Posted on 11/19/2014 1:08:29 PM PST by SoConPubbie
The Constitution designs a system of checks and balances for our nation, and executive amnesty for immigrants here illegally unilaterally decreed from the White House would seriously undermine the rule of law.
Our founders repeatedly warned about the dangers of unlimited power within the executive branch; Congress should heed those words as the President threatens to grant amnesty to millions of people who have come to our country illegally.
To be clear, the dispute over executive amnesty is not between President Obama and Republicans in Congress; it is a dispute between President Obama and the American People. The Democrats suffered historic losses in the midterm elections largely over the prospect of the President’s executive amnesty.
President Obama was correct: His policies were on the ballot across the nation in 2014. The elections were a referendum on amnesty, and the voters soundly rejected it. There was no ambiguity.
Undeterred, President Obama appears to be going forward. It is lawless. It is unconstitutional. He is defiant and angry at the American people. If he acts by executive diktat, President Obama will not be acting as a president, he will be acting as a monarch.
Thankfully, the framers of our Constitution, wary of the dangers of monarchy, gave the Congress tools to rein in abuses of power. They believed if the President wants to change the law, he cannot act alone; he must work with Congress.
He may not get everything he wants, but the Constitution requires compromise between the branches.
A monarch, however, does not compromise. As Alexander Hamilton explains in Federalist 69, a monarch decrees, dictates, and rules through fiat power, which is what President Obama is attempting.
When the President embraces the tactics of a monarch, it becomes incumbent on Congress to wield the constitutional power it has to stop it.
Congress, representing the voice of the People, should use every tool available to prevent the President from subverting the rule of law.
When the President usurps the legislative power and defies the limits of his authority, it becomes all the more imperative for Congress to act. And Congress should use those powers given to it by the Constitution to counter a lawless executive branch—or it will lose its authority.
If the President announces executive amnesty, the new Senate Majority Leader who takes over in January should announce that the 114th Congress will not confirm a single nominee—executive or judicial—outside of vital national security positions, so long as the illegal amnesty persists.
This is a potent tool given to Congress by the Constitution explicitly to act as a check on executive power. It is a constitutional power of the Majority Leader alone, and it would serve as a significant deterrent to a lawless President.
Additionally, the new Congress should exercise the power of the purse by passing individual appropriations bills authorizing critical functions of government and attaching riders to strip the authority from the president to grant amnesty.
President Obama will no doubt threaten a shutdown—that seems to be the one card he repeatedly plays—but Congress can authorize funding for agencies of government one at a time. If the President is unwilling to accept funding for, say, the Department of Homeland Security without his being able to unilaterally defy the law, he alone will be responsible for the consequences.
A presidential temper tantrum is not an acceptable means of discourse.
Of course, these confrontations are not desirable, and it is unbecoming for an American president to show such condescension towards the voters.
The American people, however, are not powerless. They have elected a new Congress full of members who have promised in their campaigns to stand up to this lawless President and stop the amnesty. We must honor our commitments.
If the President will not respect the people, Congress must.
Ted Cruz is a U.S. senator from Texas.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/11/president-obama-is-not-a-monarch-113028.html#ixzz3JYDpfv2I
THUNDERING!!!!
Yes, indeed, Polutico is leftist. Surprised they’d publish anything from Cruz, but glad they did. Makes me suspect Cruz sought them out, trying to get the monarch word out to leftists everywhere.
Emperor Caesar O'Bastarda
Is that from The Venture Bros.?
READ WHAT CRUZ PROPOSES.
CRUZ FREAKIN ROCKS.
Cruz ‘16. Accept no imitations.
Which makes Biden the viceroy.
He is a queen.
ted cruz is brilliant
Cruz/Sessions in 2016
or Sessions/Cruz
Sloth is defined as good men doing nothing while evil is on the march.
How lazy is the President’s opposition?
Good job calling all those reps!
Freepers, your taxes are paying for their stay in DC, you might as well speak up.
Maybe Sen. Cruz is leaving impeachment for the Representatives to propose, but it really needs to be part of the package.
Cruz Gowdy 2016 :-)
Democrats haven’t suffered enough.
Don't ignore the fact that Obama could not do this without the acquiescence and support of democrats in congress and the senate.
People always ask:
"Where are the moderate muslims?"
We should all be asking:
"where are the moderate democrats?"
Where are the democrats who are patriots and love their honor, country and constitution more than they love the democrat party?
Are there any?
They sure don't show it by their sctions and support of Obama's criminal Anti-Americanism.
Well, for what it’s worth .. Ted Cruz better run for President, because with McConnell at the helm in the Senate and Boehner in the House .. nobody is going to be looking our for America.
I’m so mad at this latest revelation regarding Sessions no longer being in charge of the purse (in the House), and being replaced by, of course, someone in the elitist group; “crushing the Tea Party” .. isn’t that what McConnell promised.
I think I’m going to have to stop watching the news .. I’m just screaming at my TV all the time. Not good for my disposition.
No, if he gets away with this, he is Emperor!
Republicans should say they’re going to have to make cuts in WELFARE PROGRAMS to pay for all the illegals that will be receiving welfare.
Make the democrat base turn on him and make Obama explain how he is going to pay for them.
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