The Presidency: President Reagan

The Presidency: President Reagan

Signing statements backdates in to the 19^th century but in the modern America it has became the source of controversy. This is because in the recent past there has been extra usage of statements by presidents as basis to assert legal or constitutional objections to the enactments of congress. President Reagan made the introductory massive signing of statements, his predecessors have continued the practice, which is transforming this mechanism into an assertion of the intent, and authority bestowed presidency. Bush presidency gave rise to the debate into the matter due to the concerns of the public on checks and balances. Acting of the growing concerns, the American Bar Association did publish a report that would discuss the issue extensively. According to them, the mechanism is a contradiction of the country’s rule of law and undermines the provision of separation of powers in the constitution.

Presidents have no power of claiming that they have the authority or intention of disregarding part of the congress intention. Research indicates that there is no adherence of the practice in the constitution and that such assertions are clear violations of the constitution that such presidents pledged to protect. It also undermines the authority of judiciary. This is so because in the case Dacosta v. Nixon the district court did state that it is only after the passage of a bill and its approval by the president that it becomes a law regardless of any differences that it may have will policies of the executive administration. Such policies will affect the entire country and offices across the country regardless of any judgments that such administrations might have concerning the policy.

According to Senator Arlen Specter, even after the efforts by the congress.............