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Signing for Dummies.

If it weren't for the indispensable work of Charlie Savage at the Boston Globe, we might never know how stupid we have become to believe we still live in a democracy. The Decider struck again this week and the timing could not have been more appropriate.

At the same time we learn of a report by the non partisan Congressional Research Service that concludes Bush's use of signing statements are part of his "comprehensive strategy to strengthen and expand executive power" at the expense of Congress, Bush goes and proves their findings accurate. For you see when the President signed a new Homeland Security bill into law on Wednesday, he added a signing statement saying once again he would ignore the law he just signed.

Among the powers Bush said he possessed were the authority to alter Homeland Security reports regarding privacy rules and, far more appallingly given the aftermath of Katrina, ignore minimum qualification requirements for future directors of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Bush sure does want cronyism to remain the status quo for FEMA. Maybe he has someone in mind for a recess appointment. I hear Mark Foley is available.

Of course, these statements are just the latest notes in this sad symphony. When will someone point out The Decider is off key?

(Filed at State of the Day)