Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws

[kurth]

Bush challenges hundreds of laws
President cites powers of his office
By Charlie Savage, Globe Staff | April 30, 2006

WASHINGTON -- President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution.

Among the laws Bush said he can ignore are military rules and regulations, affirmative-action provisions, requirements that Congress be told about immigration services problems, ''whistle-blower" protections for nuclear regulatory officials, and safeguards against political interference in federally funded research.

Legal scholars say the scope and aggression of Bush's assertions that he can bypass laws represent a concerted effort to expand his power at the expense of Congress, upsetting the balance between the branches of government. The Constitution is clear in assigning to Congress the power to write the laws and to the president a duty ''to take care that the laws be faithfully executed." Bush, however, has repeatedly declared that he does not need to ''execute" a law he believes is unconstitutional.

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. For the first five years of Bush's presidency, his legal claims attracted little attention in Congress or the media...

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

[Warpy]

1. This is why this dirtbag MUST be removed

He is a citizen and subject to the same laws that govern us all.

He needs to find that out or this country is lost forever.

[NNN0LHI]

2. This is how democracies (Repub code word for dictatorships) are created n/t

[WiseButAngrySara]

18. This is how democracies are DESTROYED! ....n/t

[yy4me]

3. This article is important and needs to be recommended,

Some of us are aware of how bad things are, this article will give doubters a little food for thought. Recommended reading for all. Bravo Boston Globe Staff writer, Charlie Savage.

[Orangepeel]

4. the activist president (n/t)

[ccpup]

5. In reality,

(at least in the minds of the Bush cabal) the laws have never applied to Bush or his family. Drunk driving? Nothing to worry about, sir. Animal cruelty? Just make sure he does it out of sight of the public, Congressman Bush. Going AWOL on the military? It's fine. And it was a pleasure to have him.

The laws have never been held over this boy's head and he's never had to deal with the consequences of his illegal actions. What makes anyone think that, as supposedly the most Powerful Man in the World, he'd pay any attention to any of the laws we lowly peasants have to follow. He's on the biggest I'm Important and Now Dad Will Notice Me Power Trip of his miserable life! The laws don't apply to him, never have and never will!

Or so he thinks. I can't wait to watch HRH Little Lord Pissypants cry as he leaves the WH in disgrace and jets over the pond to the Hague. :-)

[azurnoir]

6. So, this means that

that the 42 presidents preceding * including his own father didn't understand their job? Gosh guess it's about time we had leader that does. Aren't we the lucky ines?:sarcasm:

[MikeNearMcChord]

7. I think it was Michael Dukakis

who said through his grandmother that the "Fish rots from the head down"
Jeez GOP, in 1974 there were Republicans of character who knew when to cut bait and run, put your country before your president, hell even the German generals tried to do that to Hitler in 1944.

[lonestarnot]

8. Are you sure the number is only 750? Seems low like his less than a turd

poll numbers.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. 750 grounds for impeachment

We need only one that will stick.

[Why Syzygy]

10. He can steal elections

and start illegal wars and loot the treasury. That's not enough?

[treestar]

11. He has the power only to enforce the laws that are passed

whether he likes them or not (if passed and signed before he came into office).

It is scary how people think the president is the most powerful man in the world. He is not powerful. He is only the head of the executive branch and his powers are limited.

[Fiendish Thingy]

12. 750 Signing statements?!?! This should be huge...

This is the first, comprehensive MSM coverage on this issue, and only recently did the MSM even mention signing statements at all, and then only in conjunction with a specific bill, i.e. torture. Let's hope this gets picked up by other papers/net sites. This could/should become THE issue for the 2006 elections, as it encompasses all the others- the constitution, secrecy/transparency, oversight, war powers, even domestic policy, as listed in the article. If the Dems don't capitalize on this, we're sunk.

Think of the ad possibilities ("...in addition to taking money from Jack Abramoff, Congressman X allowed George Bush to ignore a law passed by Congress banning torture; Democrat Y will hold Bush accountable for following and enforcing all laws passed by Congress. We have a President, not a King")

"We have a President, not a King" hmmm, maybe that should be a tagline for all Dem ads in the fall?

The Globe article is great;the only thing I would change is the consistent use of the term "challenge"; it's not a challenge if Congress doesn't push back; By issuing a signing statement, Bush is at least IGNORING the law; if he acts on the signing statement, he is BREAKING THE LAW ...

Judas Priest anyone?

[AndreaCG]

13. Anyone got a password for boston.com?

The article cut off after page 2 and I have to register and don't rremember Salon's sign in

[Robbien]

14. I usually use the Daily Kos signon

[e-mail]
Dailykos

or you could try http://bugmenot.com/

[zippy890]

15. kick - excellent article

:dem:

[Maat]

16. This is what I've been saying for years!

Yahoo - someone has laid out what a lawbreaker the Chimperor and his cohorts are.

[WiseButAngrySara]

17. Bush needs to review the Bible. Something about hubris? Humility?

"Pride goes before destruction." Proverbs 16:18

"Hate evil, pride and arrogancy" Proverbs 8:13

"When pride comes, then comes shame" Proverbs 11:2

"Man's pride shall bring him low" Proverbs 29:23

K & R!

[low_phreaq]

19. He has refused his Assent to Laws

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
--The Declaration of Independence

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration.html

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.