During a meeting with Republican Congressional leaders last month, in which they expressed concerns about renewing the Patriot Act, President George W. Bush reportedly espoused a very low opinion of the Constitution, calling it “just a goddamned piece of paper.”
This report, if true, would corroborate many things we’ve seen out of the Bush administration since it took over in 2001, such as the Patriot Act itself, the resistance to judicial process for people captured in the so-called war on terror, and more.
I won’t go into all the reasons why true conservatives have become increasingly concerned over the Bush presidency in this post, though I’ve written about them before and will again. Today the topic is Bush’s opinion of the Constitution and the rule of law.
GOP leaders told Bush that his hardcore push to renew the more onerous provisions of the act could further alienate conservatives still mad at the President from his botched attempt to nominate White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.
“I don’t give a goddamn,” Bush retorted. “I’m the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.”
“Mr. President,” one aide in the meeting said. “There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.”
“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,” Bush screamed back. “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!”
I’ve talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution “a goddamned piece of paper.”
And, to the Bush Administration, the Constitution of the United States is little more than toilet paper stained from all the shit that this group of power-mad despots have dumped on the freedoms that “goddamned piece of paper” used to guarantee. — Doug Thompson
I even hesitated to post this today, because Thompson is frequently an unreliable source of information, but something like this needs to be investigated and verified or refuted. (Such as his claim, in the very same post, that Alberto Gonzales said the Constitution was an outdated document. He actually said the Geneva Convention was outdated. Commentators writing about that statement literally put words in Gonzales’ mouth. And that’s yet another story.)
I know a few House staffers read this site from time to time. Contact me if you were present and can verify what happened at this meeting.
The Patriot Act reauthorization has come out of conference with most of the safeguards against abuse scrapped, and I urge you to contact your representative and Senators now to advise them to vote No.
(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Ultimately, the war supporters in Congress prevailed in the vote on the resolution. Still, the vote was significant because it places every member of Congress on the record as supporting or not supporting the unconstitutional, costly, violent occupation of a country that never attacked us. This vote should serve as an important reminder to the American people of where their representatives really stand when it comes to policing the world, empire building, and war.
Gardner Goldsmith explains why claims by politicians that consumers can become "irrational" and why claims by the same politicians that government can help "fix" markets are both false and misleading. He also explains what the terms Praxeology and Epistemology mean, which is key in understanding how to place free markets in their proper place among human history.
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William Stone, III
Dec 10, 2005
It’s not like this should come as any kind of surprise, really. The Constitution has increasingly been used as toilet paper by those in government since at least the Lincoln Administration. Certainly its guarantees and limits on power have come to mean absolutely nothing in the last century or so. I’m only surprised that it’s taken this long for a President to acknowlege the truth of the situation.
Charles W. Stricklin
Dec 11, 2005
Color me “skeptical” that this really happened.
Christina Hutcheson
Dec 12, 2005
This is in response to the enlightening rebuttal provided by Mr. William Stone,III. I think you are right. Screw the Constitution and all it stands for! Why respect each other? Why follow any laws? Everyone misuses everything, right? Perhaps we should just burn it all down? Forget government and that pesky document created to keep all peoples of the nation under a silly piece of paper. I mean there is something better right? Do you have any suggestions for something better? Try total anarchy. Or better yet, why not realize that this “goddamn piece of paper” is the only reason we are allowed to question our government or is individual thought outdated as well? Who needs individual opinions such as the filth that spawned from your own keyboard? After all, our government is doing such a good job of taking care of all of us in our gilded cages. (Well it is for me anyway as I don’t live in hurricane territory.) Question our government? How unpatriotic, but dismissing our founding father’s philosophy is ok. I would rather question the individuals in government versus the ideas we hold to our heart, but then I value morality over loyalty.
Jerry
Dec 12, 2005
I dont believe that he said this. I dont believe it for a second. I dislike this man and all of his actions.
First of all the man claims to be a born again christian so him using that particular slur in public would be suicide. and of course noone can be that stupid.
not even bush (he has aides remember)
Randy Willis
Dec 13, 2005
In regards to Bush’s use of the GD term. There or other reports of him using that I do believe. He is also very fond of the three finger salute. Born again or not.
Jason
Dec 13, 2005
I found this on and they do have a point regarding this wild rumor of a story. I’d also like to see another source other than Doug Thompson’s lone story.
STOP THE PRESSES! I get no pleasure in reporting stories like this. This story has made the rounds of the Internet. The claim that Bush called the U.S. Constitution just a g-damned piece of paper. HOWEVER, after doing an in depth search on the Internet for this story I noticed something amiss. All sources of the story or rumor point back to the very same source, a writer by the name of Doug Thompson.
This is not the way to do business. One person makes an uncorroborated claim and all the alternative news sites and blogs follow his unsubstantiated lead? As Christians we are told that at the mouth of two or more witnesses, let every word be established—not one!
