By Kenneth J. Theisen, 1/5/07
In another indication that the Bush regime has not changed its fascist
direction, in December President Bush attached a signing statement to
legislation that would have required search warrants to open first class mail.
His signing statement indicates that he believes that the government may not
always be required to obtain a warrant.
Since Bush took office he has consistently attached signing statements to
laws to either re-interpret them or to indicate that he will not follow the
law. He has issued more signing statements than all other presidents combined.
Most statements have expanded presidential powers particularly in areas related
to “national security”.
The statement that Bush attached reads as follows:
The executive
branch shall construe subsection 404(c) of title 39, as enacted by subsection
1010(e) of the act, which provides for opening of an item of a class of mail
otherwise sealed against inspection, in a manner consistent, to the maximum
extent permissible, with the need to conduct searches in exigent circumstances,
such as to protect human life and safety against hazardous materials, and the
need for physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence
collection.
Present law allows the opening of first class mail if it is suspected that
it contains a bomb, in order to ascertain a correct mailing address if
necessary, or if a search warrant is obtained from a judge. Bush is apparently trying to carve out other
exceptions such as “intelligence collection”.
This latest move is consistent with the NSA’s massive email and phone spying
which was exposed a year ago. Opening
our mail would seem to follow as the regime destroys any vestiges of expected privacy
in communications all in the name of “national security”.
Regime spokesman Tony Snow, in responding to questions about what is meant
by the signing statement, claims “this is not new”. But if it is not, why did Bush issue the
statement? What is not new is the fact
that the Bush regime has consistently undermined constitutional protections
whenever it has been able to do so. It will not stop until it is driven from
power.