Originally posted by: Ozoned
Here is the wall that you will never be able to climb, Harvey
The Military Commissions Act defines certain prohibitions of Common Article 3 for United States law, and it reaffirms and reinforces the authority of the President to interpret the meaning and application of the Geneva Conventions.
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We are a nation of Laws and rules. Pretty much guarantees that anyone with the power to make a law or rule can do what they feel they are compelled to do.
You can express outrage, but that is all you can do, unless you are willing to live outside the confines of these Laws and rules we have.
That's an executive order CLAIMING that the executive has the power to do what you just said. We are indeed a nation of laws and rules, and a major rule is something President Bush and his supporters seem to be unfamiliar with...it's called "separation of powers", and it basically says that the President can't define his own authority outside the scope allowed by the constitution and the other two branches of government (to whom this rule obviously also applies).
Of COURSE the President is going to issue an executive order saying he has the power to do whatever the hell he wants, that doesn't mean it's legal.
