How hard will it be to undo the enhancement of perceived executive powers?

[SujiwanKenobee]

Since the establishment of the Bush presidency, we are all aware of the desire of Cheney, Addington and others to give the executive office more clout. Supposedly to "regain what was lost" in their eyes. We can see how just not responding to congressional demands appears to cost them nothing.

Once Bush is out, what is to stop any future office holder, Dem or Repub, from doing the same? I have a feeling that regardless of persuasion, there are people who are going to want to preserve this to prevent the opposition from finding out who is doing what behind the scenes in the decision making of the executive.

[madinmaryland]

1. Watch how quickly the repubs move to change this when President

Clinton is in the WH!!

All of Bush's changes will be undone within a matter of weeks.

[Toots]

4. Days not weeks

Use President Clinton as a perfect example of their hypocrisy..

[annabanana]

6. overnight

Media will turn on a dime and a huge percentage of the American population will not even notice.

[RufusEarl]

2. In yesterdays debate,

the ones asked said they would undo Bu$h's singing statements post hast. Along with other Bu$h assumptions of king like powers, that's what they said we'll have to wait to see if they follow through. I'm going to assume, they do as promised.

Peace!

[mmonk]

3. Impossible without capturing the Whitehouse in 08.

We must make sure the winner if a democrat will give the powers up. The party as a deliberative body is not up to the task.

[annabanana]

5. "perceived"?

They are real because he is using them. A Democratic president would not be allowed to use them. Corporate media would see to that.

[jody]

7. Depends on congress passing a law making "executive orders" and "signing statements" illegal. n/t

[stillcool]

8. Signing statements...

lots of information here:

http://www.coherentbabble.com/signingstatements/FAQs.ht...
If all signing statements have been made available to the Weekly Compilation at the GPO, George W. Bush has issued 154 signing statement documents since taking office. For a list of the signing statements, click here. Here is my count by year of issuance:


We now have two independent academic counts of the number of laws challenged in those signing statements. Based on those two counts, it seems most accurate to report that George W. Bush has issued 154 signing statements challenging over 1,000 provisions of federal law.

The full index is here. All of the signing statements are presented here (unannotated) or here (annotated).

http://www.coherentbabble.com/signingstatements/FAQs.ht...

[tom_paine]

9. Nearly impossble. Would take a massive sea change in mores now.

We Imperial Subjects of Amerika, but for a small minority, are quite comfortable with the Unitary Executive (or don't care enough to even know wha thaqt means), even though it is identical to Fuhrerprinzip.

Don't believe me?

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/commentary/20060109_bergen...

http://www.shoaheducation.com/definitions.html#F

[msongs]

10. ALL signing statements are unconstitutional if acted upon..ALL of them dem or repub nt