[oldbrowser]

In essence, the theory holds that the executive - the president - may interpret the laws and the Constitution as he wishes, without regard to congressional legislation or court ruling.

This is a bald faced lie.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

the theory holds that the executive - the president - may interpret the laws and the Constitution as he wishes, without regard to congressional legislation or court ruling.

Let Al Gore get caught breaking a law that was so clear that nobody ever violated it before, and he says "there is no controlling legal authority" - insinuating but not saying in plain language that there is reason to suppose that the law is unconstitutional and he is challenging it (of course he never did, because with Janet Reno in the Justice Department his bluff was never called).

Here we have a situation where the law has been tested in court, and the president was found to have the authority Bush is claiming. Not merely is there "no controlling legal authority" against the president - there is controlling legal authority in favor of the president.