Can Bush's self-crowning (ie. new executive order giving self more power) be challenged in court?

[brentspeak]

My legal knowledge of the matter is admittingly dirt-poor; just how much power can a President unilaterally grant himself? This new executive order is just plain sick. It's as arrogant as Napolean grabbing the crown out of the Pope's hands and placing it on his own head.

[illinoisprogressive]

1. Congress will challenge him. They are not playing with him.

[AndyTiedye]

15. Congress Will Have to Impeach Them. Nothing Else Will Stop This

IMPEACH THEM BOTH!

[Poiuyt]

2. I thought I heard that one of the House committees was going to look into it

Don't quote me, but I thought I heard that Conyers or Waxman or one of the big guns was going to investigate the signing statements.

[aquart]

4. Oh, when?

Not to be critical because, God knows, George has turned the United States into an Augean stables of corruption and death. It's hard to imagine where to start.

But I'd still like to know when.

[originalpckelly]

6. This is more than a signing statement...

Bush issued an executive order to give himself this power. This is not like a signing statement, because it's not an interpretation of a law which has been recently passed by the Congress. This hasn't even been to Congress. It's like he's issued a decree or something like a fucking king.

[Poiuyt]

13. Wow! I just saw the new story

I swear, if you walk away from your computer for 15 minutes, you're behind the news!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

16. An Executive Order? Oh Jeebus!!!

The basics are laid out in the Constitution. Three branches of guvmint.

The Executive does stuff.

The Congress controls the purse strings. Congress and ONLY Congress has the power to declare war. However this has been ignored since Vietnam.

The Judiciary interprets the cases brought before it, and writes opinion, known as "case law".


We need a Poly Sci major to explain this for us. I just have a JD. Not too much help when dealing with idiot politicians who think they can legislate anything.

Yes, Bush IS trying to be a dictator, incrementally.

[originalpckelly]

3. Honestly, the only thing Bush is doing is assembling a dictatorship...

and just like in Germany he's going about it in a subtle way to give it the air of legality.

If the President had done this on 9/10/2001, most of us would be out in the streets rioting, but it's been very subtle and every new revelation is another power he's claimed unto himself. This madness must stop.

[lvx35]

7. You mean 9/10?

but yeah, totally. The raw amount of it keeps anybody from being able to focus on one thing. But his power is still on paper. In action, the truth of his "power" will be revealed.

[originalpckelly]

11. WOWZA!

Fixed!

[Art_from_Ark]

5. He needs to be dragged in to testify in front of 20-30 committees

under oath.

And no hand-holding, either, with Dick Cheney or Saudi princes.

[Doctor_J]

8. Yes, but the courts are packed with ultra-right-wing GOP hacks

so that won't do any good.

[roody]

9. And some here are worried about Hugo Chavez?????????????

[originalpckelly]

12. I am equally worried about both...

though this boldness makes me worry even more about our own safety as a nation.

[nickyt]

10. I just wrote both my senators (AR) and told them, this must STOP. NOW.

I gotta tell ya - this completely freaks me out.

[Art_from_Ark]

14. Good luck with Pryor

He certainly isn't anything like his father.

Lincoln might be more willing to listen.