I have no dog in this fight, being a foreigner, but it does seem a somewhat dubious method to use. How would you folks feel if a Clinton duplicate president used similar methodologies in the future to evade legislation produced by Republican-controlled houses?
The author of this piece is wringing his hands over President Bush's openness about acting the way most or all of our Presidents have. IOW, this President is using signing statements to let Congress know up front, as opposed to saying nothing, yet handling legislation in the very same way.
As was pointed out in this piece, "Congress can use its "power of the purse" to deny the president appropriations that he has requested; it can refuse to advance legislation that the president favors; or it can repeal legislation authorizing programs the president supports.