TANCREDO: The case for impeachment Obama has violated his oath of office over immigration

The Washington Times
By Tom Tancredo
July 22, 2010

Eleven years ago, like every citizen elected to serve in Congress or any person appointed to any federal position, I swore an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic."

I've always thought it significant that the Founders included domestic enemies in that oath of office. They thought liberty was as much at risk from threats within our borders as from outside, and French political thinker and historian Alexis de Tocqueville agreed with that warning.

In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the greatest threat to our nation was clear - and foreign. While Islamic terrorism still represents the greatest external threat to America and American lives, the avowed program of the Obama regime has changed the picture in a fundamental way.

For the first time in American history, we have a man in the White House who consciously and brazenly disregards his oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution. That's why I say the greatest threat to our Constitution, our safety and our liberties, is internal. Our president is an enemy of our Constitution, and, as such, he is a danger to our safety, our security and our personal freedoms.

Barack Obama is one of the most powerful presidents this nation has seen in generations. He is powerful because he is supported by large majorities in Congress, but, more importantly, because he does not feel constrained by the rule of law. Whether he is putting up the weakest possible defense of the Defense of Marriage Act despite the Justice Department's legal obligation to support existing law; disenfranchising Chrysler and GM bondholders in order to transfer billions of investor dollars to his supporters in the United Auto Workers; or implementing yet a third offshore oil-drilling moratorium even after two federal courts have thrown out two previous moratoriums, President Obama is determined to see things done his way regardless of obstacles. To Mr. Obama, the rule of law is a mere inconvenience to be ignored, overcome or "transcended" through international agreements or "norms."

Mr. Obama's paramount goal, as he so memorably put it during his campaign in 2008, is to "fundamentally transform America." He has not proposed improving America - he is intent on changing its most essential character. The words he has chosen to describe his goals are neither the words nor the motivation of just any liberal Democratic politician. This is the utopian, or rather dystopian, reverie of a dedicated Marxist - a dedicated Marxist who lives in the White House.

Because of the power he wields over budgets, the judiciary, national defense and even health care, his regime and his program are not just about changing public policy in the conventional sense. When one considers the combination of his stop-at-nothing attitude, his contempt for limited government, his appointment of judges who want to create law rather than interpret it - all of these make this president today's single greatest threat to the great experiment in freedom that is our republic.

Yes, Mr. Obama is a more serious threat to America than al Qaeda. We know that Osama bin Laden and followers want to kill us, but at least they are an outside force against whom we can offer our best defense. But when a dedicated enemy of the Constitution is working from the inside, we face a far more dangerous threat. Mr. Obama can accomplish with the stroke of his pen what bin Laden cannot accomplish with bombs and insurgents.

Mr. Obama's actions, not just his words, show the threat he poses. A level of government deficit spending unheard of since World War II and trillion-dollar deficits as far as the eye can see represent an unacceptable threat to our economic security and our children's future. Mr. Obama could be the first president to guarantee that the next generation of Americans has a lower standard of living than their parents.

Mr. Obama's most egregious and brazen betrayal of our Constitution was his statement to Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona Republican, that the administration will not enforce security on our southern border because that would remove Republicans' desire to negotiate a "comprehensive" immigration bill. That is, to put it plainly, a decision that by any reasonable standard constitutes an impeachable offense against the Constitution. For partisan political advantage, he is willfully disregarding his obligation under Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution to protect states from foreign invasion.

There is no higher duty of the federal government and our elected representatives than to protect our nation from invasion. Multiple reports and testimony before Congress by U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials have stated that a porous border with Mexico is "a path" terrorists will use if they can. Some would-be terrorists, including at least one associated with Hezbollah, already have. Recent reports of contacts between Hezbollah and Mexican drug cartels make it all but certain that terrorists intent on destroying us will come across our southwestern border. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for the administration to do everything in its power to keep Americans safe. Our safety is not a bargaining chip for another amnesty - or for any other political objective whatsoever.

