The Abuse of Power by Pres. Obama

All Americans should be concerned, if not outraged, by Pres. Obama’s abuse of power. This is just one more example:

Today President Obama took his war against Congress to a new level, announcing four “recess appointments” when the Senate was not, in fact, in recess. The appointees included Richard Cordray to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and three new members of the National Labor Relations Board.

Republicans reacted strongly; Mitch McConnell described the appointments as an “unprecedented move” that “arrogantly circumvented the American people,” while John Boehner described today’s action as “an extraordinary and entirely unprecedented power grab by President Obama that defies centuries of practice and the legal advice of his own Justice Department.” Boehner’s characterization is harsh but correct.

There was a reason for that whole “three branches of government” thing. It was too avoid too much power in one person’s or one branch’s hands. But, our President seems to want to ignore that, and that should disturb all of us.

Read more of the details at the link, but here it is in a nutshell:

The Senate was in pro forma session yesterday, so there is no recess and Obama’s appointments are invalid by any historical or legal—according to his own Department of Justice—standard.

Now, keep in mind, this WASN’T during a recess session, which makes it so wrong from a legal/historical standard, but then Senator Obama was against EVEN recess appointments:

THEN-SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL): Recess appointments ‘the wrong thing to do.’ “‘It’s the wrong thing to do. John Bolton is the wrong person for the job,’ said Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., a member of Foreign Relations Committee.” (“Officials: White House To Bypass Congress For Bolton Nomination,” The Associated Press, 7/30/05)

OBAMA: A recess appointee is ‘damaged goods… we will have less credibility.’ “To some degree, he’s damaged goods… somebody who couldn’t get through a nomination in the Senate. And I think that that means that we will have less credibility…” (“Bush Sends Bolton To U.N.” The State Journal-Register [Springfield, IL], 8/2/05)

Sen. Harry Reid was also disgusted by them:

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): ‘An end run around the Senate and the Constitution.’ “I will keep the Senate in pro forma session to block the President from doing an end run around the Senate and the Constitution with his controversial nominations.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.15980, 12/19/07)

REID: ‘They are mischievous.’ “Also, understand this: We have had a difficult problem with the President now for some time. We don’t let him have recess appointments because they are mischievous, and unless we have an agreement before the recess, there will be no recess. We will meet every third day pro forma, as we have done during the last series of breaks.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.7558, 7/28/08)

REID: Recess appointments an ‘abuse of power.’ “

So, while appointing someone during a recess session is legal, it was unbecoming to the great standard bearers of right and wrong, Obama and Reid. Now, Pres. Obama goes even further and ignores the legal precedent of Congress.

You see what power has done to Obama? It’s frightening. He says one thing and does another. That isn’t unusual in a politician, but Obama brings it to Olympic gold standard. Every word out of his mouth is worthless when it comes to trust. But this is worse than that. This is ignoring the Constitution for the purpose of a power grab.

Pres. Obama knows the MSM will barely comment on this and it’s a bit complicated and not sexy, so he figures most Americans will never even hear about it. It’s a sad commentary on where our country is right now. I have a sick feeling in my stomach. Much more at the links, so be sure and read them.

This election can’t come soon enough for me.

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