Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Obama Rips Up the Constitution
Townhall.com ^ | September 20, 2011 | Robert Knight

Posted on 09/20/2011 5:59:19 AM PDT by Kaslin

The Constitution of the United States, whose adoption we celebrate every Sept. 17, clearly lists the powers of each branch of the national government.

Let’s take a look at what Barack Obama, like any president, is empowered to do and see if it squares with his actions. In Article II, Section 1, he is sworn to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Section 2 names the president as commander in chief of the armed forces, grants him the power to make treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate and to appoint ambassadors, federal judges, cabinet officials and other federal officers. In Section 3, the president “shall take care that the Laws be faithfully executed.”

In his two years and nine months in office, Barack Obama has compiled a spectacular record of non-compliance with the Constitution. Here are just some of the ways his administration has failed to execute the laws while using raw, unauthorized power.

The Defense of Marriage Act – On Feb. 23, 2011, Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. announced that, under Obama’s direction, the Justice Department would no longer defend DOMA, which is under attack in several federal courts. DOMA, which was passed by overwhelming majorities in Congress and signed into law by Bill Clinton in 1996, defines marriage for all federal purposes as the union of a man and a woman, and allows states under the Full Faith and Credit clause not to be forced to recognize unions from other states that do not comport with their state marriage laws. Forty-five states have moved to strengthen their marriage laws, with 30 enacting constitutional amendments. Obama, who has played coy with the marriage issue while aggressively promoting the homosexual agenda, is violating his oath of office to appease the gay lobby.

The 15th Amendment – Under Obama, the Justice Department has effectively become a race-based enforcement unit. After New Black Panther Party members were caught on tape intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling place in 2008, the Justice Department declined to defend the convictions, and thus sent the message that baton-wielding thuggishness on Election Day is no big deal. Former Justice Department attorney J. Christian Adams, who laid out the case before the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, described the administration’s dismissal of charges as “lawless hostility toward equal enforcement of the law.”

Illegal Immigration – The Obama administration has ignored the illegal actions of “sanctuary cities” and instead sued the state of Arizona in July for enforcing federal law. Then, in August, the administration announced a new policy that, in effect, ends enforcement of illegal immigration providing the illegal alien meets the requirements of the DREAM Act, a bill that Congress failed to pass. So, Obama is ignoring current federal law while creating rules based on a law that never passed.

Cap and Trade – In 2010, the Senate rejected a sweeping environmental bill that would have created a massive federal carbon regulation system. Despite this, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would treat carbon dioxide (the air we breathe out) as a pollutant, and begin cracking down on America’s businesses and power plants. The EPA has become a law unto itself. The Obama Administration also has ignored a federal judge’s ruling that it acted illegally in prohibiting new drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

Obscenity laws – The Obama Administration, like the Bush Administration before it, has ignored federal laws against selling obscene materials, prosecuting only a handful of cases. Even though the law is clear and courts routinely hand down convictions, U.S. attorneys don’t bother to enforce the law anymore given the direction from the top. The result is that the Internet is awash in illegal obscenity and even mainstream hotels peddle obscene materials via pay TV.

The Fifth Amendment – The Constitution guarantees that no one is deprived of their property without “due process of law” or without “just compensation.” The National Labor Relations Board’s absurd order to Boeing not to open a newly built $750-million Dreamliner facility in right-to-work South Carolina because unions in Boeing’s home state of Washington object violates that guarantee. Even liberal New York Times columnist Joseph Nocera commented, "Seriously, when has a government agency ever tried to dictate where a company makes its products? I can’t ever remember it happening."

The First Amendment – The NLRB struck again this year, declaring two Catholic universities – St. Xavier University in Chicago and Manhattan College in New York not sufficiently “religious.” If the holdings stand, the schools may see the NLRB assert jurisdiction and rope the faculty and employees into a union election.