If we are to be fair and honest in our journalism then some particle of credibility must exist. And though Bush MAY HAVE said this (I wouldn’t put it passed him), or MAY NOT HAVE, but that is not at question here. What is at question is, that if THREE individuals who were in the meeting with Bush when he made this historic statement, according to Thompson, why then did these three individuals only tell him, and no one else?
I present the story to you here for those who are not familiar with it and for those who are. The Watchman Report does not believe in publishing such reports as facts. It is an uncorroborated, unsubstantiated report from only ONE third party witness, therefore it constitutes not fact, but hearsay.
There is enough, credible news and information regarding this nefarious administration. We don’t need hearsay rumors based on one person’s testimony. Until we have a secondary (and possibly third source – depending on who the secondary source is) this is considered a non-story, but one that is so harsh in it’s claims that it had to be addressed.
Jason
Dec 13, 2005
it was on http://www.watchmanreport.com
Michael Mantra
Dec 13, 2005
Dear Jason:
Forget the story…how many millions of witnesses are there to the FACTS that Bush has LITERALLY shredded our
Constitution,committed mass murder of US troops & Iraqi
men,women & children by means of both conventional weapons
and nuclear weapons(depleted uranium),continued the policies
of his father in regard to destroying the US economy, plus,
at the VERY least, participated in the COVER-UP of the crime
of 9/11, which involved mass murder of US citizens…those of
you who have eyes should see, and those who have ears should
hear…Michael Urbanek, Notary Public PHILA PA
Jason
Dec 13, 2005
Mike,
That’s my point exactly. Why discredit ourselves with far-reaching “conspiracy-theory” type reports of hearsay when there is so much REAL damning evidence of blatant wickedness within this administration.
Publishing a hearsay report discredits all who report the substantiated reports.
Dave Nalle
Dec 13, 2005
Jason – since I saw the article from Capitol Hill Blue I’ve also been researching this Thompson article. The only source for this story is his article and his supposed three sources are not named. Not one other blog or media outlet or anything has corroboration for the story from any other source. In addition, the same appears to be true of the Gonzales quote included in the article. It originates with Thompson, does not appear to have been recorded anywhere else – even though he claims it is in writing.
Something is VERY fishy here.
Dave
Bill Morgan
Dec 14, 2005
This definately needs to be verified by independent sources. One source does not a fact make.
But I take issue with the comments made by Jerry in #4. The problem I have is the theory that Bush is smart enough not to commit political suicide. He’s famous for it. He sends thousands of healthy American soldiers to their death on inaccurate information but stands to plea for the life of a single brain-dead woman. This moron of a president we have can’t help but say stupid things. I’m just surprised that he was ALLOWED to be put in the position to do so.
Sadly though, our idiot-in-chief manages to continue to embarrass us, piss-off the rest of the world, and get away with it. Afterall, he’s a “christian”.
Christina Hutcheson
Dec 14, 2005
As far as the validity of the comment I’m inclined to agree with most of you that there is not enough evidence to support the case that Bush really said this, but in the same regard I can’t disprove it either. If I were to speculate as to whether or not he believes that the constitution is just a goddamn piece of paper, I feel as though this can only be determined by a reflection upon his actions. I think his actions speak more loudly than words.
Jason
Dec 14, 2005
Christina – Your are Right! It really doesn’t matter if he said the Constitution is just a gd-peice of paper, or if he said that the Constitution was a Sacred Covenant, it’s what he has done to it that merits our attention.
Rather he said it or not – it’s exactly how he treats it, as a g-d piece of meaningless paper, that is in the way of him being an outright tyrant.
As I read on The Watchman Report (www.watchmanreport.com), it is what is restraining outright tyranny (Thessalonians 2:9), but if that website’s prophetic interpetation of of this scripture is true – Oh boy – are we in trouble and in for a long dark night!
Commonwealth of MA
Dec 18, 2005
I’d love to swear about this, but I think instead I will watch, and enjoy the next 30 years.
They won’t win, some of them will go to jail, and the rest will be political lepers.
the goal here is to cockblock Jeb.
Roger The Okcitykid
Dec 19, 2005
I’ve read other articles where conservatives are defending Doug, saying that though he is anti bush, he is reliable, and Doug even defends himself.
But it doesn’t matter, I believe Bush said it, and if Bush is innocent, he can just say so.
I’ve asked Mr. Bush for an apology, he can say he didn’t say it if he wants to, as of yet, I’ve gotten no reply.
I found another article explaining that most things are recorded and that is possible that this converstation was recorded.
This is my new web site.
http://justapieceofpaper.theinsideout.us/
Michael Hampton
Dec 21, 2005
Roger, I suspect that if the question were put to Scott McClellan, his head would a splode.
I don’t know about Doug Thompson’s credibility, hence why I wrote this in the first place. I will note, however, that despite this post being read widely inside the beltway, no one has yet contacted me to confirm or deny the story, even anonymously.
Coyote Osborne
Jan 03, 2006
Frankly, I’m dubious, at best, about the accuracy of the claim that Bush said any such thing. It looks pretty fishy.
What bothers me is that my doubt comes from an assessment of the originator of the claim. I wish it came from a feeling that the president of our country was someone that I could say, with confidence, wouldn’t think or say something like that.