Mr. Obama's refusal to live up to his own oath of office - which includes the duty to defend the United States against foreign invasion - requires senators and representatives to live up to their oaths. Members of Congress must defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Today, that means bringing impeachment charges against Mr. Obama.

Tom Tancredo is a former member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and five-term member of Congress from Colorado. He serves as chairman of the Rocky Mountain Foundation.

Comments

HaleMeserow says:

9 minutes ago

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So, Mr. Tancredo, who do you know who will bring a bill of impeachment in the House? Millions of Americans agree with you.

By the way, "Dumbhillbilly" (comment above) is a very appropriate name for this idiot. What drivel, and how appropriately presented in a style that would shame a fourth-grader. Get some help, hill boy.
factsmatter says:

18 minutes ago

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Danger! Danger! Loose Wingnuts.
genwags says:

25 minutes ago

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His remaining in office is the fault of Nancy Pelosi C ( CA),who fails to live up to her oath and the rest of the congress critters who are happy to merely feather their own nest.
Vote them all out.
Dumbhillbilly says:

1 hour, 32 minutes ago

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CraigM,You want to know why the Republicans don't bring this to the American People? Well here is why? Both the parties are owned by the worlds money people. We can argue about they are but not that they exist. There are only two topics that really control both parties. The Democrats is the control and the Republicans is the money. Show me how many democrats that aren't for government control of almost everything? Show me how many republicans that are not protecting the very rich of the world. Not just the US. Example: The bush tax cuts. Who do they help? What did they do for this country? Did they help the economy of this country or other countries. When you study our tax policies of the republicans, see who has benefited. Don't forget BRIC. Yes I agree with the writer of this article. This country is being destroyed from within. Don't look at just what is happening but ask yourself why? What has caused us to get into the shape we are in today. Why would the people elect someone like we have as president? Some of you will not like what I say: OUT GOVERNMENT HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT THIS COUNTRY ECONOMICALLY AS WELL AS MILITARILLY. Read the constitution, understand the purpose of and for it.
paulc37 says:

1 hour, 44 minutes ago

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Get out your Atlas road Map. The Mexicans have captured all the land south of Interstate Route 8. Americans are being warned not to go go "South of the Border"--Route 8.

The Washington Post, NYT, LAT the controllers of the main media have all but ignored. They are the Enemy in bed with Hugo Chavez Obama.
paulc37 says:

1 hour, 53 minutes ago

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I now can understand what happened in Germany when Hitler was rising to power. Voices screeming alerts but the great majority were too consummed by being politically correct and ignoring responsibilities thus having eventually to pay the consequences.

We only come by here "once".

Obama is not only a traitor to our Constitution but an Evil actor and representative of the devil.
rachel_questions says:

1 hour, 58 minutes ago

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Craig,

Pelosi would be the one to start impeachment proceedings, and she will never allow it to get to the floor. Reid wouldn't be any better either. She controls the House and he controls the Senate. After November it may very well be an entirely different story. I think that the liberals will lose control of both this fall, and then it will be time to send them their marching orders on the impeachment issue.

On top of the issues brought up by Mr. Tancredo, there are five national forests in Arizona alone that have areas that are off limits to citizens and legal immigrants alike because they have been taken over by the cartels for drug and human smuggling. This is clearly an ARMED INVASION. Where is the armed response by our military under the federal government?! IT IS A FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND -0-, IN HIS OATH OF OFFICE, SWORE TO DEFEND OUR BORDERS, yet as per his statement to Senator Kyl, HE HAS REFUSED TO DO SO.

