

[pooja]

27. I was thinking along those lines too...

If another court decides he is wrong before elections, they will really be in for it.. and then Bushy will be in big trouble...Don't forget, he is already doing this. The bill is retroactive. If passed, it pardons his crimes all the way through this admin.

[Avalux]

20. The Foley scandal put a damper on his victory -

I heard he'd wait until closer to the election to have his dog and pony show signing. :eyes:

[bdamomma]

22. Bushie has too much on his plate right now, Foley, Iraq, NK,

signing other non significant Bills, surprising though he hasn't signed it yet, maybe he is waiting for that Oct. surprise. But either way we have losted our Bill of Rights. What's next???

[Imagevision]

23. No but Bush has signed into law the motions needed for defense in

war crimes issues that may come up after the election

[Marie26]

24. Not yet

Congress went in recess before a final version of the bill was passed to the president. He'll probably be signing it after Congress returns on Nov. 9th (I think?) So, we're safe till then.

ETA: Ok, I just googled it. A final version of the bill was presented for signature TODAY, October 10. Bush can sign it anytime now. :scared: Shit. This has got to be some kind of record. The Senate passed its own version on Sept 28, then passed it to the House for approval on Sept. 29, 2006. The House considered it under some "special rules" they'd just approved in H. Res. 1054 - these rules waive any objections, amendments, or points of order to the bill. Basically, it muzzled the House Dems completely so that the final version was approved almost instantaneously. The House of Representatives did this late on Friday, Sept. 29, before they slithered out of town for their recess. It's done. The bill is final, and is now in Bush's posession. He can sign it whenever he wants, and may have already done so. I'm going to keep an eyes on this page to know when he's signed the bill into law. This was all done very quickly & secretly, and he might sign it into law silently w/o anyone even knowing.

Here's the complete list of Congressional actions on the Military Commissions Bill -

ALL ACTIONS:
9/22/2006:
Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. pursuant to the order of September 21, 2006, as modified on September 22, 2006. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10033-10044)
9/25/2006:
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 634.
9/27/2006:
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S10243-10275)
9/28/2006:
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S10354-10432)
9/28/2006:
Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 65 - 34. Record Vote Number: 259. (text: CR S10420-10431)
9/28/2006 7:28pm:
Received in the House.
9/28/2006:
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
9/28/2006 9:08pm:
Held at the desk.
9/29/2006 11:58am:
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1054. (consideration: CR H7925-7951)
9/29/2006 1:09pm:
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H7951
)
9/29/2006 2:32pm:
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7959)

9/29/2006 2:47pm:
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 250 - 170 (Roll no. 508). (text: CR H7925-7936)

9/29/2006 2:47pm:
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

9/29/2006:
Cleared for White House.

10/10/2006:
Presented to President.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN03930:@@@X

[Crabby Appleton]

26. Actually was presented

to president today

[Marie26]

28. Why did they wait so long?

Why didn't they present this to Bush as soon as the bill passed? Isn't that the way it's usually done? It seems odd that they sped so quickly to get this passed & then just sat on it for two weeks.