Warner, McCain, and Graham blast Bush over torture.
When Bush signed the defense bill containing the torture amendment, it was hailed as a significant moment, but, at the same time, Bush also quietly signed an "interpretive signing statement" which states how the president intends to enact the law he just signed.
In this case, his letter maintained that he still had the power to torture via the same questionable legal arguments he's using for all the other powers Bush has claimed, renditons, spying on Americans, etc.
The problem is that this bill was overwhelmingly passed, spearheaded by Warner, Graham, and McCain specifically to stop Bush from torturing under this claim of executive power. So, needless to say, those are some angry republican senators.
So, effectively, Congress passed a law saying don't ever torture, the president signed that bill, and then signed a statement drafted by his staff saying that he could torture anyway.
As a side note, one of the earliest proponents of these presidential statements was Sam Alito. By using one of these statements on these senators' legislation just weeks before the confirmation hearings, I think Bush has guaranteed that those hearings will be more interesting that expected.
With the McCain, Warner, Graham votes, the democrats could maintain a filibuster. I wonder if that's what these three senators are threatening in their anger today.
(Host note: I don't feel that I'm writing very clearly today. Bear with me. I'm trying to work through it.)
In this case, his letter maintained that he still had the power to torture via the same questionable legal arguments he's using for all the other powers Bush has claimed, renditons, spying on Americans, etc.
The problem is that this bill was overwhelmingly passed, spearheaded by Warner, Graham, and McCain specifically to stop Bush from torturing under this claim of executive power. So, needless to say, those are some angry republican senators.
So, effectively, Congress passed a law saying don't ever torture, the president signed that bill, and then signed a statement drafted by his staff saying that he could torture anyway.
As a side note, one of the earliest proponents of these presidential statements was Sam Alito. By using one of these statements on these senators' legislation just weeks before the confirmation hearings, I think Bush has guaranteed that those hearings will be more interesting that expected.
With the McCain, Warner, Graham votes, the democrats could maintain a filibuster. I wonder if that's what these three senators are threatening in their anger today.
(Host note: I don't feel that I'm writing very clearly today. Bear with me. I'm trying to work through it.)
posted by mikevotes at
10:48 AM
3 Comments:
nice reporting. This guy just doesn't like democracy.
By
Graeme, at 12:01 PM
It is good reporting, isn't it. I think they have committed the great sin of power in that they have decided that they know better what America needs than the people do. That never turens out well.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 4:39 PM
This doesn't exactly fit the post but have you noticed the new facial tics on Bush's face lately? I saw a clip of him at an economic conference in Chicago yesterday and was stunned by the hundreds of facial gestures he displayed.
I am concerned about his mental health [and our safety] as Bush grapples with the reality of his disasterous misadventure into Iraq.
Could these facial tics be an indication of a break-down? His return to alcohol? Another devious pre-emptive war to wag the dog?
By
liberal_dem, at 7:03 AM
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