Obama never actually signed Patriot Act revision
By Latrivia
@Latrivia (2878)
United States
June 18, 2011 5:14pm CST
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/28/us/politics/28sign.html
Looks like machines are taking over in every industry, including the presidency.I'm interested in seeing how this will go down. Personally I think if we're going to pay a person hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to do a job, the least they could do it in person. I don't agree with the 2005 memorandum from the Justice Department saying that this is an okay practice. It isn't. Why you ask?
U.S. Constitution: Aricle 1, Section 7, Clause 2: "Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not"
If he approves, he shall sign it. He - meaning the actual president, not a machine designed to reproduce his signature. Personally I think this voids the revision, but I'm sure they'll find a way to circumvent yet another constitutional provision. What is the constitution besides a piece of paper, right?
2 people like this
7 responses
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
19 Jun 11
The problem wasn't the use of a robosigner but whether the foreclosure prcess was valid. The banks were using people who were not qualified to decide if the foreclosure should proceed.
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
19 Jun 11
Okay suppose ou do something online and need to provide an electronic signature? It's part of the times. What do you expect, should the president still be using a quill pen?
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
19 Jun 11
I just find it ironic that we're talking about a bill that is one of the biggest violations of the constitution on multiple levels and yet the issue is suddenly the constitutionality of how it was signed rather than the load of crapped contained in it.
@Latrivia (2878)
• United States
19 Jun 11
I had hoped it would have invalidated the parts that were extended, but as someone already pointed out, after 10 days it becomes a law if not vetoed. Oh well.
It is funny, but not surprising. The politicians who passed this extension don't care about the constitution if adhering to it themselves inconveniences them.
@dark_joev (3034)
• United States
19 Jun 11
I was kinda hoping that the he used that E-verifcation thing you know the last 4 digits of your SSN. This is actually kinda cool sorry to say but I think that he did sign it. I mean he may not of been in the room but the Bill did get signed I mean I am sure he doesn't even read the Bill like most of congress doesn't so this really isn't a big deal.
@yoyo1198 (3641)
• United States
19 Jun 11
Further on down in Section 7: "If and bill shall not be returned by the president within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law."
So, it really doesn't need his signature at all, does it? He could just leave it setting on his desk for ten days. Makes the issue of a rubber stamp or computer signature kind of moot.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
20 Jun 11
He didn't want proof he's just as bad as Bush to be left for posterity, or he was in hurry to get to the golf course.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
19 Jun 11
Since Obama believes that machines, like ATMs, are the cause of the unemployment problem, isn't he worried that the Autopen might make his job obsolete too? Maybe we don't really need as many politicians in Washington, maybe a few more robots would cause less trouble.
