Saturday, April 16, 2011

Presidential Signing Statements

Here is Law Professor Ann Althouse talking about Presidential Signing Statements.  Remember them?  Those are those things that President George W Bush would sign when he thought the US Congress had overstepped its bounds.

The ABA (the American Bar Association) thinks that signing statements are not a good thing.  Do you think they are not a good thing?
Presidential Signing Statements
Are a bad thing and Candidate Obama was right to reject them.
Since the US Congress is Wacky, signing statements are necessary.
As long as it isn't "W" it is OK.
  
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Regards  —  Cliff

5 comments:

  1. This is a quintessential tempest in a teapot. There is nothing in the Constitution that even remotely prohibits making a signing statement. In fact, the statements themselves have no legal impact on the law per se. Once the guy signs it, it is law. Now, sympathizers of a given President may drag their feet in implementing or enforcing a statute, or by enforcing only those parts of a statute that satisfy the desires of the President, but that is a matter apart from a signing statement. Arguments that executive agent misapplication of statutory responsibilities are directly influenced by a signing statement are at best, heresay.

    This whole thing is little more than an intellectual brouhaha over some abstraction.

    BTW...Obama HAS continued the practice used by every President before him.

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  2. I am curious about the use of the expression "Candidate" Obama.

    I am also curious if your state will follow the lead of AZ and pass a law demanding greater proof of citizenship for presidential candidates.

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  3. Two commenters and yet no votes up until now?  Voting is easy.  Voting is free.

    As to Lance's questions, it was when he was a candidate for President that he was against signing statements, as were so many in his Party.  But, now he is President.  Remember the joke about the man who dies and goes to Heaven, but wants to visit Hell, returns to Heaven and asks for a permanent change to the other place?

    As to your second question, I think not.  How about the Golden State?

    There is this.

    Regards  —  Cliff

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  4. No vote from me because the "forced choice" is no choice.

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  5. But isn't every election a "forced choice"?

    In picking the foils I am just doing what you have done as a teacher, put in the "right" answer and provided a couple more, one that looks good, but isn't the "right" answer, and one or more that are just filler.

    Regards  —  Cliff

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Please be forthright, but please consider that this is not a barracks.