State of the Union Came With a Signing Statement

[Make7]

Source: OpEdNews.com

This statement http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/01/20080128-10.html announces in the by now familiar coded language of the "unitary executive" Bush's intention to violate four key sections of a bill he is simultaneously making "law."

CQ Today sums up these sections as follows:

"One such provision sets up a commission to probe contracting fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another expands protections for whistleblowers who work for government contractors. A third requires that U.S. intelligence agencies promptly respond to congressional requests for documents. And a fourth bars funding for permanent bases in Iraq and for any action that exercises U.S. control over Iraq’s oil money."

Read more: http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_david_sw_080129_state_of_the_union_c.htm

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Are there only two branches of government now?

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Was there a state of the union?

What ever happened to bush anyway?

[msongs]

2. dems in congress are enablers for bush, he knows paper tigers when he sees them nt

[ursi]

4. this is disgusting as usual

[aquart]

3. Nah. Just one.

[screembloodymurder]

5. Bush is a spoiled brat.

The only way to deal with a spoiled brat is to sit on his chest and never let him up.

[Make7]

7. I guess if Congress didn't send him ANY legislation...

... then he wouldn't be able to issue any signing statements.

- Make7

[Make7]

6. The Boston Globe: Bush challenges hundreds of laws

 

Far more than any predecessor, Bush has been aggressive about declaring his right to ignore vast swaths of laws -- many of which he says infringe on power he believes the Constitution assigns to him alone as the head of the executive branch or the commander in chief of the military.

Many legal scholars say they believe that Bush's theory about his own powers goes too far and that he is seizing for himself some of the law-making role of Congress and the Constitution-interpreting role of the courts.

Phillip Cooper, a Portland State University law professor who has studied the executive power claims Bush made during his first term, said Bush and his legal team have spent the past five years quietly working to concentrate ever more governmental power into the White House.

"There is no question that this administration has been involved in a very carefully thought-out, systematic process of expanding presidential power at the expense of the other branches of government," Cooper said. "This is really big, very expansive, and very significant."

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/04/30/bush_challenges_hundreds_of_laws/

Also see: Examples of the president's signing statements - The Boston Globe

- Make7

[Roland99]

8. To the Greatest (for the Worst)

[Make7]

9. Website with a full index (including text) of all of W's signing statements:

http://www.coherentbabble.com/signingstatements/TOCindex.htm

- Make7

[Purveyor]

10. OpEdNews.com as a "Breaking News" source? Ok, I'm game and will play... eom

[ananda]

11. No.

There is only one branch of government now,
the corporofascist dictatorship.

The other so-called branches are illusions,
as is the vote.

[harmonicon]

12. There are two?!?! Hot Dog!!

I thought we were down to just one.... if there are two branches of government now, that's just super news.