HEADLINE: Bush ignores laws he inks, vexing Congress

[Bluebear]

WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain thought he had a deal when President Bush, faced with a veto-proof margin in Congress, agreed to sign a bill banning the torture of detainees. Not quite. While Bush signed the new law, he also quietly approved another document: a signing statement reserving his right to ignore the law. McCain was furious, and so were other lawmakers.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is opening hearings this week into what has become the White House's favorite tool for overriding Congress in the name of wartime national security.

"It's a challenge to the plain language of the Constitution," the committee's chairman, Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I'm interested to hear from the administration just what research they've done to lead them to the conclusion that they can cherry-pick."

Apparently, enough to challenge more than 750 statutes passed by Congress, far more than any other president, Specter's committee says. The White House does not dispute that number, but points out that Bush is far from the nation's first chief executive to issue them. "Signing statements have long been issued by presidents, dating back to Andrew Jackson all the way through President Clinton," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Monday....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060627/ap_on_go_co/bush_signing_statements

[AlCzervik]

1. I really wish Spector would just go balls out on this, what does he have

lose really?

[savemefromdumbya]

2. Psst........he's not really the President

[MADem]

3. Awww, they're VEXED? When are they gonna get rip-roaring,

vein-popping, screaming, red-faced, PISSED OFF? When???

That's what they NEED to do.

[upi402]

4. A freeper buddy of mine said * CANNOT disobey congress' laws

I told him about the signing statements and he just kepr repeating himself louder like I was deaf and very dumb. It's so frustrating trying to inform those determined to be ignorant of reality.

[Swamp Rat]

5. When they raise their voices at me like that, I just tell 'em "get yer ass

to Iraq and support the troops!" :)

[upi402]

6. I hear ya

He thinks Bush is a joke and Iraq was a mistake. He's almost there but can't break from the blowhard mindset. He can't stand the Christian Taliban here either.

[Justice Is Comin]

7. I thought this hearing was scheduled for Tuesday

but I'm not finding it on C-Span's schedule yet anywhere. What's the scoop?

I could totally enjoy part II after a devastating part one today. Boy the senators will have a lot to read tomorrow from todays hearing.