Having now read the article for the first time, I don't think I have a big issue with signing statements. To me,it sets out executive policy on laws. If Congress wants to frame them better to avoid interpretation which is contrary to the actual intention of Congress, then Congress should try harder in its legislative drafting.
I personally regard Harding as the worst US president, simply because Harding was inept and his administration utterly corrupt. Worse, Harding appeared to have no idea of this and when he did find out the despair drove him to death. Nixon was deluded about executive power, and Bush was a simplistic idealogue with poorly thought out stratgies and partisan advisors. But the administrations of neither man were blatantly corrupt in the same sense as Harding's was.
Little surprised to see Hoover on the list.
But this was what struck me most of the text:
But Bush shut out and even demonized the Democrats.
The divisive politics which was a hallmark of Bush, in an age where unity was needed to combat the clear menace of terrorism, is reflected in this forum. Bush has gone, but his legacy of demonisation of your opponents is still in full swing.
Look at the topics here. Its full of hysteria about socialism, global economic conspiracies and Presidential weakness. I don't see even faint praise for anything Obama / the Dems have done - the most obvious and bipartisan of which should be sending more troops to Afghanistan to fight the Taleban, which even extremist right wing Christian fundamentalists should entirely support.
The best thing that could happen to the GOP is for a reasonable, sensible leader to step forward out of the ashen ruins of the Bush administration and take a stand to work with the Dems to overcome the significant obstacles that now confront the United States, and in particular, the global economic crisis. In doing so, the GOP would re-establish its credentials with the middle class, and make a break with the divisive politics of the Bush/Cheney era.
