Daily Tea Party News Commentary for 2/13/2010

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Obama Making Plans to Use Executive Power - With much of his legislative agenda stalled in Congress, President Obama and his team are preparing an array of actions using his executive power to advance energy, environmental, fiscal and other domestic policy priorities.

During his campaign for the Presidency, Barack Obama, was extremely critical of both Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush's, penchant for being heavy handed with the use of the "Executive Order" hammer. However, now that his agenda is stalled, and his nominees being blocked, President Obama has begun using, or threatening to use, the Executive Order power.

There is no provision, for Executive Orders, in the Constitution, but Presidents have issued Executive Orders since 1789, citing the "executive powers" provision in Article II Sec. 1 Clause 1, and the phrase "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed" made in Article II Sec 3 Clause 4, to justify their actions.

I can not criticize President Obama, specifically, for use of Executive Orders. My criticism lies in the use of these orders to circumvent Congress, and the Constitution. It seems that any time a President is unable to get the agenda he wants, he turns to the Executive Orders privilege to create new legislation, or to move legislation away from it's original intent. Obviously, President Obama is not unique in this method.

While not specifically prohibited, and even allowed, by precedent, it seems to me that the use of Executive Orders, goes against the "spirit" of the Constitution, which was to keep too much power from resting in one branch of the Government. Executive Orders, obviously override the Checks and Balances that were a basic tenet of our Representative Republic form of Government.

When will Americans stand up, and say "STOP!" This isn't right, and we must roll back the expansion of the power of the Executive Branch of the Government. No more Executive Orders, No More unconfirmed "Czars", no more skirting the Constitution!?

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