While ignoring laws that he is obligated to enforce, Obama has added other duties that would leave America’s Founders scratching their heads. As columnist Don Feder notes,

“Right out of the gate, there was his salaam to the Saudi king and his declaration in the course of a 2009 speech at Cairo University that; ‘I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.’ That’s in the Presidential-Responsibility-To-Fight-Negative-Stereotypes-Of-Islam section of the Constitution.”

More frightening is Obama’s heavy-handed seizure of the nation’s health care system and ObamaCare’s unconstitutional mandate for everyone to purchase health insurance. Nowhere, not even in the much-abused Commerce Clause, does the Constitution give the government the right to force citizens to engage in commerce. If ObamaCare is upheld, government bureaucrats can pretty much order us to do anything they want.

This list, which could be longer, should include Obama’s failure as commander in chief to lead our armed forces with honor. Can you imagine George Washington's or Gen. George S. Patton’s response to the Obama administration’s doctoring the results of a troop survey. leaking misleading “findings” to the press, ignoring strong opposition by combat troops, and ramming through a policy of homosexualizing the armed forces? This violates 235 years of tradition in the world’s finest military.

Paraphrasing Ted Koppel’s comment about the Ten Commandments, the Constitution is not a set of suggestions. The Constitution’s enumerated powers and limitations ensure maximum liberty in a free republic.

When the chief enforcer shows such profound contempt for the Constitution, he needs to be reminded that no one is above the law. Not even The One.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS:
What the author is saying is that impeachment is in order
1 posted on 09/20/2011 5:59:20 AM PDT by Kaslin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

2 posted on 09/20/2011 6:03:51 AM PDT by C210N (0bama, Making the US safe for Global Marxism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

I’m still trying to figure out why this “traitor to the Constitution” is still president?


3 posted on 09/20/2011 6:04:10 AM PDT by ThomasMore (Islam is the Whore of Babylon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

4 posted on 09/20/2011 6:09:50 AM PDT by Zakeet (If it ain't broke, the Wee Wee will fix it until it is)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin; Mrs. B.S. Roberts

Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans are not aware of these violations of the Constitution. Dr. Goebbels of CARB (Communication/Agitprop Regulating Bureau) has effectively managed to limit public access to them.
The Constitution has been SOLD for 12,550,000,000 pieces of silver.


5 posted on 09/20/2011 6:13:29 AM PDT by CaptainAmiigaf (NY TIMES: "We print the news as it fits our views")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

OBAMA:
“...What kind of country would this be
if this chamber had voted down Social Security or Medicare
just because it violated some rigid idea
about what government could or could not do?...”


6 posted on 09/20/2011 6:17:00 AM PDT by Repeal The 17th (Proud to be a small monthly donor.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Repeal The 17th
Always remember, Citizen... nobama hates you, hates your family, hates your success, hates Free America, hates Americans, hates the Constitution and hates the Bill of Rights. nobama is a hate crime foisted upon America. nobama is the Destroyer . Everything nobama does is intentional. God help us all.
7 posted on 09/20/2011 6:20:09 AM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Yes, but another item of the discussion from the article: “Nowhere, not even in the much-abused Commerce Clause, does the Constitution give the government the right to force citizens to engage in commerce.” is something that I’ve wondered for many years if “Mediate” instead of “Regulate” wouldn’t be a better term. That would place the emphasis of interstate commerce with the States, and allow the Federal government the opportunity to “mediate” only that which cannot seemingly be resolved between the States.

My purpose of thought is to attempt to find a means to eliminate the major flaw that I see in the Constitution which the Left uses so prolifically, the regulating of Interstate Commerce clause for ever expanding, and centralizing of our government, thus creating to our detriment precisely the opposite of the intentions of the founders.

Curious if I’m even on the right track.


