Minor nit

[link|http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20060714.html|FindLaw] from July 2006:

[...]

Bush's defenders have portrayed his actions with signing statements as standard operating procedure for all recent presidents. In particular, they have cited Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton's signing statement practices as precedents. But Bush's use of the signing statement is not only non-standard, it is egregious, and plainly itself unconstitutional.

The Constitution, and the president's oath of office swearing to uphold it, require a president to veto legislation he finds unconstitutional, and send it back to Congress so its members can correct the flaw. The system is simple and wise - and Bush is subverting it.

In over six years in office, Bush has not vetoed a single bill. Therefore, he has avoided the political costs those vetoes would have rightly entailed. Instead, Bush has issues a steady stream of signing statements claiming that the very bills he is signing have constitutional problems.

Bush's extraordinary and unconstitutional use of signing statements is making the laws enacted by the representatives of the people irrelevant. It is also making a mockery of due process: How can anyone have prior notice of what the law says, if so many laws come with a warning that the President may disregard some of their provisions?

[...]

Cheers,
Scott.

Post #285,907 by Simon_Jester 5/30/07 10:19:29 PM Reply	Minor nit If we could get a line item veto rule passed, this would likely all go away. Line-item vetos are on budgetary items, not bills. Most signing statements I've seen refer to bills.
Post #285,908 by Another Scott 5/30/07 10:31:44 PM Reply	John Dean had an interesting commentary on them. [link\|http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20060714.html\|FindLaw] from July 2006: [...] Bush's defenders have portrayed his actions with signing statements as standard operating procedure for all recent presidents. In particular, they have cited Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton's signing statement practices as precedents. But Bush's use of the signing statement is not only non-standard, it is egregious, and plainly itself unconstitutional. The Constitution, and the president's oath of office swearing to uphold it, require a president to veto legislation he finds unconstitutional, and send it back to Congress so its members can correct the flaw. The system is simple and wise - and Bush is subverting it. In over six years in office, Bush has not vetoed a single bill. Therefore, he has avoided the political costs those vetoes would have rightly entailed. Instead, Bush has issues a steady stream of signing statements claiming that the very bills he is signing have constitutional problems. Bush's extraordinary and unconstitutional use of signing statements is making the laws enacted by the representatives of the people irrelevant. It is also making a mockery of due process: How can anyone have prior notice of what the law says, if so many laws come with a warning that the President may disregard some of their provisions? [...] Cheers, Scott.
Post #285,921 by bepatient 5/31/07 5:56:00 AM Reply	GWB has taken this... ...previous abuse of the office and stretched it to its "logical" conclusion for Washington...which is as far as it can be stretched without snapping in half. IMO, the SC needs to take one of these laws and invalidate it by saying, specifically, that the signing statement is unconstitutional. Too much of today's music is fashionable crap dressed as artistry._{Adrian Belew}
Post #285,929 by boxley 5/31/07 9:21:11 AM Reply	Rats and constitutional law dont exactly go together Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 51 years. meep reach me at [link\|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net\|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net]
Post #285,930 by Another Scott 5/31/07 9:28:27 AM Reply	Shooting the messenger (Dean) doesn't help the argument...

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