To understand the magnitude of Obama's action, we must again consider the above-cited fact that both chambers of Congress passed DOMA by overwhelming majorities reflecting the will of the people that marriage be defined, for legal and policy purposes, as it always had been. Also, no federal appellate court has ruled the statute unconstitutional.
As he has in so many other areas (EPA, the offshore drilling ban, IMF), Obama has usurped the authority of the other two coequal branches of government to make himself, in effect, not just chief executive but super-legislator and a supreme judicial authority.
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So now we have an imperial president who is refusing to enforce a law passed by powerful congressional majorities while persisting in enforcing a law (Obamacare) that two federal courts have already invalidated. The only common denominator is that Obama believes he is the law.
Perhaps in his extreme arrogance as would-be emperor of the United States of American (sovereign states, Mr. Pres.,) his overreach will provide the means to arouse the public to the dangers of such elitest behavior, and provide the DOMA with proper congressional defense.
In my opinion, a refusal to defend the law of the land, not deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, is grounds for impeachment.
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Both Obama's and Brown's precedent are dangerous, usurping the authority of the courts and using the executive branch to decide issues of constitutionality of law. Despite where you stand on the issue of same sex marriage, these tactics are dangerous extensions of executive power.
ReplyDeleteJust remember, when you cheer because "your" politician usurped power to benefit you, what happens when the next guy comes into power and uses the same political doctrine against you?
Agreed. Can you imagine the howling Democrats would be doing if a Republican president tried to pull a stunt like that? How about if Republican Senators fled the state, like the Wisconsin state Senators have done? Just who do these Democrats think they are? Do they honestly think they can make the rules as they go along?
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