[Mypepraipse]

i know it comes as no surprise but bush attached yet another signing statment recently. this time to the postal reform act which he signed last month. it allows the government to open any mail "in exigent circumstances." this signing statement just gets rid of that pesky judicial approval thing bush seems to hate so much. tony snowjob said its not a change of policy. really? well then why the signing statment dumbass?

The law requires government agents to get warrants to open first-class letters. But when he signed the postal reform act, Bush added a statement saying that his administration would construe that provision "in a manner consistent, to the maximum extent permissible, with the need to conduct searches in exigent circumstances."
The ACLU's Beeson noted that there has been an exception allowing postal inspectors to open items they believe might contain a bomb.

"His signing statement uses language that's broader than that exception," she said, and noted that Bush used the phrase "exigent circumstances."

"The question is what does that mean and why has he suddenly put this in writing if this isn't a change in policy," she said.

In addition to suspecting a bomb or getting a warrant, postal officials are allowed by law to open letters that can't be delivered as addressed - but only to determine if they can find a correct address or a return address. its another example of an expansion of power. just who gets to decide what an exigent circumstance is? murky, broad, and expansive, just like this administration likes to operate.


Statement May Allow Gov't to Open Mail - EarthLink - Top News