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In reply to the discussion: Venezuelan president tries out new powers [View all]Judi Lynn
(161,992 posts)56. Hmmmm. Makes you wonder.
Obama Rolls Back Unconstitutional George W. Bush Signing Statement Policy
By Robert Schlesinger
~snip~
The New York Times' Charlie Savage (whose Takeover remains the seminal work on the Bush administration's imperial presidency) reports:
Calling into question the legitimacy of all the signing statements that former President George W. Bush used to challenge new laws, President Obama on Monday ordered executive officials to consult with Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. before relying on any of them to bypass a statute.
Mr. Bush frequently used signing statements to declare that provisions in the bills he was signing were unconstitutional constraints on executive power, claiming that the laws did not need to be enforced or obeyed as written. The laws he challenged included a torture ban and requirements that Congress be given detailed reports about how the Justice Department was using the counter-terrorism powers in the USA Patriot Act.
Dating back to the 19th century, presidents have occasionally signed a bill while declaring that one or more provisions were unconstitutional. Presidents began doing so more frequently starting with the Reagan administration. But Mr. Bush broke all records, using signing statements to challenge about 1,200 bill sections over his eight years in officeabout twice the number challenged by all previous presidents combined, according to data compiled by Christopher Kelley, a political science professor at Miami University in Ohio.
Just process that for a second. Over eight years, Bush signed bills into law and then unilaterally proclaimed that some of the laws he had just enacted didn't count. That's crazy. And dangerous.
More:
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2009/03/09/obama-rolls-back-unconstitutional-george-w-bush-signing-statement-policy
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Wasn't there a Republican politician that was talking about a coup just the other day?
Ash_F
Nov 2013
#10
I just refuse to judge him and his running of his country as an outsider not knowing all
Arcanetrance
Nov 2013
#9
True, I think they have taken over many foreign businesses in the last few years
davidpdx
Nov 2013
#33
No, it will create product shortages. Which are already happening due to price controls.
geek tragedy
Nov 2013
#14
My understanding was that the government owned much of the manufacturing and industry in general
Arcanetrance
Nov 2013
#16
They do have a debt/GDP ratio half that of the US and have trading surpluses
Theyletmeeatcake2
Nov 2013
#28
They are the 5th highest oil producing country. It should be much better than that.
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#44
Not sure about that as their oil production continues to drop precipitously
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#52
Yes indeed, don't give those poor people money as they don't know how to use it properly
Theyletmeeatcake2
Nov 2013
#25