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Presidential Candidates and signing statements, pre-emptive war, and more!

December 22, 2007 By AmberPaw

On signing statements, the differences are also huge.

For example, John McCain believes that the president is not above the law; Mitt Romney believes the president IS above the law.

Republican John McCain says that if he is elected president, he would consider himself bound to obey treaties because they are “the law of the land.” But Mitt Romney says he would consider himself free to bypass treaties if they “impinge” on his powers as commander in chief.

For the entire article on signing statements, go to:

http://www.boston.com/news/nat…

Going through the survey, question by question, makes clear that Mitt Romney as president would not be subject to law, the congress, or any checks and balances at all.  

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Filed Under: User Tagged With: imperial-presidency, presidential-candidates, rule-of-law, signing-statements

Comments

  1. jconway says

    December 22, 2007 at 12:11 pm

    Franklin said

    <

    p>

    Those desiring both liberty and security will soon have neither.

    • david says

      December 22, 2007 at 2:20 pm

      Wikiquote sez:

      <

      p>

      Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

      This statement was used as a motto on the title page of An Historical Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania. (1759) which was attributed to Franklin in the edition of 1812, but in a letter of September 27, 1760 to David Hume, he states that he published this book and denies that he wrote it, other than a few remarks that were credited to the Pennsylvania Assembly, in which he served. The phrase itself was first used in a letter from that Assembly dated November 11, 1755 to the Governor of Pennsylvania. … Researchers now believe that a fellow diplomat by the name of Richard Jackson is the primary author of the book. With the information thus far available the issue of authorship of the statement is not yet definitely resolved, but the evidence indicates it was very likely Franklin, who in the Poor Richard’s Almanack of 1738 is known to have written a similar proverb: “Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power.”

      Many paraphrased variants derived from this saying have arisen and have usually been incorrectly attributed to Franklin:

      “They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
      “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
      “Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.”
      “He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security.”
      “He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.”
      “People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.”
      “If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose them both.”
      “Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.”
      “He who gives up freedom for safety deserves neither.”
      “Those who would trade in their freedom for their protection deserve neither.”

      <

      p>At least according to that source, Amber’s version is closer.

  2. amberpaw says

    December 22, 2007 at 7:37 pm

    Check the full survey.  My read of Question 7 and the answers is that former Gov. Mitt Romney is the ONLY candidate, Republican or Democrat to come right out and say yes to torture even if expressly against the law.

    <

    p>Peter – tell me it ain’t so!  

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