KOS: More King George

When George Bush signed the defense appropriation bill containing John McCain's amendment removing torture and other human rights violations from the official repertoire of the armed forces, he added his own little amendment: "Unless I say otherwise." The vehicle through which he reserved the option to break the law is called a bill-signing statement, and as Knight Ridder's Ron Hutcheson revealed on Friday, the McCain bill was far from the first victim of the practice: Bush has used it some 500 times since taking office <...>

Bush doesn't veto bills because in his view, he doesn't have to; he can simply ignore the ones he doesn't like.

The administration have made that argument explicit, but only in terms of the president's capacity as "commander in chief" during an endless war, as with the National Security Agency's warrantless wiretapping, the decisions to ignore various Geneva Conventions and the selective suspension of habeas corpus. According to the Hutcheson story, though, it isn't only legislation dealing with national security issues that the White House asserts the right to ignore.

In 2003, lawmakers tried to get a handle on Bush's use of signing statements by passing a Justice Department spending bill that required the department to inform Congress whenever the administration decided to ignore a legislative provision on constitutional grounds.

Bush signed the bill, but issued a statement asserting his right to ignore the notification requirement.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/9/14312/71727

From BTC news (where Kos got it from)http://www.btcnews.com/btcnews/1185

Signing statement for the signing statement legislation?

:wtf:

I've read Article II very carefully and I can't see where he has this power at all.

It's clearly stated in the revised document.

Greyed-out type, difficult to see let alone read, it says in part:

"All of the foregoing is null and void if Congress ignores its reponsibilities."

You mean that "goddamned piece of paper"

WE DON'T NEED NO STEEEENNKING CONSTITUTION!!!!!

He's using the war president angle, he'll use it again in the 08 election and remain in office.

if we don't act.

"It's in the small print on the reverse side. . .
Greyed-out type, difficult to see let alone read, it says in part:

"All of the foregoing is null and void if Congress ignores its reponsibilities"

Too true...Please sign Congressman Conyers' petition/letter to begin the Impeachment process...we need to lean on our House Representatives to sign on as co-sponsor so please email them as well as signing here:

http://www.johnconyers.com Conyer's Action Items

http://www.conyersblog.us/