8 posted on 09/20/2011 6:30:18 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will, they ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin


9 posted on 09/20/2011 6:52:27 AM PDT by Iron Munro (Muslims who advocate, support, or carry out Jihad give the other 1% a bad name)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ThomasMore

Don’t be so harsh. !0 years ago we were at war with islam. Now we have a Caliph in Chief and we align ourselves and fight with AlQuaeda. We have insulted our western allies and aligned ourselves with warriors of islam.

Now we are enablers of islam and everything he does s to wweaken and marginalize America. The assault on America will occur right after Israel.

Just because he believes Sharia as a constitution is superior to the American constitution its no reason to hold a negative opinion of him. Its what the people want. Else wise there would be outrage.

The bastard should be tried for treason but everyone has been kissed to sleep while the corrupt judges know he is a illegal president. They ALL know that ZEBRA is not a natural born.


10 posted on 09/20/2011 6:53:21 AM PDT by himno hero (Obamas theme...Death to America...The crusaders will pay!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

That’s OK. We weren’t using it anyway.


11 posted on 09/20/2011 6:56:28 AM PDT by AppyPappy (If you aren't part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

12 posted on 09/20/2011 7:10:27 AM PDT by Bean Counter (Obama got mostly Ds and Fs all through college and law school. Keep repeating it.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: himno hero
The bastard should be tried for treason but everyone has been kissed to sleep while the corrupt judges know he is a illegal president. They ALL know that ZEBRA is not a natural born.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Yes, every judge, congressman, Senator, electoral college voter, governor, all members of state legislators, all state Attorney Generals, all law enforcement, and our very highest **military** KNOW that Obama is not a natural born citizen.

They do nothing!

More than Obama being a usurper, the fact that every branch of government, law enforcement, and very highest military is so cowardly and corrupt should be sounding alarms in the the ears, hearts, and minds of every freedom loving citizen.

13 posted on 09/20/2011 7:18:23 AM PDT by wintertime (I am a Constitutional Restorationist!!! Yes!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: wintertime

Its way past due for the politically correct to can the affirmative action president. The bastard will continue to change the course of world events against America.

Already he has changed the war trajectory of the mid east and injected global tension into the market place.

He knows nothing about peace and and his only desire is to eliminate America.
He is malicious and should be tried for his treasonous behavior.

American’s failures may well cost Lady Liberty’s life.


14 posted on 09/20/2011 7:30:59 AM PDT by himno hero (Obamas theme...Death to America...The crusaders will pay!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

If heaven forbid that Obama is re-elected in 2012, the Constitution will be just another relic on display in Washington. I fear Obama would turn this country into something resembling the former East Germany. The process has already started with Attack Watch. The same technique of getting tips about “disloyal” citizens from spying neighbors was used by the East German State Police.


15 posted on 09/20/2011 7:52:54 AM PDT by The Great RJ ("The problem with socialism is that pretty soon you run out of other people's money" M. Thatcher)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
obama’s very existence as POTUS rips up the Constitution. He is NOT a Natural Born Citizen!
16 posted on 09/20/2011 9:27:23 AM PDT by GBA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GBA

I am not a birther, but the way he pronounces certain words convinces me that English is not his first language. Take for example his pronunciation of Corps as corpse. Or when he recited Psalm 46 and pronounced the bow weapon which is pronounced with a long O, the way he pronounced it means bending at the waist.


17 posted on 09/20/2011 9:58:01 AM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
You're right about that. His aren't common American sorts of pronunciation mistakes, like someone saying "supposebly" instead of "supposedly", or "nukuler" instead of "nuclear".

Personally, I have trouble listening to his affected Chicago accent, especially when he says words like 'jobs'.

Watch The Blues Brothers movie and listed to Dan Akroyd's character Elwood. To me, obama sounds like he's imitating Elwood Blue's' accent.

18 posted on 09/20/2011 10:50:56 AM PDT by GBA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Repeal The 17th

A much better country than it is now I suspect.


19 posted on 09/20/2011 6:50:57 PM PDT by RipSawyer (Trying to reason with a liberal is like teaching algebra to a tomcat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson