Signing Statements

May 11, 2006

Since taking office in 2001, President Bush has issued signing statements on more than 750 new laws, declaring that he has the power to set aside the laws when they conflict with his legal interpretation of the Constitution. The federal government is instructed to follow the statements when it enforces the laws. Here are 10 examples and the dates Bush signed them:

March 9: Justice Department officials must give reports to Congress by certain dates on how the FBI is using the USA Patriot Act to search homes and secretly seize papers.
Bush's signing statement: The president can order Justice Department officials to withhold any information from Congress if he decides it could impair national security or executive branch operations.

Dec. 30, 2005: US interrogators cannot torture prisoners or otherwise subject them to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
Bush's signing statement: The president, as commander in chief, can waive the torture ban if he decides that harsh interrogation techniques will assist in preventing terrorist attacks.

Dec. 30: When requested, scientific information ''prepared by government researchers and scientists shall be transmitted [to Congress] uncensored and without delay."
Bush's signing statement: The president can tell researchers to withhold any information from Congress if he decides its disclosure could impair foreign relations, national security, or the workings of the executive branch.

Aug. 8: The Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and its contractors may not fire or otherwise punish an employee whistle-blower who tells Congress about possible wrongdoing.
Bush's signing statement: The president or his appointees will determine whether employees of the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission can give information to Congress.

Dec. 23, 2004: Forbids US troops in Colombia from participating in any combat against rebels, except in cases of self-defense. Caps the number of US troops allowed in Colombia at 800.
Bush's signing statement: Only the president, as commander in chief, can place restrictions on the use of US armed forces, so the executive branch will construe the law ''as advisory in nature."

Dec. 17: The new national intelligence director shall recruit and train women and minorities to be spies, analysts, and translators in order to ensure diversity in the intelligence community.
Bush's signing statement: The executive branch shall construe the law in a manner consistent with a constitutional clause guaranteeing ''equal protection" for all. (In 2003, the Bush administration argued against race-conscious affirmative-action programs in a Supreme Court case. The court rejected Bush's view.)

Oct. 29: Defense Department personnel are prohibited from interfering with the ability of military lawyers to give independent legal advice to their commanders.
Bush's signing statement: All military attorneys are bound to follow legal conclusions reached by the administration's lawyers in the Justice Department and the Pentagon when giving advice to their commanders.

Aug. 5: The military cannot add to its files any illegally gathered intelligence, including information obtained about Americans in violation of the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches.
Bush's signing statement: Only the president, as commander in chief, can tell the military whether or not it can use any specific piece of intelligence.

Nov. 6, 2003: US officials in Iraq cannot prevent an inspector general for the Coalition Provisional Authority from carrying out any investigation. The inspector general must tell Congress if officials refuse to cooperate with his inquiries.
Bush's signing statement: The inspector general ''shall refrain" from investigating anything involving sensitive plans, intelligence, national security, or anything already being investigated by the Pentagon. The inspector cannot tell Congress anything if the president decides that disclosing the information would impair foreign relations, national security, or executive branch operations.

Nov. 5, 2002: Creates an Institute of Education Sciences whose director may conduct and publish research ''without the approval of the secretary [of education] or any other office of the department."
Bush's signing statement: The president has the power to control the actions of all executive branch officials, so ''the director of the Institute of Education Sciences shall [be] subject to the supervision and direction of the secretary of education."

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/04/30/examples_of_the_presidents_signing_statements/

"Into each life some Sunshine must radiate"

Yes, I know that's not exactly what the 'old saying' reads, but true it is.

Our son, Tim and his absolutely wonderful wife, Mary are now expecting their first child. The arrival time should be around Thanksgiving or shortly after.

Of course, amid the early pregnacy sicknesses, the doctor's visits, the ANXIETY, and the constant concern of their loved ones, they have to do the daunting task of selecting a lifetime moniker for the little one. Naturally, there will be certain names that immediately step forward to volunteer themselves and I know whatever is chosen, 'nicknames' will follow in course.

Above all, whether grand daughter or grandson, my fervent wish is the best of health for not just the baby, but the mom as well.

An early Happy Mother's Day blessing to you, dear Mary.

Celebrating her Birthday

My second from-oldest and second-from-youngest daughter will soon be celebrating her ?? (*I know, but aint tellin') Birthday and we are expecting a festive celebration this evening at Fuji Hana Restaurant this evening.

April 22, 2006 - SHE IS 40 TODAY! A TRUE RED LETTER DAY !

Well, she 'chastized' me for saying I wouldn't tell, AND THEN DID!! And rightfully so. My apologies to my daughter, and I promise not to tell(with a solemn oath) which birthday her next one will be. You are just gonna have to guess!

This is the way it was----

On May 11, 1946, the first 20,000 CARE packages arrived in Europe, at Le Havre, France.

CARE is one of the world's largest private humanitarian organizations. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, CARE is part of an international confederation of 11 member organizations committed to helping communities in the developing world achieve lasting victories over poverty.
The scope of their mission has changed considerably since its founding in 1945, when 22 American organizations came together to rush lifesaving CARE Packages to survivors of World War II. Thousands of Americans, including President Harry S. Truman contributed to the effort. Some 100 million more CARE Packages reached people in need during the next two decades, first in Europe and later in Asia and other parts of the developing world.
http://www.care.org/

On May 11, 1996, ValuJet Flight 592, burning and smoke-filled, plunged into the murky saw grass plains of the Everglades, taking 105 passengers and five crew members to their deaths. The co-pilot of ValuJet Flight 592 told air traffic controllers that the plane was having an emergency and needed to return to Miami. It never made it. Instead, the jet crashed, nose first at more than 500 miles per hour into the Everglades west of the city.
Eerily, there was very little debris at the site to indicate this was the final resting place of a 57-ton jumbo jetliner. There was only an inky black hole, about half the size of a football field.

My Salute to our Men & Women in the U.S. Military

From me to our wonderful men & women in military uniform everywhere:

You have my loyal support and undying gratitude for your sacrifices.

First, for the sacrifice to voluntarily offer yourselves to protect our beloved country.

Second, for your loyalty to go where sent, sometimes to places where you should NEVER be sent.

Thirdly, for your willingness to die and for some of you, who have died.

I am humbled before you.

You are the "Shining Lights upon a Hill" giving us illumination for the future.You are the "Hero Image" that emboldens us to attempt to better ourselves.It is YOU, not the Politicians who send you, that are our LEADERS, for you have GIVEN more, and may possibly have to give even more yet, than any of us;

I SALUTE YOU and I THANK YOU.

The Retired Aircraft Mechanic