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The Obama Watch
Obama Versus Obama: Part I
Obama 2 has decided instead that if Congress doesn’t do what he wants, he will do it by himself through Executive Orders.
Many voters will be comparing Mitt Romney with Barack Obama between now and election day. But what might be even more revealing would be comparing Obama with Obama. There is a big contrast between Obama based on his rhetoric (“Obama 1”) and Obama based on his record (“Obama 2”).
For example, during the 2008 election campaign, Obama 1 spoke of “opening up and creating more transparency in government,” so that government spending plans would be posted on the Internet for days before they passed into legislation. After he was elected president, Obama said, “My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government.”
This Obama 1 sounds like a very good fellow. No wonder so many people voted for him.
But then there is Obama 2. He passed a mammoth ObamaCare bill so fast that even members of Congress didn’t have time to read it, much less the general public. It was by no means posted on the Internet for days before the vote, as promised.
The Constitution of the United States requires transparency as well. When people are nominated by a President to become Cabinet members, the Constitution requires that they be confirmed by the Senate before they can take office, so that facts about them can become known before they are given the powers of their offices.
Although President Obama complied with this requirement when he appointed Cabinet members, he also made other appointments to powerful positions created by Executive Orders — people aptly called “czars” for the vast, unchecked powers they wielded, in some cases greater than the powers exercised by Cabinet members.
These “czars” never had to be confirmed by the Senate, and so had no public vetting before acquiring their powers. We had unknown and unaccountable rulers placed over us.
Another aspect of transparency was the Constitution’s requirement that Congress pass a budget every year. The Democratically controlled Senate during the Obama administration has not passed a budget for three consecutive years.
Passing a budget makes the administration tell the public what it will pay for, what it will have to cut to reduce the deficit — and how big the deficit will be if they don’t cut anything. By not even passing a budget, Obama 2 and his party are in effect saying to the public, “It is none of your business.” Transparency?
In his oath of office, Barack Obama swore to see that the laws are faithfully executed, as all Presidents do. But that was Obama 1. Once in the White House, Obama 2 proceeded to explicitly waive the enforcement of laws he didn’t agree with.
The immigration laws are a classic example. Failing to get Congress to pass some version of amnesty, Obama 2 simply issued an Executive Order exempting certain classes of illegal immigrants from the immigration laws on the books.
Too many people have gotten sucked into a discussion of whether it is a good or a bad thing for people brought into the country as children to be exempted. But the whole reason for Constitutional government is to have all three branches of government agree on what the laws of the land shall be.
Obama 2 has decided instead that if Congress doesn’t do what he wants, he will do it by himself through Executive Orders.
If any President can unilaterally change the law, we are not likely to have the same freedom under rule by presidential fiat as under Constitutional government. This is especially dangerous in a President’s second term, when he need no longer have to consider what the voters want. With a couple more Supreme Court appointments he can permanently change the very nature of American government.
One of the most dangerous examples of a lack of transparency was inadvertently revealed last March when Obama 2, unaware that a microphone was on, told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that, after he is reelected, and never has to face the voters again, he will have the “flexibility” to make a deal with Russia on missile defense systems.
In other words, Obama will be able to make a deal with a country that has been America’s most implacable and most formidable adversary for more than half a century — a deal he couldn’t make if the voters knew about it before the election. Think about that chilling prospect, and what it reveals about the real Obama.
COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM
About the Author
Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305. His website is www.tsowell.com. To find out more about Thomas Sowell and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
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Darin| 9.25.12 @ 6:53AM
Executive Orders are not enforceable laws. Only Congress (the Legislative Branch) has the authority to make laws. It shows extreme cowardice from Congress for not standing up against this. And the Supreme Court is not off the hook as they should rule the Executive Orders attempt to exert powers that the office of President does not possess.
In other words, Obama is throwing out the Constitution which he swore to support and defend. Obama has placed himself above the rule of law, much like kings in other countries do.
Aristocat| 9.25.12 @ 7:29AM
Some people are surprised that Obama is polling so well in spite of being a total failure on economic policy, foreign policy, etc.
What this proves is that Democrats don't care whether the President is competent or not. They are like a cult...They will vote for Obama no matter what...That's the way Democrats operate... Like passing Obamacare, knowing it was an atrocity opposed by the public...Getting all 60 Senators to vote for it....Democrats stick together, like voting 95% for Obama by blacks...
They don't consider the candidates or issues like Republicans do, they just vote like zombies.
TLP| 9.25.12 @ 8:04AM
The Democrat Party IS the Black Community.
"Democrat" is the new "Black". My Party, right or Wrong. The Muslim can take a Sh*t on the Stage, and Eat It. And they will Marvel at his Table Manners.
