just heard on the Frankin Show.. Bu$h is writing signing statements on other presidents bills..

[sam sarrha]

:wow:

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. Can he do that?

Is that allowed? :shrug:

on edit:
per the Constitution--The president either signs a bill into law or vetoes it...there is nothing about the allowance of signing statements.

Is the signing statement action a total Bush only thing, or have other presidents done this?

[Kagemusha]

4. Sure, others have done it as a type of protest

and a declaration they're going to do such and such because they view a law as beyond constitutional bounds, so unless a court makes them they're not going to follow what seems obviously wrong to do. Part of the tension of government. Certainly, if a Congress cared enough, a President could be impeached for such an act, right there, but usually it gets fought out in the courts.

What Bush's doing is just on another scale though...

[Old and In the Way]

6. Surprised he hasn't put a signing statement on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights

What kind of precedent is this? Future Presidents get to interpret laws and legislative intent? Depending on their crimes, seems like this is a self-serving vehicle which the Courts and Congress ought to be challenging.

[Kagemusha]

16. Presidents always get to interpret laws. But your last part's correct..

This IS a self-serving vehicle which the courts and Congress ought to be challenging. Absolutely. I strongly support such challenges.

I think the big problem is when the Executive moves from interpreting vague law to deciding a crystal clear law in plain English somehow shouldn't have the force of law the Constitution allows Congress to impose.

[MannyGoldstein]

5. Signing Statements are a CYA

All laws need to be interpreted by the Executive. Signing statements are just CYAs saying how they intend to interpret them - in this case, they interpret them as simply not affecting the President because of The Smirk's magical wartime powers.

As a legal nicety, it's better to interpret before-the-fact than after-the-fact.

[bigtree]

2. I want to see that report

amazing

[MannyGoldstein]

3. This Is Why He Must Be Impeached ASAP

This is nothing less than dictatorship. Since, The Smirk claims, he is not bound by the Courts nor Legislature, the only remedy is impeachment.

[Jim Warren]

8. That's what I've been saying

Changing the make-up(think Maybelline)don't mean squat to this shyster,
shit he's been governing by presidential fiat WITH a repug congress.

[Bitwit1234]

7. AND Al Franken just received two threatening letters

My brother emailed me a copy of the newspaper article that said that Al Franken at Air America just got two letters with white powder, nothing lethal, that they are checking. Maybe it is the same guy. I think this type of stuff should be caught right away.

And I think that the democrats should ask for someone to look into the fact that the FCC is trying to cover belly buttons and is allowing people like Ann Coulter, the Fox Group and Pat Robertson call for people to shoot and kill people. Isn't that a violation of the FCC code. Can't their license to broadcase be pulled.

[BuyingThyme]

9. Can you post the article?

[BuyingThyme]

11. Found this:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11142006/news/regionalnews/air_america_mail_scare_regionalnews_.htm

[fooj]

15. Agreed.

These maniacs need to have their wings clipped.

[Justyce]

10. Here's a link I found

about his signing statements for anyone interested: http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2006/11/13/letters/doc4557bb9a608fa102256876.txt

[Jim Warren]

13. WTF

From the article:

"All of the previous U.S. presidents combined have issued only approximately 600" while the chimporer has alone done 800!!!!!

[undeterred]

12. He's like an animal that has to mark everything with its urine.

He has skunked up everything he's had contact with.

[peacetalksforall]

14. We call him ignorant. Arrogant. Pompous. In the end he has

NO RESPECT OR APPRECIATION for anything other than himself and his friends. And he doesn't know enough to discriminate between being used and being utterly selfish.