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Signing ceremonies are formal occasions where significant documents are signed, often by presidents or governors. They are used to generate publicity and create a historical record. Controversy can arise when signing statements are used to undermine the intent of the law. Other leaders also hold signing ceremonies, which can complicate the process. Signing ceremonies are not limited to politics and can occur in other contexts, such as the ratification of treaties or acceptance of contracts in professional sports.
A signing ceremony is a formal occasion where a significant document is formally signed. These ceremonies are most commonly associated with the formal signing into effect by a president, governor, or similar official of laws passed by a legislative body, and are part of the political culture of most democracies. A signing ceremony can be used in other contexts where the formal signing of a document might merit press, historical record, or public attention. All signing ceremonies are typically carefully planned, timed, and managed.
Some of the most famous signing ceremonies are those that take place when a president formally signs a bill. The passage of important pieces of legislation is usually heralded with great pomp and ceremony. Favored political allies or symbolically important members of the public are often invited to attend this type of signing ceremony. Other favorite allies can be rewarded with mementos of the signing process, such as the pens used for signing.
In some cases, this type of signing ceremony can generate controversy. The presidents of both parties, and leaders in many other contexts, often face accusations of using such ceremonies as occasions for grandstands and empty political theatre. US presidents have also faced questions about their use of signing statements. A signatory statement, which is issued simultaneously with newly signed laws, specifies the precise way in which the executive intends to enforce a new law. Controversy arises when a president uses such statements in a way that can be perceived to undermine the actual intent of the law.
Governors and other leaders also often hold signing ceremonies, with the same general goals. They too are often accused of making political theatre. Executives’ use of veto power over line items can further complicate the signing ceremony. Unlike the President of the United States, many other leaders have the authority to ratify only selected parts of a piece of legislation. This, in some cases, may even distort the original intent of the legislation. Sometimes, veto power over line items can even give an executive the controversial power to effectively rewrite legislation by selectively vetoing individual words.
The use of signing ceremonies isn’t limited to the realm of politics. Any solemn occasion where documents are signed can be turned into a signing ceremony. These occasions range from the ratification of treaties to the acceptance of contracts in the world of professional sport. The purpose behind these ceremonies is usually still to generate publicity and create a historical record of events.
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