<snip>
In the statement, Bush said that he did not consider himself bound to tell Congress how the Patriot Act powers were being used and that, despite the law's requirements, he could withhold the information if he decided that disclosure would ''impair foreign relations, national security, the deliberative process of the executive, or the performance of the executive's constitutional duties."
Bush wrote:
''The executive branch shall construe the provisions . . . that call for furnishing information to entities outside the executive branch . . . in a manner consistent with the president's constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive branch and to withhold information . . . "<end snip>
"Outside the executive branch" means every one else...
And "the
unitary executive branch" means a power totally unto itself.
It's a chilling assertion of a one branch government...http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/03/24/bush_shuns_patriot_act_requirement