Goin' Postal

Not one week into the new year and W's back at it. Now he wants to read your mail. To a new Postal bill, he adds one of his signature "signing statements":

"The executive branch shall construe subsection 404(c) of title 39, as enacted by subsection 1010(e) of the act, which provides for opening of an item of a class of mail otherwise sealed against inspection, in a manner consistent, to the maximum extent permissible, with the need to conduct searches in exigent circumstances, such as to protect human life and safety against hazardous materials, and the need for physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence collection.

Agreed that this doesn't sound like much. But the question remains, if as Tony Snow says, "this is not new," then why add the new language?

And yes Stalin, I admit my bias here. After 6 years of relentless (I said I was biased) attacks on our privacy, I'm not real keen on biting on, "Hey, I'm just sayin'." If its not new, or irrelevant then don't add it. Like my middle school teacher used to say, "When in doubt, KISS." No, she didn't mean "Knights in Satan's Service," but she did mean "Keep It Simple Stupid." It's almost like she's reaching through time to talk directly to W (sorry, couldn't resist the jab, remember I'm biased. Once I admit that, I'm allowed to say anything I want, its the power of honesty).