President Bush's Signing Statements-- Care to read a few? Interesting.

[elehhhhna]

They seem to contain this language, essentially stating that the Executive can withold info from Congress...

" the disclosure of which could impair foreign relations, the national security, the deliberative processes of the Executive, or the performance of the Executive's
constitutional duties."

Later, the phrase "Unitary Executive" pops up all over...

Examples

2003:

Section 123(c) of the Defense Production Act Amendments of 1992, as
enacted by section 7(c) of the Act, purports to require the executive
branch to undertake consultations with foreign nations on specific
matters and to report thereon to the Congress. The executive branch
shall construe section 123(c) in a manner consistent with the
constitutional authorities of the President to conduct the Nation's
foreign relations and to withhold information the disclosure of which
could impair foreign relations, the national security, the deliberative
processes of the Executive, or the performance of the Executive's
constitutional duties.
George W. Bush

http://frwebgate5.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=578902344968+14+2+0&WAISaction=retrieve

2006:

The executive branch shall construe the provisions of H.R. 3199 that
call for furnishing information to entities outside the executive
branch, such as sections 106A and 119, in a manner consistent with the
President's constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive
branch and to withhold information the disclosure of which could impair
foreign relations, national security, the deliberative processes of the
Executive, or the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties.

http://frwebgate5.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=579296334304+4+2+0&WAISaction=retrieve

You can read them here (pick a year & type 'signing statement' into the search box).

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/search.html

[BlueEyedSon]

1. King George all over again

[bryant69]

2. The idea of a Unitary Executive is messed up

I expect to hear a lot more of it if we take the House.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[mike_c]

3. the Bush administration is quietly overthrowing the constitutional...

...republic, and the other branches of gov't don't seem to get it.

[elehhhhna]

4. Here's a good one:

Section 502 of the Act purports to place restrictions on use of the
U.S. Armed Forces and other personnel in certain operations. The
executive branch shall construe the restrictions in that section as
advisory in nature, so that the provisions are consistent with the
President's constitutional authority as Commander in Chief, including
for the conduct of intelligence operations, and to supervise the unitary
executive branch.

http://frwebgate3.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=58257727938+7+2+0&WAISaction=retrieve


Section 502, which he states is "advisory in nature":

(c) LIMITATION ON PARTICIPATION OF UNITED STATES PERSONNEL- No United States Armed Forces personnel or United States civilian contractor employed by the United States Armed Forces may participate in any combat operation in connection with assistance made available under this section, except for the purpose of acting in self defense or during the course of search and rescue operations for United States citizens.

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. totally unconstitutional - and groundwork for the planned Iran invasion

Those who enable this are traitors and worse - this could start World War III.

[spindrifter]

5. This needs to stop!

What in the h*ll is Congress doing letting this administration do the biggest power grab in history AND brake out economy?

[wiggs]

7. Good question. How many times has that question been asked now?

This is yet another example of congressional complicity from both sides of the aisle. In the first place, congress should have taken bipartisan action when the issue first came to light. It is irresponsible and unconstitutional not to.

Second, even if dc dems know they wouldn't get bipartisan support, they -- on their own -- should have taken control of the issue by offering resolutions, bringing lawsuits to have the courts rule on constitutionality, and explaining the case to the people. This is a hill worth dying on. This is gunpowder worth using.

This should be another easy issue to take advantage of. The black and white signing statements are easy to read and it is easy to understand how they subvert the will of the people, congress, and the constitution. They are clearly outrageous and reflect badly on the process.

Another missed opportunity, IMO. I'm sure that some dems have made speeches condemning the practice and that cspan showed them at some point in the middle of the night. Fine, but that's not nearly enough. In fact, those kinds of speeches end up being excuses for not doing more. Not nearly enough, if you're serious about doing what's right.

Answer anyone?

[elehhhhna]

12. the statements say he considers reporting requirements to be "advice",

not law, even though they are part of the law he's signong. HELLO?

[TheBaldyMan]

6. Unitary Executive ? Didn't America start a revolution because of another

insular head of state called George that tried to run the country as an autocracy.

[elehhhhna]

8. kicking above the 60,005 colbert threads. is anybody

else interested i n this stuff? It's just a bunch of docs stating how Bushler isn't going to abide by any reporting-to-Congress requirements.

[Greyskye]

9. Link to all of them not limited by year

http://tinyurl.com/s3md8

[elehhhhna]

10. whoa, thanks!

[slay]

13. More disgusting than interesting

Bush obviously has NO respect for the American people. After reading Hunter S. Thompsons's excellent Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail `72, and hearing how he said Nixon was the first president to "hate the American people", I found out - he thinks Bush is EVEN WORSE!

Ugly, Tasteless, Terrifying and Wild... Count Me In!
He's been America's most unorthodox political commentator for more than 30 years. But for Dr Hunter S Thompson the Bush presidency is evil beyond belief - and judgment is nigh
by Hunter S. Thompson

<snip>
BULLETIN: KERRY WINS GONZO ENDORSEMENT; DR THOMPSON JOINS DEMOCRAT IN CALLING BUSH "THE SYPHILIS PRESIDENT".

"Four more years of George Bush will be like four more years of syphilis," the famed author said yesterday at a hastily called press conference near his home in Woody Creek, Colorado.

"Only a fool or a sucker would vote for a dangerous loser like Bush. He hates everything we stand for, and he knows we will vote against him in November."

more:
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1028-29.htm

[eppur_se_muova]

14. A question: who's writing these things? It can't be **.

They're entirely too clear and coherent. Is he getting help from the legal staff? Gonzo? Harriet Mears? Darth, or one of his aides? Whoever is helping him is going to be subject to subpoena before too long.

Time to start looking for whatever trails have been left by the legal wonks who've been carrying the water for **.