Impeachment is too good for him, he should be tried as a traitor.
CraigM says:

2 hours, 13 minutes ago

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What I want to know is why the Republicans don't bring this before the American people and why the Republican Party does not hold this President accountable for not honoring the oath of office that he and other memebers of his adeministration took to defend this country? And why aren't Democratic members of Congress held accountable also? Barack Obama and Joe Biden should be brought up on impeachment charges as they have willfully sought to disregard the oaths that they took to uphold the Constitution.
lel2007 says:

2 hours, 16 minutes ago

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The infestation runs deep in congress, the courts, the media, and other unseen positions of power - it may yet require at least three honorable Generals to bring the administration to trial.
mourninginamerica says:

2 hours, 41 minutes ago

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Well said, Mr. Tancredo. What you are saying is so simple and obvious, I wonder how it is that more people in positions of government aren't saying it, too? That man needs to be ousted immediately, before he does even more irreparable damage. But what are the chances it will happen? I fear for my children's future; will they grow up in the same great county that I grew up in?
New User says:

2 hours, 43 minutes ago

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Mr. Republican (AKA Tom Tancredo), I have my boots on! Give me a job--no charge!

Suggestion: For now, abandon the lost cause about the non-birth certificate; I want to know when he re-applied for US citizenship after he traveled to England using an Indonesian passport. Since Indonesia does not recognize dual-citizenship (which obviously required O's dropping US citizenship) , when did Obama-Sotero reapply for US citizenship?
New User says:

3 hours, 40 minutes ago

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Mr. Tandredo---I, and millions of other Americans, totally support you and the charges of treason leveled against our President.
JAQUEBAUER says:

5 hours, 35 minutes ago

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The great amount of evidence against this Marxist President has failed to get any one of sufficient authority and standing to directly and openly charge Premiere Obama with his crimes, and to pursue these charges to a successful outcome. The FBI or CIA has to have the goods on Obama, or at least enough to bring him down. Why is their silence ? Why have all the citizen generated lawsuits about the birth documents been thrown out of court ? Why has the media failed to ask Obama directly to present his birth documents and college history ?
Has the Obama conspiracy enveloped all of Government including the courts ?
Will a civil uprising be the only way for the people to be heard ?
rbm says:

7 hours, 48 minutes ago

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It is clear to any sensible person that "the president" is not a U.S. citizen. The circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. Obama should be impeached, removed and his status as an American examined carefully. The democrats have duped this country hugely. When will good sense return to the U.S?
seakay1 says:

9 hours, 55 minutes ago

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At last, someone of standing has raised the "I" word. Where do I sign up? I've been waiting so long.
New User says:

10 hours, 13 minutes ago

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Nevermind impeachment. First see if he's a citizen.

First things first.
BruceDeitrickPrice says:

10 hours, 29 minutes ago

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Tancredo and some lawyer friends should educate the public about this. Are there grounds? Make a list of the ten main charges. One thing people should understand is that impeachable is not same as criminal. It basically just means unacceptable. Really unacceptable. When Obama sent the thugs to the home of the AIG guy, a year ago, that always struck me, for example, as unacceptable.
coffe4closers says:

10 hours, 54 minutes ago

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Former Rep. Tancredo talks a good game; like so many Republicans relishing "the moment" of populace outrage and licking their chops to get back into the "Big Game". WE have seen what this faux outrage looks like sir; and it isn't very pretty. The Lions of the Republican Party come out of their dens long enough to seduce the people who respect the rule of law and the Constitution; then weeks after the election, it's back to the den and their abdication of Constitutional DUTIES. Call us jilted lovers. Call us the village idiot; hoping, praying for some OUTRAGE and ACTION when a tyranny comes a visitin. NO, what we have gotten over the last 2 years is WIMPS in a suit with an "R" on their suit. What happened at the Kagan hearings ? NOTHING, that's what. Where were the Republican mouthpieces from the Senate calling out Sotomayor's FLAGRANT "up yours" over the Chicago v McDonald Second Amendment case ? Oh Hum, is it recess yet ? WE are way beyond outraged Mr. Tancredo; you are preaching to the choir. My question to you sir is as follows: What makes you think that outraged conservatives will believe that you and your brethern are READY, WILLING, and ABLE to see this Impeachment of The Messiah come to fruition ? Actions speak louder than words sir.....
coffe4closers says:

