Friday, November 14, 2014

President Obama has this governing thing backward

I guess that an executive order on immigration is coming, or that's what news reports are saying:
President Obama is planning to unveil a 10-part plan for overhauling U.S. immigration policy via executive action -- including suspending deportations for millions -- as early as next Friday, a source close to the White House told Fox News.
The president's plans were contained in a draft proposal from a U.S. government agency.
The source said the plan could be announced as early as Nov. 21, though the date might slip a few days pending final White House approval.
As I've posted before, I'm OK with a modest plan that allows some people to stay here, especially the kids who've grown up here.  My plan would be subject to border security and some reasonable conditions.  
However, President Obama loses me when he decides to go around Congress.  It's exactly the wrong approach to fix a complicated problem.  
First, it's unconstitutional.  I don't read anywhere where the executive can write immigration laws.  My understanding of the U.S. Constitution is that the executive signs and enforces what the legislature passes.   
Second, it will have unintended consequences.  We will see another wave of people looking to get here to qualify.  It will make it more difficult to work with Congress on other issues, from judicial nominations to a new war resolution.  
And it will poison the political well even more.  After all, did anyone run for office in 2014 saying that he or she wants more executive orders?  My recollection is that most Democrats in red states did not talk about immigration reform by executive decree.
They are really tone-deaf at this White House.  There is no wave in the country for immigration reform.  The issue of immigration does not rank with the economy, jobs, or concerns about national security, as reported by Gallup in October 2014.
This is President Obama at his worst at a time when the country needs reconciliation and leadership.

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