Breaking the Law again

Pleading with America, with Congress, with anyone who would listen, Bush argued earlier this year that the Patriot Act was vital to America's security. He urged passage, belittled concerns, and decried efforts to stop renewal of the law as dangerous - even traitorous.

Congress had many concerns with the law, not the least of which was one that would make sure the FBI did not abuse the special terrorism-related powers to search homes and secretly seize papers. Congress demanded that the Justice Department carefully track usage of the powers by the FBI and regularly report to Congress in accordance with a specific timetable.

Chimpie signed the law, extolling the law as a “a piece of legislation that's vital to win the war on terror and to protect the American people.” Never mind that the law should not have been passed anyways, but as soon as the cameras left, Chimpie secretly issued a 'signing statement' that allows him to declare how he interprets the law. So how did the great protector of America 'interpret' the law?

Well lets see. Bush wrote “The executive branch shall construe the provisions . . . that call for furnishing information to entities outside the executive branch . . . in a manner consistent with the president's constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive branch and to withhold information . . .” In essence he states he will not report to Congress the information the law requires, if he determines that the disclosure of this information would “impair foreign relations, national security, the deliberative process of the executive, or the performance of the executive's constitutional duties”. He just will disobey the law.

So, we have laws against spying on Americans – the frat boy breaks them, we have laws against torturing detainees – the frat boy breaks them, we have laws against giving contracts to foreign companies that may imperil security – the frat boy breaks them. The US Constitution gives Congress the responsibility to write laws and the executive branch the duty to ''faithfully execute" them – not bypass them. Such lawbreaking and disrespect for America should be expected from the dimwitted man who views the Constitution as “just a godammed piece of paper!”

Contrary to Chimpie's beliefs, America is not a monarchy. We don't have kings, queens, princes..... Could a seeming love for royalty be why Bush and British PM Tony Blair seem to get along so well? Maybe Georgie wants to wear a crown and carry a bejeweled scepter while sitting in the oval office - er, throne room. Well, this is America George – we fought to escape the king and we're not going back.

More here.
Posted on The Human Stain