10 hours, 55 minutes ago

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Former Rep. Tancredo talks a good game; like so many Republicans relishing "the moment" of populace outrage and licking their chops to get back into the "Big Game". WE have seen what this faux outrage looks like sir; and it isn't very pretty. The Lions of the Republican Party come out of their dens long enough to seduce the people who respect the rule of law and the Constitution; then weeks after the election, it's back to the den and their abdication of Constitutional DUTIES. Call us jilted lovers. Call us the village idiot; hoping, praying for some OUTRAGE and ACTION when a tyranny comes a visitin. NO, what we have gotten over the last 2 years is WIMPS in a suit with an "R" on their suit. What happened at the Kagan hearings ? NOTHING, that's what. Where were the Republican mouthpieces from the Senate calling out Sotomayor's FLAGRANT "up yours" over the Chicago v McDonald Second Amendment case ? Oh Hum, is it recess yet ? WE are way beyond outraged Mr. Tancredo; you are preaching to the choir. My question to you sir is as follows: What makes you think that outraged conservatives will believe that you and your brethern are READY, WILLING, and ABLE to see this Impeachment of The Messiah come to fruition ? Actions speak louder than words sir.....
maltcat says:

11 hours, 18 minutes ago

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Tom Tancredo is spot on! However, to get the attention of a majority in order to get definitive action underway, he must state his case in lawyer's terms: applicable parallel cases, precedent, specific persons harmed, etc. Then, and only then, will others be willing join him, knowingly agreeing that there is sufficient evidence with supporting law to warrant said charges.

TalonsInTheirEyes says:

11 hours, 48 minutes ago

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In the 2008 race I saw Obama as an inept confused candidate with an ominous Chicago background who stuttered when others saw a supreme candidate with elevated skills in giving speeches. As the President he is no less than the greatest enemy of the US. Not even Kim Jung Il by threats can hope to change the US for the worse the way Obama is doing now. Biden and Clinton are scum for backing the enemy. Half of the Congress is backing the enemy of the US.
lonestarlizard says:

12 hours, 18 minutes ago

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Now the scorched earth attack on Tom will really begin in earnest. The kool-aid minions of our marxist leader will surely try to dismiss him as an afterthought. If that doesn't work, they will enlist their useful idiots in the lefty blogoshpere and the lame street media. I am not holding my breath to see a marxist-lead house initiate impeachment proceedings against their dear leader. And if the bumbling wishy-washy Republicans manage to take the house in November, don't look for any relief. Until the king-messiah truly steps over a line that infuriates even the most kool-aid drenched morons that still support his marxist regime, we will be under the boot of his thugocracy.
Think About It says:

12 hours, 21 minutes ago

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Impeachment is a good idea. Unfortunately, most of our elected officials [regardless of party affiliation don't believe in the Constitution [as evidenced by their repeated actions for a good many years (decades)]. The "ZERO" and many of current crop of elected officials should be held criminally liable for their actions
Bulldog6 says:

12 hours, 34 minutes ago

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Tancredo hits it out of the park. This "President" is a clear and present danger to the American way of life, paid for by American blood over two centuries.
soxconn says:

12 hours, 53 minutes ago

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The national debt is equal to an increasing past the gross domestic product of the United States. This means that whoever own the national debt has more influence globally than the President and the Congress. Combine that with Obama ceding global U.S. primacy to the regional powers and nothing the State Department endorses can be enforced with authority. Obama has taken the United States in 18 month's from a superpower to the equivalency of his bow to the Saudi King and the Emperor of Japan.
ralph_bunch says:

13 hours, 5 minutes ago

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Mr. Tancredo,
Thank you for a five star report. Your message should be disseminated across America.