How can Dubya cancel Davis-Beacon Act by decree?

[Lasher]

I was just reading an article on the home page here titled, "The Enemy Within". It's very good, by the way. I am reminded that Dubya has repealed the Davis-Bacon Act, which mandates that federal contractors pay prevailing local rates or better. This is a law, previously enacted by both the Legislative and Executive branches of our federal government.

How can a law be suspended by decree of the Executive branch only? Shouldn't that require the consent of Congress? Is anyone citing anything that gives the * administration legal and constitutional authority to take such an action?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. I believe those powers are included in the Act itself.

For emergency situations.

[mcscajun]

2. Any President can issue Executive Orders, and they have the

full force of law.

They've been used by nearly every President since Washington.

Congress can act to negate them, but don't count on that happening with this Congress.

Bush didn't cancel the law...just suspended enforcement of it.

[teryang]

3. Executive orders only have the full force of the law when they...

...comply with constitutional and statutory authorizations. We are a government of limited powers, at least on paper.

[mcscajun]

4. And the ones that overstep the line are the ones that get challenged...

...at least when there's anyone in Congress inclined to challenge them. Open your yap now about Bush's use of executive orders, and the RW attack dog brigage will start barking about all of Clinton's Executive Orders. They're still fuming about some of his.

[teryang]

5. The Judicial Branch is the place to go

...if you have standing. Moving the courts is easier than moving Congress.

[AirAmFan]

6. Remember the inarticulate AFL-CIO VP who spoke right after Cindy

at the Ellipse? Her very presence shows just how serious this issue is for the remnants of organized labor. "AFL-CIA" execs of decades past must be spinning in their graves!

Construction company lobbyists have been trying to get the Davis-Bacon Act repealed for DECADES. As usual, Dubya is trying to use a national tragedy to push the extreme right's agenda. Without the Davis-Bacon Act, many construction trade unions would be easily broken in many locations, and they are the mainstay of what's left of the AFL-CIO.

Millions of "Reagan Democrats" who work in the construction trades FINALLY may realize just how foolish they have been for just how long.