Just a piece of paper

Overview

In general, this page should serve as a record of any instances where leaders, who are sworn to uphold the laws and principles of their constituency, show blatant disregard for those laws and principles.

George W. Bush

In particular, the page was created to collect information related to George W. Bush's alleged statement that the US Constitution is "just a goddamned piece of paper". This quote originally came from a 2005-12-09 "rant" by Doug Thompson of Capitol Hill Blue:

"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!"

Thompson states that two other sources present at the meeting have confirmed this account, although Thompson does not name the sources.

Issuepedia is not currently aware of any specific retractions or refutations of this alleged quote. Wikiquote, under "Misattributed", states that the quote has been retracted, but provides no link to the retraction.

Links

• 2005-12-09 Bush on the Constitution: "Just a goddamned piece of paper" by Doug Thompson
  • Commentary: digg
• 2005-12-14 Did President Bush Really Say That? by Chuck Baldwin, The Conservative Voice, appears to understand the severity of such a statement, but appears almost equally bothered by the use of profanity within it. (Such profanity would, of course, contradict Bush's stance as a devout Christian, betraying lack of regard for his support base in addition to lack of regard for the Constitution.)

Fiction

• "Ink on a page!" – Lord Refa, defending his plan to use mass-drivers against rival world Narn in violation of treaty (Babylon 5)