But just because I wouldn’t be terribly surprised to discover that our president felt that way, it doesn’t mean that the person who said he made those claims wasn’t making up porky pies.
Michael Hampton
Jan 03, 2006
Just by way of update, Thompson stands by his story, and like any good journalist, refuses to burn his sources.
“Our track record of getting to the truth of a story is a good one,” he wrote.
“We break big stories because I’m an old-fashioned journalist who believes the way to find out the truth is by digging out the facts. I work the phone, pump sources and research every item that crosses my desk. And, as the record shows, it can take the mainstream media as long as two years to catch up. That’s their problem, not ours.”
Virginia Atkinson
Jan 05, 2006
LOL! So it’s just a goddamned piece of paper? Haha! Hmmm, it seems the democrats are getting to ole “W”
In fact the constitution needs a complete ‘makeover’ just like FEMA.
Ken House
Jan 05, 2006
Jerry in comment #4 you state “Bush, has aides”.
I object as I didn’t know Bush had/has suffered a stroke.
AIDES
A = Adled
I = Intelligence
D = Developes
E = External
S = Sources
Only those of us who have suffered strokes can lay claim as to having aides.
Ken
Jan 08, 2006
Losing the Constitution - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
Jan 09, 2006
Go to jail for being annoying online - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
TODD
May 01, 2006
Any chance at confirmation of this yet???
Will Mattison
May 11, 2006
It would be nice if just one journalist at just one of President Bush’s press conferences had the courage to stand up and ask him, point-blank, for a straight-forward yes or no answer as to wjether he said it or not. As it is, the press has no more integrity nor courage than President Bush! They are afraid of upsetting the tyrant.
Sep 13, 2006
Hammer of Truth » Montrose Daily Press Reporter: Constitution Irrelevant to Public Policy
Sep 30, 2006
tepidpond Online » Our President:
wotp
Oct 04, 2006
Doug Thompson changed his claim about the source:
The original source’s archive: (588 google hits)
“I’ve heard from two White House sources who claim they heard from others present in the meeting that the President of the United States called the Constitution “a goddamned piece of paper.”
But others who copied it say: (622 google hits)
“I’ve talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution “a goddamned piece of paper.”
Who are these sources? Is this a secondary or tertiary account? There is no way to verify this, so we can’t rely on it as truth.
wozup
Nov 06, 2006
Bill Morgan
One source does not a fact make.
Except, of course, when that source is asserting the presence of WMD
in a foreign country as a pretext for invasion.
Nov 07, 2006
bitter-girl :: musings ::
Nov 24, 2006
Offensive Stuff » What our President Thinks of our Rights
showme stater
Dec 03, 2006
If this accusation is ever verified , I lay first claim to the bumper sticker rights . I’ll make a million . I pledge to donate 25% to freedomtofascism.com
Bush spporter
Dec 05, 2006
This is one of the best political hate Bush mailings I’ve ever received. The lies and inuendoes are hilarious and should be noted by every left wing liberal as their bible for deminishing any politition who serves his country as a God fearing believer. President Bush has succeded in disrupting the libral path that has led our country to the brink of disaster and must now (as a tribut by librals like M. Hampton)endure the lies and manipulations of truth. I’m certain, were all those quoted in, “Humptons halucinations”, were to find a new leader it would be some one like Al Sharpton.
Michael Hampton
Dec 05, 2006
Where did you get the mistaken impression that I was a liberal?
Also, where did you get the mistaken impression that George W. Bush was serving his country?
Finally, please learn how to spell.
Feb 13, 2007
Last Free Voice » Blog Archive » Elected Offical Has A Conscience!
Mar 08, 2007
the durnMoose blog » moosings 049 - toxic waste or “where has all the free speech gone? (long time passing)”
Jun 02, 2007
Crane » Impeach Bush for Destroying Constitution
hank
Aug 06, 2007
Our constitution was destroyed long ago by people like Abe Lincolin, when they invaded their own country to keep them from doing what was constitutional and was not going to destroy a state of union that didn’t exist in the first place.
Anonymous
Dec 01, 2007
for those who say lincoln destroyed the constitution, he emancipated the slaves and got america a step closer to the founding fathers’ statement that “all men are created equal”
Susanne
Dec 11, 2007
Bush claims to be a Christan? So did Hitler.
GrowLLLTigeRRR
Dec 22, 2007
There is a cure for this.
Ron Paul!
John
Jan 23, 2008
Hitler isn’t any less christian because he mass-murdered jews. Christians are capable of evil, don’t deny that.
bou3
Feb 17, 2008
Typical Liberal B.S. And you guys call Bush a liar. I get a little ill every time I’m linked to sinkhole like this. Posts like this and the comments that follow cause me to hardly stand my own compatriots. This is coming from a registered Democrat. I’m off from this waste of time and perfectly good IQ points to go do something productive like Photoshop™ kittens.
Dave
Jan 19, 2010
Ah ah, Hitler wasn’t a christian though. Bush may or may not have said it. But a christian does not act this way.