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Flouting the rule of law
NY Post ^ | February 25, 2011 | Editorial

Posted on 02/25/2011 2:53:22 AM PST by Scanian

Just what is it about the rule of law that President Obama doesn't get?

The Justice Department announced Wednesday that it now believes the federal Defense of Marriage Act -- which defines marriage as being a legal union between one man and one woman -- is unconstitutional, and said it will no longer defend the law in court.

So, just like that, Obama & Co. effectively declare null a law duly passed by Congress, signed by a previous president -- and presumptively binding on the government until either the courts or Congress declare otherwise.

It's a breathtaking act of arrogance, a precedent so fraught that it threatens one of the nation's bedrock founding principles: That America was to be ruled by law, not by individuals.

Presidents have found particular laws vexatious for as long as there have been presidents.

Still, when Franklin Roosevelt decided he didn't like legislation forced on him by Congress, he had sufficient respect for the law itself to attempt to pack the Supreme Court with friendly justices.

He lost.

He should have.

And it's not as if Obama, et al., don't understand the basic issue: Last October, the administration got it right in similar circumstances.

While disagreeing with the "Don't ask, don't tell" law blocking gays from serving openly in the military -- and despite objections from his left-wing base -- the president declared that he was obliged to follow and defend the law.

He added that he wanted DADT repealed by Congress rather than by the courts -- which is exactly what happened two months later.

But now this.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: arrogance; defenseofmarriage; justicedept; obama
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1 posted on 02/25/2011 2:53:26 AM PST by Scanian
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To: Scanian
One step closer to tyranny. Obama declares that he is the law.
2 posted on 02/25/2011 3:01:39 AM PST by Truth29
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To: Scanian
This is not an act of arrogance as this shitty paper commentator states.

THIS IS IMPEACHABLE OFFENCE!

It is not the first time. You Americans act on this or loose the grips of the Law on your country.

Add this to Wis. Senate Stall, to Drilling Moratorium, to Czars ruling and much more and you will see the result!

3 posted on 02/25/2011 3:04:17 AM PST by Mayr Fortuna
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To: Scanian

Stop funding these people

Stop listening to these people

Just go around them and fix the problems, ignoring the whinings of those on the left hellbent on destroying the country

If we don’t... There won’t be a country left (which is their goal, of course)


4 posted on 02/25/2011 3:07:20 AM PST by sten (fighting tyranny never goes out of style)
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To: Scanian

No problem...the next R President will refuse to prosecute Roe v. Wade, habeus corpus, and collective bargaining. Game Over.


5 posted on 02/25/2011 3:18:09 AM PST by ez ("Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is." - Milton, Paradise Lost)
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To: Mayr Fortuna

Well, you seem pretty upset about it. Too bad I haven’t heard many in DC who feel that way.

In fact, NOBODY.


6 posted on 02/25/2011 3:42:54 AM PST by Scanian
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To: ez

“...the next R President will refuse to prosecute Roe v. Wade, habeus corpus, and collective bargaining.”

How we wish.


7 posted on 02/25/2011 3:46:11 AM PST by Scanian
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To: Scanian

bump


8 posted on 02/25/2011 3:46:24 AM PST by lowbridge (Rep. Dingell: "Its taken a long time.....to control the people.")
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To: Scanian

It’s a breathtaking act of arrogance, a precedent so fraught that it threatens one of the nation’s bedrock founding principles: That America was to be ruled by law, not by individuals


They wanted an African American President——they got one.

Arrogance???? LMAO George and Wheezy have it in abundance.


9 posted on 02/25/2011 3:48:17 AM PST by Venturer
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To: Scanian
It's a breathtaking act of arrogance, a precedent so fraught that it threatens one of the nation's bedrock founding principles: That America was to be ruled by law, not by individuals.

