John Dean on Bush's signing statements

[ProSense]

The Problem with Presidential Signing Statements: Their Use and Misuse by the Bush Administration
By JOHN W. DEAN
----
Friday, Jan. 13, 2006

Presidential signing statements are old news to anyone who has served in the White House counsel's office. Presidents have long used them to add their two cents when a law passed by Congress has provisions they do not like, yet they are not inclined to veto it. Nixon's statements, for example, often related to spending authorization laws which he felt were excessive and contrary to his fiscal policies.

Snip (conclusion)....

Bush, who has been pushing the envelope on presidential powers, is just beginning to learn what kind of Congressional blowback can result.

First, there are the leaks: People within the Executive branch become troubled by a president's overreaching. When Nixon adopted extreme measures, people within the administration began leaking. The same is now happening to Bush, for there was the leak about the use of torture. And, more recently, there was the leak as to the use of warrantless electronic surveillance on Americans.

Once the leaks start, they continue, and Congressional ire is not far behind. The overwhelming Congressional support for Senator John McCain's torture ban suggests, too, that Congress will not be happy if leaks begin to suggest the President - as his signing statement foreshadows - is already flouting the ban.

In short, Bush's signing statements, which are now going over the top, are going to cause a Congressional reaction. It is inevitable. If Republican lose control of either the House or Senate - and perhaps even if they don't, if the subject is torture or an egregious violation of civil liberties -- then the Bush/Cheney administration will wish it had not issued all those signing statements.

Indeed, the Administration may be eating its words - with Congress holding the plate out, and forcing the unconstitutional verbiage back down. That, in the end, is the only kind of torture Americans ought to countenance.

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20060113.html

A lot more before the snip.

[paulk]

1. what's been most disturbing about the Bush years

is how other Republicans - and the Republican Party in general - have put partisanship ahead of the good of the country.

I keep hoping some Republicans are going to stand up to these fascist thugs.

Why didn't McCain have a statement on this signing statement?

The things that are being done are serious enough that we shouldn't have to wait for the Democrats to retake Congress.

[ProSense]

2. That's the problem

The Democrats in the Congress are not constituents of the Republican members. If the Republicans don't here it from the voting public, they are not going to give a hoot. That is what Conyers said, that is what they all say. Is anyone listening? Remember the e-mail Kerry sent out to contact Hastert and Frist, that resulted in them getting tens of thousands of phone calls in less than 72 hours? Well, some of the recent events should have facilitated the same kind of response.

[karynnj]

3. Kerry or Kennedy should call on McCain to make a statement on this

It is his amendment - and Bush has essentially converted No torture to no torture unless we want to.

[TayTay]

4. The Senate comes back into session next Wed.

We shall see what Sen. McCain thinks then. Reportedly, he was not happy about this and he should speak out about it. Presumably, all the Democrats who voted for the anti-torture amendment will support a strong statement that no means no.

[jillan]

5. Maybe McCain should block Alito

Like that would ever happen.

But seriously, Alito will be an enabler.
Nice to have friends in high places.

[TayTay]

6. That's what 40 years of extremist conservative actions has been for

To get the Supreme Court to turn hard right. This is what they wanted. This is what they have been working for for all those years.

[ProSense]

8. I wrote a letter to McCain

Those contact forms are worthless. I wish they all had e-mail addresses. I guess I'll have to fax it.

Everyone is bugging the Democrats, but frankly they are the wrong target as long as the Republicans are in control.

Which situation is more likely to result in Alito not being confirmed:

a few Republicans being convinced to object or

a few more Democrats being convinced to object?

Unless something miraculous happens Alito is going to be confirmed and that sucks.

Still, I'm sending the letter to McCain because if he and Specter vote to confirm, they will prove that they are hypocrites (that is if more proof is needed).

[ginnyinWI]

7. I really don't see

what anyone in Congress has to lose by opposing * and his illegal activities. He's a lame duck, he's been grabbing their power and making them look like idiots for a long time now. Just the latest is signing an anti-torture bill and then "un-signing" it!

They need our support, but this should be their own showdown over supposed co-equal powers of government. Time to rein in the chimp!