Who Hijacked Our Country

Friday, June 30, 2006

Bush’s “Signing Statements”

“Signing Statement” — Hahahahahaha. Talk about a euphemism. If we were talking about any other country, we’d be saying “coup attempt” or “would-be dictator,” not “signing statement.”

Finally, after five years of this shit, Congress will be “looking into” Bush’s total disregard for the law signing statements. During Bush’s reign, about 750 laws — passed by a Republican Congress — have been neutered by these signing statements.

Richard Nixon said “I am not a crook.” Thirty-three years later a Bush spokesman said Bush “isn’t committing acts of civil disobedience.” The more things change…

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter will be conducting the hearings. Specter said Bush’s slippery tactics are “a challenge to the plain language of the Constitution….I’m interested to hear from the administration just what research they’ve done to lead them to the conclusion that they can cherry-pick.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein says these “signing statements” are “a means to undermine and weaken the law.” She said that if Bush wants to block all or part of a bill, he should veto it.

The supposed “protections” written into the Patriot Act, the torture ban that John McCain pushed for, wiretapping restrictions, whistleblower protections — these are just a few of the laws which have been diluted or neutered by one of Bush’s “signing statements.”

Specter isn’t sure what Congress can do against these “signing statements.“ He said “We may figure out a way to tie it to the confirmation process or budgetary matters."

Here and here are two websites which show a complete record of all 750 of Bush’s signing statements. These sites are worth bookmarking for future reference. Know Your Enemy. Learn from history so you’re not doomed to repeat it.

6 Comments:

Blogger EuroYank - Virginia Hoge said...

Great Blog! Easy to read. Well written. Great colors!

June 30, 2006 at 5:55 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Euroyank: Thanks.

June 30, 2006 at 6:51 PM  
Blogger PoliShifter said...

Bush is a Dictator. I don't know how long it will take the American People to realize that.

Bush is The Law

He is above the law, decides what is law, and alters the law to suit his needs.

This is a Dictatorship. I only hope the American People wake up in November and vote out the Republican Sycophants so we can get back to the Business of The People.

If Bush's power isn't reigned in soon, America as we once knew it will be over.

June 30, 2006 at 7:06 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

PoliShifter: Yup, you've got it. Bush is The Law; and the law means whatever he wants it to mean.

The voters need to be more awake and informed this November than they have been in the past few elections. Rove will come up with another red herring, whether it's "Gay Marriage!" or "Cut and Run!" or "Flag Burners!" or something unexpected. Voters need to be ready for it and able to see through it.

That was a good post you did; I just left a comment.

June 30, 2006 at 7:21 PM  
Blogger Snave said...

Great post, Tom. You spurred me to write a signing statement of my own, which I posted on my weblog and will also submit here:

This reader shall construe the President's signing statements as an attempt by the executive branch to create conditions which allow the President to exceed his constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive branch and to recommend for the consideration of the Congress any measures he judges necessary and expedient.

July 1, 2006 at 11:36 AM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Snave: Excellent signing statement. Very accurate. Thanks for mentioning me in your post. I'll think of a comment to add there later.

July 1, 2006 at 2:17 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home