You obviously dont want to read the official WH directive (memo) on signing statements but would prefer the remark at a town meeting that provided little context.
OK..thats your choice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aladdin Sane
...that President Clinton had, in fact, used signing statements more times than George W. Bush--
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In fact, Bush used signing statements
on specific provisions in bills much more than Clinton and all the previous presidents combined.
Quote:
Since the 19th century, presidents have occasionally signed a bill while declaring that one or more provisions were unconstitutional. The practice became more frequent with the Reagan administration, but it initially drew little attention.
That changed under Mr. Bush, who broke all records, using signing statements to challenge about 1,200 sections of bills over his eight years in office, about twice the number challenged by all previous presidents combined, according to data compiled by Christopher Kelley, a political science professor at Miami University in Ohio.
Many of Mr. Bush’s challenges were based on an expansive view of the president’s power, as commander in chief, to take actions he believes necessary, regardless of what Congress says in legislation. ...
...Mr. Obama’s directive was consistent with what he said in the 2008 presidential campaign, when he criticized Mr. Bush’s use of signing statements as an abuse. He said he would use them in a more restrained manner.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/us...ning.html?_r=1
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