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MortZuckerman
GovernmentbyExecutiveFiat
ByDerrickMorgan
465
335
Nov.21,2014|11:00a.m.EST
+More
PresidentBarackObama,withastrokeofhispenandmaybetheuseofhisphone
gavequasilegalstatusandworkpermitstomillionsofillegalimmigrants.Evenifyouthink
thissemilegalizationofthe"undocumented"isagoodidea,isthisgoodprecedentforAmerica?
Ourcountrystartedwhenagroupofdedicatedmenpledgedtheirlives,fortunesandsacredhonor
becauseofalongtrainofabusesandusurpationsbyKingGeorgeIII.Whenwewonindependence,
ourinitialgoverningcharter,theArticlesofConfederation,hadnoexecutiveatall.Whenthatdidnot
workout,theframersofourConstitutioncreatedalimitedgovernmentwithseparate,coequal
branchesofgovernment,includinganexecutivebranchcontrolledbyapresident.Congressandthe
courtswouldcheckthepresidentspower.
NowisthetimeforCongresstopushbackontheexecutive.Ifitdoesnot,thenwhatwillstopthe
presidentthisoneorafutureonefromexpandingthisprecedent?
Thinkabouthownewprecedentscanupsetthebalanceofpower.Judicialnomineesusedtobe
examinedforqualificationsandwerealmostalwaysconfirmed.ButthenDemocratsbegantoroutinely
filibusternominees.RepublicansretaliatedwhenObamatookoffice.Inresponse,SenateDemocrats
triggeredthenuclearoption,whichprecludedfilibustersonsomejudicialnominations.Theydiditby
majorityvote,threateningtoweakentheSenatesabilitytobethecoolingsaucerenvisionedbythe
framers.
[SEE:ImmigrationCartoons]
Obamasexecutiveactioncouldusherinaneraofgovernmentbyexecutivefiat.Afuturepresident
maydecidetouseprosecutorialdiscretiontoignoreenvironmentalortaxlaws.Thinkaboutit.
AconservativepresidentmighttrytopushaneliminationofcapitalgainstaxesthroughCongress.If
Congressrefused,thepresidentcouldsayhewouldusehisprosecutorialdiscretiontoeffectivelyend
collectionofthosetaxes.Specifically,sinceonlyasmallportionoftaxfilerscanbeauditedor
prosecuted,hemightpubliclyannouncethattherewillbenoauditsorprosecutionsforfailuretopay
capitalgainstaxes.
Wedallunderstandthathehadjusteffectivelychangedthecapitalgainsratetozero,somethingonly
Congresscando.RobertDelahunty,JonathanTurleyandJohnYoolegalscholarsofthefirstorder,
andnotallconservativesarewarningofthesedangers.
SowhatshouldCongressdo?First,Congressshouldrefusetopasslegislationortoconfirmnominees
http://www.usnews.com/debateclub/isobamasimmigrationexecutiveorderlegal/governmentbyexecutivefiat
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10/28/2015
GovernmentbyExecutiveFiatUSNews
thepresidentwants.Second,Congresscanusethepowerofthepurseandrefusetofundanyactions
neededtoimplementtheamnesty.Third,itcansuethepresident,thoughsuccessseemsfarfrom
certain.
IfthislameduckCongresscannotpassafundingrestriction,thenitoughttopassashorttermfunding
billsothenewCongresstheonethatjustfacedthevoterscanrespondintheNewYear.
Obamasamnestyismorethanjustbadpolicy.Hisillegitimateexecutiveactionthreatenstoleadtoa
newpowerconcentratingnormalforpresidentialbehavior.Congressmustpushbacksopowerdoes
notaccumulateintheexecutivebranch,tothedetrimentoflibertyforall.
AboutDerrickMorganisavicepresidentofTheHeritageFoundation,whereheleads
theInstituteforEconomicFreedomandOpportunity.
Tagsexecutiveorders,Obama,Barack,Obamaadministration,immigration,immigrationreform
OtherArguments
YESObamaIsJustDoingHisJob
#1
512
MarshallFitzisdirectorofimmigrationpolicyattheCenterforAmerican
Progress.
187Pts
325
NOCynicalPolitickingHasTrumpedPolicy
#3
210
TamarJacobyispresidentofImmigrationWorksUSA.
50Pts
260
MAYBEBadLawsLeadtoBadExecutiveOrders
#4
162
AlexNowrastehistheimmigrationpolicyanalystattheCatoInstitute's
106Pts
CenterforGlobalLibertyandProsperity.
268
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