Is Bush in Contempt of the Constitution?

[acroyear]

Bush challenges hundreds of laws - The Boston Globe:

President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution.

Among the laws Bush said he can ignore are military rules and regulations, affirmative-action provisions, requirements that Congress be told about immigration services problems, ''whistle-blower" protections for nuclear regulatory officials, and safeguards against political interference in federally funded research.

Legal scholars say the scope and aggression of Bush's assertions that he can bypass laws represent a concerted effort to expand his power at the expense of Congress, upsetting the balance between the branches of government. The Constitution is clear in assigning to Congress the power to write the laws and to the president a duty ''to take care that the laws be faithfully executed." Bush, however, has repeatedly declared that he does not need to ''execute" a law he believes is unconstitutional.

Editorial commentary at the 'Post and the NYTimes.  Some congressional leaders (well, yes, they're Democrats) are already calling for an resolution to be passed, while Spector has set up hearings in June on the matter.

I'm going to read them and maybe I'll comment later.

Comments

[eac.livejournal.com]

Is anyone else having difficulty grasping how the president can claim the authority to disobey laws?

[thatwasjen]

He has never properly understood the second definition of "execute," has he?

[fiona64.livejournal.com]

But ... but ... we're at war! That gives him the right to do whatever he damned well pleases.

It's good to be the king, apparently. :-/

[neadods.livejournal.com]

we're at war! That gives him the right to do whatever he damned well pleases.

Exactly! This isn't how he would operate in peacetime, naturally, of COURSE, but we are at war and certain things change. (And isn't it just so incredibly convenient that when things started flagging, he declared another damn war to hold onto his status?)

[scaleslea.livejournal.com]

He thinks he's king.

Just like Nixon.

Doc