King George Watch

If you thought the notion that this president is a threat to the constitution is a "fringe" or "hysterical" notion, then a bipartisan panel the American Bar Association must now be "fringe" and "hysterical". His expansive and substantive use of "signing statements" to gut the separation of powers is unprecedented. Well, not quite. There are precedents, just not in America:

The issue has deep historical roots, the panel said, noting that Parliament had condemned King James II for nonenforcement of certain laws in the 17th century. The panel quoted the English Bill of Rights: 'The pretended power of suspending of laws, or the execution of laws, by regal authority, without consent of Parliament, is illegal.'

King George indeed.