But I am an American. I do believe in the tenets and spirit of the Constitution. I do believe in the rule of law. And that is why on any number of levels, I find the recent Obama executive action relative to illegal immigrants repugnant, lawless, unConstitutional, and extremely dangerous to freedom.
The most obvious danger from his unilateral action is that it is a direct violation of Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution: "Congress shall have the power to....establish a uniform rule of naturalization." This could not be any clearer. This power and responsibility within our republic lies with Congress when it comes to immigration and naturalization laws. Not the President, not the executive branch, Congress. Clear cut and concise. Thus, even if the President goes through with this clearly illegal action, it will no doubt be thrown out be the courts based solely on this explicit provision within the Constitution.
Now, the President will likely say he had to act via executive action because Congress did not act. And he may be right, maybe Congress did not act. But that does not allow the President to do what he wants, to ignore whatever current laws say no matter how distasteful that reality is to himself and immigration supporters.
The Rolling Stones once sang that "you can't always get what you want," and that is the case here. Mr. President, you cannot always get what you want, so get over it. If this issue is so important to you, you should have done it legally six years ago when you and your party controlled both the White House and Congress.
If you had acted then, you could have gotten what you wanted in a Constitutional manner that would have been able to withstand any court challenge. Your inability to plan or prioritize is all on you and you missed your window.
But your reckless and illegal actions on immigration carry a much bigger, yet more subtle risk, and danger to our country. In two years you will be gone, out of office. If the Republicans continue to politically out maneuver and out perform Democrats in 2016, like they did in the recent 2014 midterm elections, there is a very good chance that the country will get a Republican President in 2016.
And what if that President is just as disrespectful of the Constitution and rule of law as you are, acting on his or her whims rather than established legislative history and foundations? We might see Roe Vs. Wade get ignored and abortion made an illegal act again, based on the whim of a Republican President.
We might see gays ousted from our military forces again, based on the whim of a Republican President.
We might see existing gun control laws treated merely as suggestions and not law, based on the whim of a Republican President.
We might see the Civil Rights Act or Voting Rights Act nullified, based on the whim of a Republican President.
You get the idea. Acting on a whim outside of the constructs of the Constitution justify others acting on their whims also. If Obama gets away with this illegal action, it opens the door for further illegal action, actions that may be contrary to what non-Republicans find important. And wouldn't that be the ultimate irony of the Obama administration: opening the door to undo fifty years of liberal, progressive, and Democratic victories and advances?
This is much bigger than a spat between a President and Congress. Obama is making himself bigger than the country, its laws, and the Constitution. If he gets away with it, there is nothing to stop future Presidents from having similar temper tantrums and going into emperor mode, ignoring existing laws and the will of the people. At that point, voting, freedom, representative government, and liberty become quaint and historical concepts that have been destroyed in this country.
Is there a need for comprehensive, compassionate, and doable immigration reform?Absolutely. Should both Congress and the President start acting like adults, get together, and bring such a plan to fruition? Absolutely. Will this happen? Not once the President has again fallen short of his leadership duties and role and has poisoned the waters of compromise and unity by ignoring the Constitution and current laws of the land.
And if you believe in a woman's right to an abortion, if you believe in gay rights, if you want at least existing gun control laws to remain in effect, if you believe in the right to vote and in civil rights for all, I strongly suggest you contact the White House and your Congressional representatives and pressure both parties to do immigration reform the right way.
Otherwise, the next time a President goes rogue and acts like an emperor it might be an issue that you are passionate about, an issue your fought hard to favorably resolve, and an issue your thought was a done deal, only to have it blown up on the whim of a President. At that point it is too late to protect what is important to you and your principles. Don't let the following historical perspective repeat itself in this country (Pastor Martin Niemoller, 1892 - 1984):
"In Germany, they came first for the Communists. And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
And then they came for the trade unionists. And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
And then they came for the Jews. And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me and by that time there was no one left to speak up."
Speak up now before whims and egos of shallow men drive this country, bypassing the rule of law and the Constitution.
Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at:
www.loathemygovernment.com
It is also available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Please pass our message of freedom onward. Let your friends and family know about our websites and blogs, ask your library to carry the book, and respect freedom for both yourselves and others everyday.
Please visit the following sites for freedom:
Term Limits Now: http://www.howmuchworsecoulditget.com
http://www.reason.com
http://www.cato.org
http://www.bankruptingamerica.org
http://www.conventionofstates.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08j0sYUOb5w
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