Signing Statements

WOW! mainstream media talking about Bush's strategy for thwarting democracy? this in today's Denver Post (www.denverpost.com):

editorial
President is not above the law


Maybe being president just goes to your head. Why else is George Bush signing bills into law accompanied by statements suggesting he can ignore certain provisions if he chooses?

The president's latest "signing statement" came March 9 with renewal of the Patriot Act, the law that provides government with broad surveillance powers. Patriot II was enacted by Congress after a long battle with the White House over expanded law enforcement powers. To obtain passage, the administration agreed to oversight provisions that included reporting to Congress.

On signing the bill, however, Bush quietly issued a statement asserting that he had the authority to ignore the oversight rules. He said he'd construe the act "in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive branch and to withhold information the disclosure of which could impair foreign relations, national security, the deliberative process of the executive, or the performance of the executive's constitutional duties."

Last year, Congress passed a law outlawing the torture of detainees in U.S. custody. Bush signed the legislation even though Congress did not include a provision he wanted giving the president the power to waive the torture ban. But never mind. His signing statement suggested he could bypass the law anyway, prompting Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid to say, "President Bush continues to believe he's above the law and above the Constitution ... [that the] unitary executive president can pick and choose which laws he will follow."

Poverty v. Immigration

has anyone else noticed that our nation's mainstream media was beginning to seriously question the role of poverty in the (lack of) rebuilding New Orleans & the hurricane ravaged South, but suddenly dropped that story like a hot potato when Bush announced his new ideas for combating "illegal immigration" ?

the two choices are "build a fence" or "have a guest worker program" -- are you KIDDING me? c'mon people, if you are reading my blog, chances are you have a few progressive bones in your body. so please please please start talking about this with your friends & family, and write about it on your blog or to your local newspaper:

where is the discussion about WHY people risk arrest and death crossing the desert to find work in the U.S.? WHY can't they remain in Mexico and support their families? WHAT have U.S. corporations done to the local economies that they no longer function? if you aren't familiar with the term, or the condition of, maquiladoras, please do a web search. and then challenge the assumptions of journalists and friends when they say illegal immigrants are a drain on our society.

I'm thinkin' it's the other way around.

I'm also thinking that Boston has a very high number of illegal immigrants from Ireland. and in my 10 years in that city, I don't remember anyone saying that THEY were a burden on society.

oh, duh! they are WHITE. well, clearly that makes all the difference in the world. right?

y'know, we CAN keep pitting poor black people against poor brown people. or we could start talking about classism and capitalism and why middle-class white folks work against both groups.

we really could, y'know.

but it starts with you.