No veto needed with Bush signing statements
This Charlie Savage article in The Boston Globe ought to be pretty common knowledge by now, but I'm not sure the mainstream is paying attention:
President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution.
For example:
The president can tell researchers to withhold any information from Congress if he decides its disclosure could impair foreign relations, national security, or the workings of the executive branch.
Well, that just about covers everything, doesn't it?
posted by Schroeder @ 4:09 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
It really is extraordinary. Bush has gone even farther than Nixon, who declared that "if the president does it, it's legal." Terri Gross' Fresh Air interview on the subject last Friday is well worth a listen. We knew about the signing statements when ScAlito was up for his current position, but the latest article serves up the nitty gritty to a frightening extent.
The other way Bush officials are undermining the law is by underfunding programs, and undermanning enforcement. Sneaky bastards.
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