"Unitary Executive" and "Signing Statements" are NOT in the Constitution

[StefanX]

So why the hell are we even talking about these things?

Since when does the President get to hire his own lawyers to just MAKE SHIT UP as they go along?

When I went to school, we learned about the system of "checks and balances". We learned that the legislative makes the laws, the executive enforces them, and the judiciary inteprets them.

We didn't talk about the "unitary executive theory" (which basically says that The President Is King) and we didn't talk about "signing statements" (which basically say that The President Doesn't Have To Veto A Law And Risk Being Overridden -- He Can Just Do A Signing Statement Saying He Won't Obey The Law.)

I'm serious -- where the hell did this stuff come from, and why is it being taken seriously? Just because it has a fancy Latin-sounding name, doesn't mean it has any legal standing whatsoever.

People get lulled by these official-sounding names. But what if we called these two concepts the "dictatorial executive" and the "I signed it with my fingers crossed so I don't have to obey it". Then it would sould like what is really is -- a load of illegal crap.

Bring back the Constitution, I say. And when someone breaks it -- ARREST THEM. (Or, impeach, as appropriate.)

"Unitary executive" my ass.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

1. It's a little more subtle than declaring yourself president for life

That'll have to wait until after the mid-term elections.

[xchrom]

2. it comes from the bureau of making shit up.

[gumby]

3. Since when does the President get to hire his own lawyers to just MAKE SHI

Since the coup of 2000.

[quiet.american]

4. Exactly, they're introducing their jargon into the American bloodstream--

-- Aren't they. And introducing it in such a way as to make it seem like a longstanding, legitmate argument. I might as well go forth with my Quiet Americanist theory of what the presidency should be. Has just as much legitmacy.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. The term "President" was chosen by the FF, not "ruler", for good reason nt

[mom cat]

6. It is like making up the category of "enemy combatants".

Orwell never dreamed of half the stuff they do.

[Rageneau]

7. The GOP wants to make our Uninary Executive king.

This whole 'unitary executive' concept is so blatantly anti-Constitutional that anyone who tries to defend it is de facto "anti-American."

Does that mean that Bush and much of the GOP is actually anti-American?

Yep, that's what it means all right.