President Bush Jokes About Signing Unconstitutional CFR Bill

comment found in Washington Post article here ^ | Sunday, March 24, 2002 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

The Washington Post reported today that President joked about signing the unconstitutional Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill passed by the Senate last week.

Bush, in a statement issued Wednesday night, had expressed misgivings about whether parts of the bill were constitutional but said that he would sign the bill anyway.

His decision to sign the bill has kicked up a firestorm of dissent in the conservative community, including a scathing editorial by The Washington Times and a letter from the American Conservative Union signed by 60 conservative leaders.

[Robear]

Exactly. What we need to do next election cycle is to elect as many conservatives as possible, then browbeat the hell out of the Republican Party to let them know that next time, we won't be so cooperative. We need to rise up as a force, then wield that power. We can crush diverse special interests if we focus on winning small battles, consistently. That's exactly what D'asshole's afraid of: the courts are little battles, over time. Time for the Republican party to learn some finesse, and at the same time play smash-mouth politics with these Communists er-Democrats.

[calebcar]

If none of these are the real reasons, then exactly what is the reason? Occam's Razor basically states that the simplest answer to a question is usually the correct one. In this case, the simplest answer appears to be that Bush really doesn't care about our Rights or the Constitution.

Doesn't answer what does he care about. Besides demoralized I'm utterly baffled. After New Hampshire and 9/11 he he seemed to hav deomostrated that he knows you cna't placate your enemies. $ for campaigns. He can get as much as he wants. ONly way he loses is what he's doing, alienating the base.

I can think of no reason, hororable or dishororable, for his signing this bill.

Help.

[Texasforever]

You know what? If this is true and he said it, he is finished. I hope you have his ear. Because nothing short of a veto is going to help him with the conservative or republican movement, it is dead. If he said this. Now get his ear or at least go away.

I no more have his ear than you do. He is going to sign the bill and let it go to court. It's funny, for the first time ever I saw "Independence Day" on TV. It was a great flick and enjoyable but I think the president as depicted in that movie is the ideal that some on here want Bush to mimic. They want him to stick it to the democrats with every sharp stick he finds, You want him to make fire and brimstone speeches blasting the evil democrats. But if anyone had paid the slightest attention to him in the campaign and while he was Texas Governor, that is not his style. DC was not only built on a swamp it is a swamp. If you go in yelling and thrashing around you will sink into the goo. I read the McConnell analysis of this bill and it so damned blatantly bad that I think the court could likely overturn the entire mess. I am not arguing that it would not be a good emotional feeling to see Bush rip the bill in two on TV but that is not the way he does things and the fact is, it wouldn't work anyway.

Remeber the first two weeks after 911 and no bombs were falling and then came the threads that Bush didn't have the sand to fight back?

[Dave S]

How the hell is this consistant with the oath Dubya took to uphold the Constitution? It's literally Betting the First Amendment on a crapshoot.

Why is it whenever anything passes you guys dont like you make like its a constitutional crisis? Do you have any sense of perspective. You all sound like Bush was single handedly censoring the press, locking up his enemies without trial, and breaking down doors to take peoples guns away.

The parts of this law that are clearly not going to pass constitutional muster are goign to be stripped from the bill by the courts prior to the laws goign into effect. And if the courts dont strip those parts out, then they werent unconstitutional in the first place. Stupid legislation yes, but then what else would you expect from Washington.

[healey22]

Many conservatives believe President Bush will be ripping through the Constitution when he signs the bill.

It appears that our President would rather expend his political capital on 245(i)(amnesty) instead of the Constitution of the United States or judges who would protect the Constitution.

[Lancey Howard]

By the way, I am growing real weary about all the hand-wringing and whining over this CFR. "Soft money", "hard money" - - it all sounds to me like it will end up being nothing more than a big accounting game. And who enforces this law? What are the penalties for simply ignoring it? Remember, the scumocrats completely ignored all the previous "campaign finance laws" and all it cost them were a few minions. Not one big-shot ever went to jail or got nailed. So maybe this new CFR really is what it was meant to be all along - - a "legacy" for McCain and a paper tiger PR show. Meaningless in the end. A sick joke.

