So you think May Day isn't an important day in the USA?

Think again. Possibly to avoid laughter, George W. Bush issued 2 proclamations for the first of May -- posted quietly late on Friday afternoon on the White House website. To be fair, this type of proclamation is frequent and usually reflects a law, but in the current political climate, consider Loyalty Day and Law Day :

on Loyalty Day, we celebrate the gift of liberty and remember our own obligation to this great Nation ... The right to vote is one of our most cherished rights and voting is one of our most fundamental duties. By making a commitment to be good citizens, flying the American flag, or taking the time to learn about our Nation's history, we show our gratitude for the blessings of freedom ... NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2006, as Loyalty Day. I call upon all the people of the United States to join in support of this national observance, and to display the flag of the United States on Loyalty Day.

This year's Law Day theme, "Liberty Under Law: Separate Branches, Balanced Powers," honors the wisdom of the separation of powers that the Framers of our Constitution established for the Federal Government. Delegates to the Constitutional Convention recognized the risks that accompany the concentration of power and devised a system in which the Federal Government's authorities are divided among three independent branches. James Madison highlighted the importance of our Constitution's separation of powers when he wrote, "the accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands . . . may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny."

Throughout our Nation's history, we have been reminded repeatedly of the wisdom of the Framers' design. Our system of separation of powers has safeguarded our liberties and helped ensure that we remain a government of laws. Law Day is an occasion for us to celebrate our Constitution and to honor those in the judiciary and legal profession who work to uphold and serve its principles.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, in accordance with Public Law 87-20, as amended, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2006, as Law Day, U.S.A. I call upon all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also call upon Government officials to display the flag of the United States in support of this national observance.

UPDATE: Even National Review's The Corner seems unsure what to make of Law Day. To state the obvious, George W. Bush has used the GWOT to justify ignoring the other branches of government. In fact, as this Boston Globe story explains, Bush has pushed a general theory that he has the power to ignore laws duly passed by Congress that he believes are unconstitutional -- without ever testing their constitutionality in the courts.