Bush’s Laws Would Be In Obama’s Crosshairs
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2008 Election, Barack, Bush, LawIf elected president, Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama said one of the first things he wants to do is ensure the constitutionality of all the laws and executive orders passed while Republican President George W. Bush has been in office. Those that don’t pass muster will be overturned, he said.“I would call my attorney general in and review every single executive order issued by George Bush and overturn those laws or executive decisions that I feel violate the constitution,†said Obama.
And one has to think that he’d be overturning A LOT of those executive decisions.
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May 29th, 2008 at 10:00 am
One cannot help but notice an apparent lack of constitutional knowledge of the part of the lawyer/Senator as to separation of powers issues….
He can overturn executive decisions, but isn’t overturning laws (as passed by Congress) out of the Presidential bailiwick, and wouldn’t it constitute EXACTLY the same thing he claims Bush was doing? Usurping Congressional functions?
Well, heck, it’s all about the base-rousing at this point anyway.
May 29th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Obama, the supreme court justice/president of the United states.
May 29th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Tully, I’m sure he’s well aware of the separation of powers…
The fact remains that Bush used signing statements and executive decisions to create defacto laws that may prove to be unconstitutional. I think it’s pretty clear that’s what he’s saying here.
And by the way Jimmy, you could say the same thing about Bush given how often he used the signing statements. At least Obama was a constitutional law professor.
May 29th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Tully, Jimmy
Never mistake the lazy writing of a journalist for the actual words of a person–Obama is well aware of the separation of powers as a (part-time) instructor of constitutional law (it is technically inaccurate to call him a professor)
His quote is very specific–executive orders–he does not claim to have the authority to retroactively veto congressional legislation.
Frankly, you both have a lot of nerve calling Obama on this when you let Bush skate on his proven abuse of the separation of powers.
Bush has significantly ignored that separation with 157 signing statements that challenged more than 1100 provisions of the laws passed by congress (AND THIS IS A LARGELY FRIENDLY CONGRESS!)
If you want to take Obama to task for a lazy journalists interpretation, where are your criticisms of these signing statements of Bush?
May 29th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Oh yeah, be succinct just so you can reply faster…..
May 29th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I think you’re reading too much into the very brief article.
He’s not going to overturn passed and chaptered laws. He will, however, once again begin to enforce the laws Bush selectively “overrode” and can rescind executive orders at whim. 13233 would be a good place to start.
Also, Congress & Obama have to look into the Insurrection laws Bush managed to pass that take away control of militias from governors without their permission.