Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

President Bush, again defying Congress, says he has the power to edit the Homeland Security Department's reports about whether it obeys privacy rules while handling background checks, ID cards and watchlists.

     In the law Bush signed Wednesday, Congress stated no one but the privacy officer could alter, delay or prohibit the mandatory annual report on Homeland Security department activities that affect privacy, including complaints.

     But Bush, in a signing statement attached to the agency's 2007 spending bill, said he will interpret that section "in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive branch."

One example was the provison that high-ranking officials have at least five years of experience, which the Bush Administration rejected because it would "disqualify" good candidates. Proof enough that this groups care little about the safety of this country.