Where Are Boehner and the GOP? Congress Likely to Let Obama’s Immigration Declaration Stand
Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner is second — and the only Republican — in line to replace President Obama should he be removed from office by accident or action of Congress.
After the president on Friday unilaterally decreed amnesty for what may wind up being millions of young illegal immigrants, Congress should be up in arms.
So what does Boehner do when the president of the United States violates the constitutional separation of powers, defies the will of Congress and abuses the rights of Americans and legal immigrants? He goes home and eats burgers with Mitt Romney.
I expect the liberals and the media to be all for Obama’s unconstitutional usurpation of power the president was never granted by law, but the silence from the GOP has been deafening.
With a few exceptions, the response has been mild to nonexistent. In fact, just about the only congressman who has shown any backbone at all has been Iowa Rep. Steve King, who has said he will file a lawsuit to block Obama’s immigration decree.
Promises, promises.
Between the lack of action on the part of our so-called leaders and the wave of cheerleading from the media, it’s easy to question whether you saw what you saw on Friday.
Let me assure you, you did. The president, with a sweep of his pen, violated the Constitution, defied the will of Congress and spat on the citizens and legal residents of America.
This was no executive order to reorganize or change agency procedures, allocate resources or order personnel that are rightly under the Executive Branch. This was an extra-constitutional power grab. Faced with his own inability to lead and persuade members of Congress to pass his Dream Act, Obama effectively declared himself king and passed the law under his own authority.
There are many constitutional scholars and lawyers in Congress. They can’t have missed the flagrant violation of the law by Obama in front of the television cameras on Friday.
Yet today there is nary a peep from the people who should be outraged and want to protect us from the manipulations of a tyrant. The question, if we dare to ask it, is why?
There are the rumors about threats made during Obama’s previous election campaign that come to mind — unverified rumors.
It’s possible that Obama is so scary to those in the know that no one dares oppose him.
Or … there’s precedent.
The GOP is looking at the November election. Before Obama, no president had ever abused the power of executive orders so willfully and openly. If his abuses are allowed to stand unchallenged, the next president will be presented with a greatly expanded suite of powers based on legal precedent.
Maybe I’ve read too many novels, but there’s a thought that’s been in the back of my mind since before Obama was elected: Based on the sheer and clear incompetence of this man, along with the obvious fact that he is a pawn, could it be that Obama’s real purpose is to prepare the way for someone else?
That’s not a thought to have late at night.
Either way, it appears for the moment that Congress will do nothing to stop Obama, which means those of us who still hold the Constitution dear are on our own.
Harold
ACGR's "News with Attitude" 