[Jhoffa_]

Why is it whenever anything passes you guys dont like you make like its a constitutional crisis?

Dave, what part of censorship and Free Speech don't you understand?

Look, if you don't have a problem with betting your Right's in a crapshoot to win favor in the media then I think maybe you are in the wrong place.

When Dubya and a Majority of Congress conspire to muffle you and take away your right's.. expecting the SCOTUS to step in, play "goalie" and prevent serious damage from being done then IT IS a Constitutional Crisis.

I am glad that you have so much faith in our court system that you would bet my right's on it. Thanks.

[nunya bidness]

You've got your hands full. Carry on.

[redrock]

THe President also needs to REMEMBER the Oath that he took when sworn in........something about defending the Constitution ...

...but he's been busy and has just forgotten where his duty lies.

redrock--Constitutional Terrorist

[Jhoffa_]

You all sound like Bush was single handedly censoring the press..

No, don't be ridiculous..

1) He had Congress to help him.

2) The "press" won't be censored.. They are the ones who couldn't care less about CFR, it doesn't affect them.

It affects US.

[brat]

"This is political reality, and Bush is playing along, and I don't have problem with that"...well I do. We didn't fight hard and vote for him so he could "play along."

[slimer]

And I love all the long winded conspiracy theories on how Bush is really doing the right thing.

Here's one for ya. Bush is purposely signing this bill into law because it will expose the lengths that polititians will go to in order to look like they are doing something useful. This bill says, "we are serious about campaign finance reform and to prove it we're going to pass this bill". If it turns out to be unconstitutional, so what? Does anyone really believe that anything is going to change signifigantly as the result of some ridiculous legislation?

They (the politicos) are going to go on doing what they've been doing all along, namely, spend the taxpayers money any and every way they can. The election process is corrupted beyond repair, FUBAR, and all this talk about fixing it is a smoke screen, a pacifier. It's like putting a band aid on a decapitated limb. But it helps to divert attention from other things.

[The Raven]

The Constitution does tell citizens what they can do, but rather what the government CANNOT do. Especially the Bill of Rights. It is almost time for citizens to reign in the out of control big government...the question is HOW? Perhaps we need a separate thread for ideas.

[GregoryFul]

remember Clinton and the Chinese money?

Yes, it was illegal -- was anything done?

[Centurion2000]

Bush will sign the bill. The Supreme Court will void it.

Instead of picking on Bush, write those rascally RINOs who represent you and tell them that since they act no better than a Democrat, you're going to help replace them with the real McGilla next time. Its the only language these dirtbags understand.

Leadership and policy is set from the top. If Bush is willing to shred the Constitution as he signs this bill into law, he will be setting the example. The rest of Congress and the Republicans follows off his lead.

There is NO EXCUSE for selling out on this bill and even calling it "strategy" is no better than the pathetic excuse it is.

Some things you have to take a stand on. You're enemies may scream about it and you may give them political ammo, but your core backers (conservatives) will respect your ethics even more.

[brat]

I don't expect Bush to "compromise" on every key issue there is.....and so far, he's giving away the farm! The Constitution isn't up for "compromise."

[Schakaljager]

I've got many pubbie friends across the country and I've heard very few complaints so far. I agree CFR will do some damage to him but not enough to cost him next election. And I say this: If those RINO pubbies in the congress are unwilling to fight on their own, there's no reason for Bush to take political heat for them. How come nobody voted McLame out of office all these years? Signing CFR will not cost him election, veto it just might do it.

[GregoryFul]

Well, you won't see me protesting a Florida vote fiasco again. Man's a waste of breath.

[redrock]

"......here want Bush to mimic. They want him to stick it to the democrats with every sharp stick he finds, You want him to make fire and brimstone speeches blasting the evil democrats."

No....but it would be nice if he actually would remember that as President his main job is to protect and defend the Constitution.

...and if he thinks the law is un-Constitutional...then he should have the cojones to stand up and refuse to sign it.

..and,if by some stange chance, he actually thinks that the law IS Constitutional...then we DO have the wrong man in the White House.

redrock--Constitutional Terrorist