More Signing-Statement Shenanigans

President Bush yesterday signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. Of course, being Bush, he couldn't resist slipping in one of his noxious "signing statements" eviscerating some of the new law's provisions. Evidently, he hoped no one would notice amid the State of the Union hoopla.

The language he used is pretty dry: "Provisions of the Act, including sections 841, 846, 1079, and 1222, purport to impose requirements that could inhibit the President's ability to carry out his constitutional obligations to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, to protect national security, to supervise the executive branch, and to execute his authority as Commander in Chief. The executive branch shall construe such provisions in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President."

But once you actually look at the text, this becomes a big deal:

• Section 841 establishes a "Commission on Wartime Contracting" to investigate fraud and profiteering in war contracts
• Section 846 protects whistleblowers employed by contractors from reprisal for exposing fraud, waste or other criminal wrongdoing
• Section 1079 requires the White House to either hand over any documentation to the House or Senate Armed Services Committee or give a good reason why not within 45 days after it is requested
• Section 1222 bars permanent American military bases in Iraq or American control of Iraqi oil resources

In other words, Bush is - once again - declaring himself to be above the law. If he feels like letting his Halliburton or Blackwater buddies run wild, or let them lock up gang-rape victims to prevent them from telling anyone, or if he just feels like telling Congress to go fly a kite, then gosh darn, he's the Commander Guy, and he can do whatever he feels like.

Can't we impeach the guy already?