Even he knows better, or at least he should. That man, Barack Obama. After all he claims to be a Constitutional Law professor. But, on Friday, the President blew it.
I understand that there are at least as many different ideas of how to fix the illegal immigration problem as there are Members of Congress. So, it comes as no surprise that the President also has some thoughts on the subject – particularly as the election draws near.
But, when I heard him announce his executive order which changes existing law, I bristled. The Constitution is very clear about separation of powers; the Congress makes laws, the executive branch administers them.
Obama knows it, too. In September 2011 in response to pressure to take this same action he said, "this notion that somehow I can just change the laws unilaterally in just not true…there are laws on the books that I have to enforce…we live in a democracy. You have to pass bills through the legislature, and then I can sign it."
Earlier in 2011, Obama said the same thing to La Raza; "The idea of doing things on my own is very tempting. But that's not how our system works." And, on Univision he said, "Congress passes the law. The executive branch's job is to enforce and implement those laws. And then the judiciary has to interpret the laws. There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system that for me to simply through executive order ignore those congressional mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as President."
What changed since then? Did I miss an Amendment to the Constitution?
No. Barack Obama just trampled on it – again. The great Charles Krauthammer summed it up best, "This is out-and-out lawlessness." See the Fox News video below. Full text of his comments is here.