Blacks will Vote for him no matter that THEY are worse of than Anybody under this Bum. He's Black.
Charlie Rangel. Alcee Hastings. "The Bitch set me up" former Mayor of D.C. Coleman Young in Detroit. John Conyer's C*nt Daughter. Every Black Mayor in every Black Majority City. Every Black City Council, and every Black Police Commissioner in those same Black Cities.
Just don't talk about it. Don't bring it up.
David Dinkins? Police Commissioner Outta Town Brown? That Crook in Newark. Stickin it to da Man!
The Democrats are the Party of the Freaks and the Losers. The Home of The Least Common Denominator. Gays, Lesbians, freaks that can't decide which Gender they even are, or wanna be. The Drug Addled, and the Incarcerated. The Marixists and the Maoists. The Muslim and the Jew. The Illegal, and the Illiterate.
They're like Puke. A combination of Stinking Garbage, that, together, makes a Potent Mixture, even if it smells worse than Death.
They are the Political Equivilent of the Bacteria in our bodies. One, by itself, is easily dealt with. It's when they join forces, do we get Sick, and Puke.
Maxwell| 9.25.12 @ 8:13AM
You may want to add to that list Tony Mack of Trenton. The FBI cleaned out his office too.
Cobalt| 9.25.12 @ 8:41AM
Howard Stern Interviews Obama Supporters 2012
http://realclearpolitics.com/v....._2012.html
Alan| 9.25.12 @ 7:31AM
The first rule of the gamefor both sides in DC is to preserve the existence of the game regardless of what either side of the coin does playing the game. If the Constitution gets in the way of keeping the game intact then the constitution gets mowed down. There is no leadership in this country or very little if their is any at all. Its a symptom of the social decay and rot we are now undergoing and the only "leaders" that emerge from that garden is despots and tyrants.
Appleby| 9.25.12 @ 7:06AM
Obama 2 is appearing on "The View" so he doesn't have time to meet with our allies vis-a-vis nuclear attacks on the way...Jay Carney says "They've talked to them on the phone, okay?" They don't want anybody getting too close to him to see that he is poassessed?
Von Mises Jr| 9.25.12 @ 7:45AM
Obama has passed 923 Executive Orders in three-and-a-half years compared with Bush's 62 EO's in eight, and Clinton with 15.
The next major EO is the "INTERNET KILL SWITCH." This combined with the NDAA gives the President dictatorial powers to commandeer state Militias, confiscate the food stores and with the next EO to cut off your access to information.
But this is not a surprise to some after he nationalized GM and turned bankruptcy law on its head at Chrysler, the Bill of Attainder against IP Walpin, the regime falsified the drilling report and ignored Judge Feldman's Moratorium, sued AZ and SC, NBP charges dropped and the new Dream Act that Dr. Sowell mentions. If this tyrant is re-elected, the Depression that follows will be the least of our problems.
Pecos Pete| 9.25.12 @ 8:05AM
When Obama says anything I believe exactly the opposite. He is too dumb/lazy to work the system, instead he overrides the system. And Congress lets him do it. Amazing.
c. j. acworth| 9.25.12 @ 8:11AM
What was passed by executive order can be undone in the same manner. President Romney will have a busy first day on the job.
Mike G| 9.25.12 @ 9:56AM
The thing is, the next President shouldn't have to undo it. Congress and the Supreme Court should prevent his edicts from circumventing the Constitution. There is no excuse for these edicts to stand, absolutely none.
c. j. acworth| 9.25.12 @ 11:45AM
Agreed. But the gutless GOP will swallow whatever is shoved into their face. Here's hoping Romney will do the right thing.
Bill8472| 9.25.12 @ 10:17AM
It isn't surprising that an executive would attempt to garner more and more power for himself; that phenomenon was part of the concern that our Founding Fathers had when they provided for the separation of powers.
What is noteworthy, shocking, and needs to be amended or passed over as quickly as possible is the attitude that caused the legislature and the federal courts to sit by and allow it to happen, placing their imprimatur on the usurpation of power by Obama. We can vote out the President and replace him with a true republican, but we are going to have trouble changing entrenched Washington ways of doing business.
Bill8472| 9.25.12 @ 10:23AM
One problem that has evolved as part of the phenomenon of electing our representatives is that they naturally avoid making any decisions that might lose votes. So they are perfectly willing for the chief executive to make all the decisions so that then don't run the risk of not being re-elected. The consequence is that the executive takes all the decision-making power and therefore has all the authority, and the legislature becomes his rubber stamp.
Aristocat| 9.25.12 @ 5:02PM
That's true....It's why the gutless Boehner has agreed to continue Nancy Pelosi's budget for the past three years....Don't want to make the media angry by standing by the Republican budget !