I’m really busy with tests this week, but I wanted to point out an article I ran into on CNN:
Memo: Bush’s power trumps laws on torture. (CNN.com)
Apparently, the Bush administration decided back in 2003 that the President’s supreme wartime powers could supersede national and international law.
The 81-page memo was almost entirely about ways to skirt legal troubles for those caught torturing prisoners. One quote stood out especially for me:
“Our previous opinions make clear that customary international law is not federal law and that the president is free to override it at his discretion.”
What!? Bush has the power to decide which UN laws apply to America? Excuse me, but I seem to recall something in the constitution about this. Oh yeah, this:
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
So, apparently, it’s perfectly within Bush’s authority to completely ignore the constitution whenever he wants. Oh well, this election farce was fun while it lasted.
Tags: politics
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This entry was posted on April 1, 2008 at 11:11 pm and is filed under Politics. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
