Bush defies Congress, claims he can edit security reports

[wicket]

Bush says he can edit security reports

President Bush, again defying Congress, says he has the power to edit the Homeland Security Department's reports about whether it obeys privacy rules while handling background checks, ID cards and watchlists.

In the law Bush signed Wednesday, Congress stated no one but the privacy officer could alter, delay or prohibit the mandatory annual report on Homeland Security department activities that affect privacy, including complaints.

But Bush, in a signing statement attached to the agency's 2007 spending bill, said he will interpret that section "in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive branch."

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said it's appropriate for the administration to know what reports go to Congress and to review them beforehand.

"There can be a discussion on whether to accept a change or a nuance," she said. "It could be any number of things." The American Bar Association and members of Congress have said Bush uses signing statements excessively as a way to expand his power.

:grr: :grr: :grr:

[sinkingfeeling]

1. THERE IS NO UNITARY EXECUTIVE BRANCH defined in the US Constitution!!

STFU!!!

[Synnical]

5. .

:banghead:

[Fridays Child]

12. Ain't no rapture in the Bible, either. These people are psychopaths. n/t

[Marnieworld]

2. "Unitary Executive branch?"

WTF is that? They are so blatant now it is scary.

[MADem]

13. It's kinda like a Dictatorship, see....with a weak little legislature and

a toadying judicial branch.....Egypt comes to mind....or maybe Pakistan.

Heck, it's pretty sad when Turkey does better than we do--they only have to worry about the occasional military takeover if the country goes a bit too far off the rails to suit the generals.

[GreenTea]

3. This is called fascism. How many still don't want to believe this?

[Demit]

7. Well, it's actually totalitarianism. If he let Wal-Mart edit the reports,

then it would be fascism.

[valerief]

4. Time to pull out The Caine Mutiny with Humphrey Bogart. nt

[htuttle]

6. I think Foley stole his strawberries!

click, click...
click, click...
click, click...

[valerief]

11. That joke was cherry! LOL! nt

[Marr]

8. You don't steal an election to practice democracy.

These people have been honking on about dictatorial ideals for years, and dressing them up with phrases like "signing statement" and "Unitary Executive". What's Congress going to do now, after years of allowing overt Bush Administration crimes and even making those crimes legal retroactively?

[cornermouse]

9. He probably thinks he can walk on water too.

More seriously, why have a Congress, a Constitution, or a Supreme Court? Clearly they're all unnecessary in Bushworld.

[driver8]

10. Bush said, "I will look at the "roll of Constitution" in the presidential

bathroom to see what it says about this. I am sure that since I'm presidentin', that I can do whatever I want."

I fucking despise that "man".

When will Congress stand up to this idiot?

[MADem]

14. Toilet paper roll of Constitution?? NT

[driver8]

15. Exactly.

We all know what junior uses the Constitution for. He certainly doesn't read it!

[Justice Is Comin]

16. I'm going to be at that fuckers funeral to cheer when

he's put in the ground.

[driver8]

21. I just might join you!! n/t

[magellan]

17. 65 years ago Americans were fighting a fascist dictator

Today, many support one in the WH.

Terror is no excuse for a US dictatorship.

[ms liberty]

18. K&R

We've got a gazillion Foley threads on the Greatest Page. We could give this story another headline on there, couldn't we?

[NC_Nurse]

19. It just keeps on happening...

and nothing is done about it.
No wonder Congress' approval rating is in the toilet - even before this latest sex scandal.
They absolutely suck, totally impotent.
DAMMIT!!!

[wicket]

20. Time to clean house!!!!

:D

[wicket]

22. kick

:kick:

[wicket]

23. He did it again:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/10/06/bush_cites_authority_to_bypass_fema_law/