[PatrickHenry]

I have had a deepening disgust with the leader of America, and just thought I would start a thread to thrash his scurvy butt with facts. Feel free to join in with factual material about how his respect for our Republic is lacking. Yeah, yeah, his predecessors were worthless trash, too, but Dubya takes the cake.

For instance this: http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0501c.asp

On November 1, 2001, President Bush issued an executive order entitled “Further Implementation of the Presidential Records Act.” His order effectively overturned an act of Congress and a Supreme Court decision and could make it far more difficult for Americans to learn of government abuses. Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor, declared that the executive order “effectively rewrote the Presidential Records Act, converting it from a measure guaranteeing public access to one that blocks it.” <snip> The White House completely misrepresented both the 1978 law and the new executive order. On the day after his surprise order, Bush commented, “We responded to a new law written by Congress that lays out a procedure that I think is fair for past presidents.” (Most 23-year-old laws are no longer considered new.) At a press briefing on the day Bush’s order was announced, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said, “As a result of the new law that is now going into effect, and thanks to the executive order that the president will soon issue, more information will be forthcoming.” Fleischer insisted that Bush’s order was a triumph in open government because “under the existing procedures, existing law, a former president has the right to withhold anything for any reason, if they don’t want to make it public.” That was ludicrous, since a post-Watergate Congress would not have passed a law to make presidents czars in perpetuity over the records of their actions in office. Fleischer insisted that there “will be a 90-day time limit” on presidents’ right to review requests. Bush’s executive order mentioned 90 days, but a former president will be entitled to dally as long as he pleases. After a journalist asked Fleischer about the new requirement for “people having to demonstrate their need for the information” about a former president’s actions, Fleischer snipped, “So you’re making guesses and judgments, all of which would indicate malfeasance or withholding of information by this administration. And I just can’t accept that; that’s not the case.” The journalist responded, “So you are saying, trust us, it’ll all be fine?” Fleischer snapped, “You are saying, we don’t trust you.” Trust was the issue — regardless of whether Bush’s order was legal or constitutional and regardless of how much information could be hidden in perpetuity because of the new restrictions. <snip> Has the people’s “right to know” been replaced by presidents’ right to suppress? Congress should reject Bush’s nominee for national archivist and should pass a law razing Bush’s Iron Curtain around presidential records. The more secrecy the government is permitted, the more lies the public will suffer.

He's covering for the abuses of power that are endemic in the White House. All presidents want their good deeds publicized...