TMI: Secure Fence Act
So the rightwing BLOG-O-SPHERE has been losing its melon over the Secure Fence Act. It was passed by Congress on September 29, and the Congress says the President has ten days (not including Sundays) to sign it, in which case it becomes law, unless Congress is not in session, in which case it does not. This is the "pocket veto."
So Bush hasn't signed it yet! It's been vetoed!
Well, no. As usual, people have way Too Much Information to be able to reasonably process what's actually going on.
What the Constitution actually says is that Bush has ten days after it shall have been presented to him. The counter does not start when the bill passes, but when he gets it. And as of Tuesday, the bill still had not been presented to him, so the counter had not yet begun.
So, chill. He promised he will sign it. He will therefore sign it, because he always has fulfilled that promise. There's no reason to think this will be the first time he won't.
So Bush hasn't signed it yet! It's been vetoed!
Well, no. As usual, people have way Too Much Information to be able to reasonably process what's actually going on.
What the Constitution actually says is that Bush has ten days after it shall have been presented to him. The counter does not start when the bill passes, but when he gets it. And as of Tuesday, the bill still had not been presented to him, so the counter had not yet begun.
So, chill. He promised he will sign it. He will therefore sign it, because he always has fulfilled that promise. There's no reason to think this will be the first time he won't.
"It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt."
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