Posted on 06/24/2012 5:53:48 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
President Barack Obama is starting to channel his inner Cheney.
For years, Obama talked about the limits on presidential power. Now, driven either by principle or political expediency, he's working to build and maintain a powerful presidency that pushes the edge of what it can do, while often telling Congress and the courts to mind their own business.
In the last week alone, he refused a subpoena to share Justice Department emails with Congress, told courts he doesn't have to justify his claimed power to assassinate suspected terrorists, and decided to stop deporting certain illegal immigrants even though Congress has refused to enact a law to do that.
Those moves cap a slow buildup of executive branch power since Obama took office in January 2009. Some actions build on war powers seized by the administration of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Some assert new domestic authority.
Taken together, they reinforce the strengthening presidential power that Cheney pursued ever since he served as White House chief of staff to Gerald Ford.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., sees a trend. "I think the narrative is building that they're using executive power in a way that is uncomfortable to a lot of people," he said.
In addition to the other recent examples, he noted Obama's use of "recess" appointments to get nominees into the executive branch when the Senate objects but is arguably not in session. But Graham said it was up to the people, not Congress, to change that.
"The ultimate corrective tool in a democracy is not the opposite party as much as it is the people," he said. "If they think you're getting out of bounds, they'll whack you. We've been whacked. He's going to get whacked."
(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...
He is eeeeevoooooolving.
What a sissy boy. Blame it on the people who elected him to fulfill his duties in the legislative branch, of which he won't. Just another punk in DC.
Any wonder I have always been for term limits!? That and sunset clauses for most non-essential legislation is our only way back to our Constitutional roots. The Founding Fathers NEVER meant politicians to have a life-long career. Read their papers, publications, correspondence and journals. They understood the longer in power the more power grew and the more the politicians would want power.
Wonder if they ever envisioned such wimps that would give up all legislative power to am imperial executive branch and then blame the people. Screw you Grahamnesty, and the McCain horse you rode in on.!
That said, let's not get too upset about the tactics or strategy of the Left. Like the Communist in Vietnam, or Democrat politicians, they use leftist tactics they read from the likes of Mao or Che or Alinsky, and they're quite skilled and adept at carrying them out. However, when you figure out that this is what they're doing (do it by reading their books, like when Patton read Rommel's book), and you use successful countermeasures, they have NOTHING to counter their tactics. They're emotionally and intellectually stunted, and are only going to flail away using the same tactics.
I think the November elections will be a bloodbath. They've shot everything in their bag to energize their base, and we're not even out of June yet. There's only two things they have left for the October surprise- 1) Some dirt on Mitt Romney (even those of us who don't like Mitt admit he's a decent-straight-arrow sort of guy), and 2) Claims by the Holder justice department that the KKK will try voter suppression (which is laughable, because the KKK only becomes active when blacks vote Democrat less than 80% of the time). That, or a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, will look like a sign of desperation on part of the B. Hussein campaign and treated as such.
Right now, Romney is effectively counterpunching everything the B. Hussein campaign throws his way. That's because we've read their books, know how to deal with them, and simply plow ahead with our own message. Mitt will want to move to the Left after he becomes President....it's up to us to make sure we have as many Tea Party Conservatives in the House and Senate to keep pushing him to the Right.
Obama is smart enough to lead the kooks who follow him in the Democratic Party. He does it cause he can get away with it. He has never been properly corrected when he is wrong. The MSM will never correct him either because they are all Democrats too.
Nothing could be finer than a crisis that is minor in the morning....
It’s not that 0’s a hypocrite, doing now what he claimed as bad before. Even getting him out of there, he is doing significant damage.
The constitution is like a screen door. The more you bang it, the looser it gets. 0 is slamming it so hard, the hinges could pop off...
Trying to compare Obama to Cheney is like comparing $hit to shinola - the author obviously can’t tell the difference...
Lindsey, you ignorant slut.
Whether he gets "whacked" or not, --the precedent is set: the Senate is a toothless old lion.
If it won't a challenge this President for stepping on the Senate's prerogatives, it cannot credibly challenge any future President, for doing the same.
Lindsay Graham: The master of the understatement!!!
UNCOMFORTABLE? That doesn’t even come close!!!
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.