Letters to the Editor
drichmond
Published Letters: 235 Editor's Choice: 18
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signing statement facts vs lies from troll(s)
[Read the article: The Bush administration vs. the founding American principles]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]from John Dean http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20060113.html
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"Phillip Cooper is a leading expert on signing statements. His 2002 book, By Order of the President: The Use and Abuse of Executive Direct Action, assesses the uses and abuses of signing statements by presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Cooper has updated his material in a recent essay for the Presidential Studies Quarterly, to encompass the use of signing statements by now-President Bush as well.
By Cooper's count, George W. Bush issued 23 signing statements in 2001; 34 statements in 2002, raising 168 constitutional objections; 27 statements in 2003, raising 142 constitutional challenges, and 23 statements in 2004, raising 175 constitutional criticisms. In total, during his first term Bush raised a remarkable 505 constitutional challenges to various provisions of legislation that became law.
That number may be approaching 600 challenges by now. Yet Bush has not vetoed a single bill, notwithstanding all these claims, in his own signing statements, that they are unconstitutional insofar as they relate to him."
and for what it is worth wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signing_statement
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George W. Bush's use of signing statements is controversial, both for the number of times employed (estimated at over 750 constitutional challenges) and for the apparent attempt to nullify legal restrictions on his actions through claims made in the statements. Some opponents have said that he in effect uses signing statements as a line-item veto although the Supreme Court already held the line item veto as an unconstitutional delegation of power in Clinton v. City of New York.
Previous administrations had made use of signing statements to dispute the validity of a new law or its individual components. George H. W. Bush challenged 232 statutes through signing statements during four years in office and Clinton challenged 140 over eight years. George W. Bush's 130 signing statements contain at least 750 challenges.
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Why this matters of sort...
[Read the article: Memo to Hastert: They don't believe you]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In previous letters in the War Room it has been pointed out repeatedly that this matter of inappropriate and probably illegal conduct is small time in comparison to the recent revelations of the past few weeks; Condi knowing previously to 9-11 of Osama's intent, Woodward's disclosures in his new book and more importantly the further and continued erosion of our democratic and constitutional liberties just within the past few weeks.
Why don't those more important issues register to the timbre that this sex scandal does to the general public? Because sadly most Americans feel so unrepresented and detached by the power makers in D.C. that they have given in to cynicism. Most I think don't feel like the NSA is going to spy on them because they don't do anything worth being spied upon, or they're not going to be tortured, there isn't a draft so their kid isn't going to die in the war, etc.
This detachment gets blown away when it comes to sex, and more, to sex with minors (unless your 'Jacko). I think and the polls seem to indicate that people don't trust the Republicans and this feeds right into it. If the shoe were on the other foot and it was a Democrat believe you me, Herr Propaganda Minister Rove would be making hay out of this till 2008 for the Republicans.
Sadly since the Dem's have absolutely no spine to fight the Republicans on material that has more chance to affect us collectively long term, they had better take this 'gift', if one can call it that, and capitalize on it. Rove and company would.
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quick follow up
[Read the article: Memo to Hastert: They don't believe you]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Although I find it distasteful the tactic I mention above, if stopping the further erosion of our democracy means exploiting such tactics then the means justifies the end.
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JL
[Read the article: Mark Foley, Dennis Hastert, George Bush and Joe Lieberman]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The first thing I thought when I read this is what has Lieberman got to hide?
I would love another October surprise that would scandalize JL into having to drop out of the race.
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buck
[Read the article: White House: It's "silly" to ask whether Bush was right on North Korea]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Truman
The Buck Stops Here
Bush
Anyone but me
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Why this matters..
[Read the article: George Allen and the N-word: When "baseless" doesn't mean "false"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Whether Allen said the dreaded "N" word or not matters because it supports the claims, rather well documented ones at that, that Allen is a racist and a liar despite his protestations.
Being a liar seems to go hand in hand with being a politician regardless of party affiliation. But being a racist, and not the subtle kind that still permeates our culture at large but a Confederate Flag waving, noose draping, Macarra calling and probably closet Klan member, well we can't be that overt can we?
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Good soldier
[Read the article: The evil of banality]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm sorry but Powell missed the boat. A good soldier should follow through but as Secretary of State, well that is another story.
Powell's credibility as a good soldier holds about as much weight as John McCain, the same McCain who caved into the recent debate and passage of laws further undermining our Constitution, little to none.
The President is sworn to uphold the constitution, and likewise his underlings, cronies and other types I would now refer to as future defendants should likewise.
Powell in whatever his need for approval, or being taken seriously, insert pathology here; not only let the American people down but more importantly and closer to home allowed a war, an illegal war at that to drag our servicemen and women into a trap that has them dying day after day after day. Days without proper equipment and support while the likes of Halliburton and other contractors make money hand over fist and while he might try to resurrect his reputation best as he can, well I for one think he successfully "Swiftboated" himself and for all to see.
His day is done, his reputation in ruin; he should retire, exit stage left and no longer disgrace himself or our country.
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republican's new mantra
[Read the article: Someone else with a page problem? Who can keep track?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"the democrats made me do it."