I have worked as a Spanish translator for years and have seen the rise and fall of many Latin American governments. One of the first things the new leftist dictators of these countries (Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, etc.) do is take on the court, particularly the constitutional court, and either dissolve it and throw its members in jail or simply ignore it. And they do exactly the same thing with validly passed laws: they just ignore them and say, "So, what are you gonna do about it, huh?"

I see this as a real challenge to the Supreme Court. Obama criticized them openly last year and now he is just shrugging and saying, ok, the law is what I say it is, and I don't need no stinkin' Constitution or court telling me what to do.

10 posted on 02/25/2011 3:52:18 AM PST by livius
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To: livius

“So, what are you gonna do about it, huh?”

Isn’t that basically what Andrew Jackson was quoted as saying about John Marshall re. Indian relocation?

The “Father of the Democratic Party.” They have always been the scum that they still are.


11 posted on 02/25/2011 3:57:45 AM PST by Scanian
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To: Truth29
One step closer to tyranny. Obama declares that he is the law.

----------------------------

Correctamundo !!!

We'll just have to sit in the back while he makes Rat policy by hijacking the democratic process.

Constitution and the Devil-3sm

I say we impeach this jackass.

It might fail as in BJ Clinton's second term impeachment but it's one thing America needs to set it straight again.

12 posted on 02/25/2011 4:26:41 AM PST by BobP (The piss-stream media - Never to be watched again in my house)
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To: Truth29

Yup. The Executive Branch can now just pick and choose what laws it wants to enforce and defend. No problem there [/s]


13 posted on 02/25/2011 4:27:44 AM PST by rbg81
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To: Scanian

Mark


14 posted on 02/25/2011 4:28:39 AM PST by sport
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To: Mayr Fortuna
THIS IS IMPEACHABLE OFFENCE!

Oh but we keep hearing from people right here that impeachment is off the table due to previous experiences with one William Jefferson Clinton.
15 posted on 02/25/2011 4:39:27 AM PST by SpaceBar
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To: Scanian

I disagree strongly with the President’s decision to not defend the law, but I’m afraid I agree with his basic position. The law is unconstitutional.

DOMA attempts to override, or provide exceptions for, a specific provision of the Constitution by means of a law passed by Congress and signed by the President.

While I very much agree with what DOMA is trying to accomplish, the proper way to do it is via a constitutional amendment. Which, unfortunately, will never happen.

It sets a horrible precedent. Do Congress and the President have equal authority to override provisions of the 1st or 2nd Amendments?


16 posted on 02/25/2011 4:39:50 AM PST by Sherman Logan
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To: Scanian

Obama is the law, and Obama is above the law, therefore there is no law.

Impeachment is becoming necessary. The big obstacle is the Senate.


17 posted on 02/25/2011 4:44:42 AM PST by Fred Hayek (All Hail the No Talent Pop Star pResident.)
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To: SpaceBar

The question is what is the point of impeachment.

If it’s to make a political point, then the GOP can impeach if they stick together in the House.

If it’s to remove Obama from office, ain’t gonna happen. If the GOP were to all vote for removal in the Senate, they’d still be close to 20 votes short. And as we all know, a good number of GOP senators would defect.

So you would in all likelihood wind up with a better than 2/3 majority against conviction. Which quite possibly would strengthen the President, not weaken him.

How does going thru this charade help the country? Why not spend the political capital impeachment would consume on defeating his reelection campaign?


18 posted on 02/25/2011 4:45:24 AM PST by Sherman Logan
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To: Fred Hayek
Impeachment is becoming necessary. The big obstacle is the Senate.

True, but a little like saying, "Levitation is becoming necessary. The big obstacle is the Law of Gravity."

19 posted on 02/25/2011 4:48:13 AM PST by Sherman Logan
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To: Venturer

Now don’t go pickin on George Jefferson. He might have had an attitude, but he ran a real business. Employed people. Barry Dunham was a community organizer. What did he produce?


20 posted on 02/25/2011 4:49:31 AM PST by Fred Hayek (All Hail the No Talent Pop Star pResident.)
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