Posted on 11/18/2010 10:10:08 AM PST by My Favorite Headache
The liberal Center for American Progress doesnt believe significant GOP gains in the House and Senate should stop the President from implementing more of his polices. The group released a report Tuesday suggesting ways Obama can bypass Congress to accomplish a progressive agenda, and it cites the presidents power as commander-in-chief to make its point.
I think most of the conversation since the election has been about how President Obama adjusts to the new situation on Capitol Hill, Center for American Progress head and former Bill Clinton Chief of Staff John Podesta told the Daily Caller. While thats an important conversation, it simply ignores the presidents ability to use all levels of his power and authority to move the country forward.
How does one move the country forward? In the centers report, Podesta explains that Obama can use executive orders, rulemaking, and even the armed forces to accomplish important change and that such means should not be underestimated.
What exactly does Podesta think the president should use such powers to accomplish? Among others, the report suggests job creation, quality affordable health care, sustainable security, and a clean energy future.
The report cites specific goals such as mitigating the effects of the militarys Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy, supporting a Palestinian state, and reducing greenhouse gasses by 17 percent by 2020.
The U.S. Constitution and the laws of our nation grant the president significant authority to make and implement policy, Podesta writes. Congressional gridlock does not mean the federal government stands still.
Statement from John D. Podesta November 15, 2010
In the aftermath of this months midterm congressional elections, pundits and politicians across the ideological spectrum are focusing on how difficult it will be for President Barack Obama to advance his policy priorities through Congress. Predictions of stalemate abound. And some debate whether the administration should tack to the left or to the center and compromise with or confront the new House leadership.
As a former White House chief of staff, I believe those to be the wrong preoccupations. President Obamas ability to govern the country as chief executive presents an opportunity to demonstrate strength, resolve, and a capacity to get things done on a host of pressing challenges of importance to the public and our economy. Progress, not positioning, is what the public wants and deserves.
The U.S. Constitution and the laws of our nation grant the president significant authority to make and implement policy. These authorities can be used to ensure positive progress on many of the key issues facing the country through:
* Executive orders * Rulemaking * Agency management * Convening and creating public-private partnerships * Commanding the armed forces * Diplomacy
The ability of President Obama to accomplish important change through these powers should not be underestimated. President Bush, for example, faced a divided Congress throughout most of his term in office, yet few can doubt his ability to craft a unique and deeply conservative agenda using every aspect of the policymaking apparatus at his disposal. And, after his party lost control of Congress in 1994, President Clinton used executive authority and convening power to make significant progressive change. For instance, he protected more great spaces in the lower 48 states than any president since Theodore Roosevelt, established for the first time significant protections for Americans medical privacy, and urged the creation of the Welfare-to-Work Partnership that enlisted the help of 20,000 businesses in moving more than 1 million welfare recipients into the workforce.
The upshot: Congressional gridlock does not mean the federal government stands still. This administration has a similar opportunity to use available executive authorities while also working with Congress where possible. At the Center for American Progress, we look forward to our nation continuing to make progress.
Read the full report (pdf)
Download the executive summary (pdf)
Download the report to e-readers and mobile devices from Scribd
To speak with our experts on this topic, please contact:
Print: Megan Smith (health care, education, economic policy) 202.741.6346 or msmith@americanprogress.org
Print: Anna Soellner (foreign policy and security, energy) asoellner@americanprogress.org
Print: Raúl Arce-Contreras (ethnic media, immigration) 202.478.5318 or rarcecontreras@americanprogress.org
Radio: Laura Pereyra 202.741.6258 or lpereyra@americanprogress.org
TV: Andrea Purse 202.741.6250 or apurse@americanprogress.org
Web: Erin Lindsay 202.741.6397 or elindsay@americanprogress.org http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/11/executive_orders.html/#statement
Thanks!
move the country forward?
Wrong way, Corrigan. Go back to the Constitution.
yesSir, and when we have Generals who actually live to *fight*, ie Patton & McArthur, we get violence directed at whomever they are unleahed upon...
I’m surprised that somebody hasn’t kicked Podesta’s azz by now.
Exactly. There’s a reason they never want those military ballots to be counted. They know exactly how the military votes.
These are the 20% that frighten me.
And I'm more afraid of the SWAT adrenaline junkies turning their guns on us than I am of the military doing the same. Those guys have proven time and time again that they merely "follow orders," and don't give a flying f*ck about anything else.
And I should say that I do think there is gray area. I recognize there’s a very thin tight-rope that has to be walked regarding obedience v accountability. I don’t envy anybody having to make those decisions. I would also feel safer with a US soldier than with just about anybody except my immediate family.
I do fear that the communists will bury their “progressive” moves inside some measures they justify for other reasons - just like Homeland Security defies the 4th Amendment for “security” reasons, even though we’re not gaining any security by these measures. And just like the DOJ defies the Constitution’s statement that the federal government needs to secure all the states from foreign invasion, by claiming that doing so in concrete ways is “discrimination”.
These people serve the Father of Lies, so that’s their native language, and with their sophistry they have already done incredible amounts of damage very quickly. I’m afraid that even honorable, well-intentioned people may easily be sucked into something beyond their control.
I've posted that idea on the Internet a couple times on other sites.
When the Left threatens violence or killing of the patriots, I point out that they are afraid of guns and they do everything they can to keep people away from firearms of any kind.
Seems like they would be terrible shots if they did get ahold of a gun. I think the awful marksmanship that gang members have supports my statement.
The “good” 80% of the military would be fighting....literally....the “bad” 20% of the military in your scenario.
There is a two-word term for this....it’s called “Civil War.”
CWII ping if you haven’t seen this.
Understood.
But the question was under what possible scenario would that propose a viable option to them? That 20% of the military would get its ass destroyed by the other 80% in a heartbeat. The use of force is simply a no-win for American liberals.
This is another reason to oppose all forms of firearms registration,no matter the reason or cover name given,the goal is an unarmed populace that dare not disobey the tyrants.
Everyone needs a weapon at hand and good information to protect against the criminals at all 8l325vels.
I was just thinking that I’m glad our side has the guns.
plus
plus
Hizbollah, Pelosi and Obama's nazi goose stepping armyplus
plus( ignorance and apologies are a virtue?
plus everyday shar'ai law does creep, i.e. Oklahoma
plus and plus
plus
Obama ponders...what?
I had a GOOD friend die in Tanzania, another is still suffering F*** Y** Ghalani
plus Arizona tossed to the wolves of the UN Human Rights Comission. Is there enough evidence? 29,000 killed is almost as many as Americans killed in all of the Korean conflict(33,629)!
Chihuahua drug dealers killing
10 minutes on illegal aliens & Meg Whitman(the racist?)
plus Oh so much more
= Equals presidential maxi pad fail
The majority of professional military members despise types like 0bama. They know the difference between lawful orders and the whims of a Mugabe wannabe.
This has the look of a trial balloon... just to see what the public’s reaction would be...
***** “New tag line” *****
Beat me to it.
TT
I thought he’d been sprayed with Lysol once before.
“I asked a military friend of mine whether SCOTUS was evading the eligibility issue because they feared riots and he said no, riots wouldnt be a problem.”
Just curious....did your military friend have any explanation for why he thought SCOTUS was evading the eligibility question?
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