Just two weeks into the New Year, trying to pin down President Obama’s national priorities is like looking through a kaleidoscope while sitting on the deck of the S.S. Minnow. The president started the year focused on jobs, followed by a pivot to income inequality. Next up Mr. Obama extolled the virtue of extending unemployment insurance benefits before he turned to an important discussion of promise zones. I don’t begrudge a president the opportunity to articulate a vision to the American people; Obama’s efforts thus far in 2014 has had the feel of a fly fisherman casting and re-casting his line while looking for a bite from the national press corps to validate and calibrate his focus from the Oval Office.
There is a sense this White House moves from one news cycle to the next to shape public opinion – which brings us to Mr. Obama’s press availability just prior to his first Cabinet meeting of the year this past Tuesday morning. After noting that he was looking forward to working with Republicans and Democrats, President Obama made the following startling declaration:
But one of the things that I’ll be emphasizing in this meeting is the fact that we’re not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we’re providing Americans the kind of help that they need. I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone—and I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions and administrative actions that move the ball forward in helping to make sure that our businesses are getting the kind of support and help they need to grow and advance to make sure that people are getting the skills that the need to get those jobs that our businesses are creating.”
I wonder why he didn't think of this 5 years ago.
There is a sense this White House moves from one news cycle to the next to shape public opinion – which brings us to Mr. Obama’s press availability just prior to his first Cabinet meeting of the year this past Tuesday morning. After noting that he was looking forward to working with Republicans and Democrats, President Obama made the following startling declaration:
But one of the things that I’ll be emphasizing in this meeting is the fact that we’re not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we’re providing Americans the kind of help that they need. I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone—and I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions and administrative actions that move the ball forward in helping to make sure that our businesses are getting the kind of support and help they need to grow and advance to make sure that people are getting the skills that the need to get those jobs that our businesses are creating.”
I wonder why he didn't think of this 5 years ago.
I see no correlation. The Patriot Act was passed by the Congress and signed into law by GWB. It wasn't an executive order.
And yes, with the help of a spinless Congress and a president who thinks he's a dictator the Constitution isn't worth the paper it's written on any longer.
I believe the Patriot Act infringes upon our rights as spelled out in the US Constitution and therefore is illegal as are most of Obama's executive orders. My belief is that the whole NSA spying crap was a direct result of the Patriot Act, which probably still hasn't been read by the law makers who passed it. Much like the health care bill.
