Congress and States Must Work in Tandem
Congress returns this week and assuming they haven’t already forgotten the mid-term election mandate, their first order of business must be to reinstate the rule of law and rein in the president’s abuse of immigration policy. “Reconstruction” must begin.
For six years, the Obama administration has been obsessed with centralizing power but has refused to use it to enforce immigration laws. Instead, it has dismantled enforcement and intimidated states that have tried to enact bills reacting to the inaction in Washington. States have fought valiantly to keep themselves solvent and safe against the cost and impact of illegal immigration but have felt the iron-fisted blows of Eric Holder’s Department of Justice each time they acted. During this same period, the Obama administration has put in place endless backdoor amnesties, effectively nullified most of the laws written by Congress, dissolved any limiting principle in immigration and continues to exert ever expanding executive powers. Not surprisingly, illegal immigration has surged and costs have skyrocketed
Thus, the recent executive amnesty – while consequential – is really just the expected cherry on the poop sundae. It is, however, the crucial point at which a reaction is required given that our continuing immigration and enforcement crisis has become a constitutional crisis as well.
The counter attack requires immediate action by both states and the Congress, each ideally reinforcing the arguments of the other.
States must act because they cannot survive a federal government that is exercising an unbridled prerogative to impose crushing burdens on them. States bear the mounting costs of providing health care, education and incarceration to illegal aliens as a direct result of the federal government’s willful neglect of interior and border immigration enforcement. Legal standing in the courts is the major hurdle; nonetheless, 25 states are acting because they understand they have an urgent obligation to protect their resources from being depleted by further flows of illegal aliens, a phenomenon that is most certainly not speculative nor abstract. History shows that increased illegal immigration is axiomatic in the aftermath of massive amnesties and each state can tangibly demonstrate the current cost of illegal immigration.
Likewise, Congress must act using both legal force and fiscal constraints. The president has a constitutional obligation to “take care that the laws Congress writes are faithfully executed.” There’s no clause that says…“except of course if Obama doesn’t really feel like it.” There is no point in having this language in the Constitution unless Congress and the courts recognize their responsibility to hold the president accountable for obeying the law. Congress must also act to restore its power to “establish a uniform rule of naturalization” under Article I, Section 8, Clause 4 of the Constitution, meaning Congress makes the laws; the president must carry them out. Both assertions are legally solid. Finally, Congress must use the power of the purse to defund any activities related to carrying out Obama’s executive action within the upcoming DHS appropriations bill.
Obama’s amnesty represents the use of an unconstitutional means, an unsavory political motive and a tangible adverse impact on the states, all compelling reasons to make the president a defendant and strip away funds he may use to carry out amnesty.
The states and Congress must act quickly, in tandem, using both legal and fiscal maneuvers. Doing so may rein in the president’s abuse of power but action now serves another purpose: all remedies must be reasonably exhausted should impeachment and removal from office become a necessary and next step.
27 Comments
Obama will ramp up his dictatorial style of governing since he only has a couple of more years. He will not change this as long as he can get away with it and has his hard line followers. Our only hope to control him and reverse this trend is if the newly elected Senate and Congress gets serious and puts their rhetoric into action
I used to send money to fair before I realized it is just another democrat hating tea party organization. I have stopped sending money and started sending it to a more neutral and environmentally friendly group that supports less immigration.
I have been a member of FAIR for over ten years and I have never seen any “democrat hating.” Have a nice day.
Power of the purse must be enforced!
this guy thinks he is some kind of king or something hes not he works for the american people we are his boss this fool is dreaming tell him to wake up.
The problem is the republicans don’t really do anything about immigration either. This should not be an anti democrat issue. Look at all the green cards the corporations get to destroy our job base. The republicans want to wipe out the middle class and have cheap labor. They want to hire illegals for slave labor. I have stopped sending money to fair as they seem to be s tea party organization
I agree with Obama on almost all other issues. I will be sending my money elsewhere from now on.
I heard that, if you remember, when Obama flubbed his oath taking while being officially placed in office, they told us, don’t worry, he’ll be taking it again in the back room. The story goes he then took it on the Koran, so maybe that’s why he feels No Allegiance to the Constitution.
Obama is continuing Bush administration policy and methods
What do you expect when Congress ALLOWS this president to be lawless and there are no consequences for him when he is. He has got to be stopped NOW!! If Congress doesn’t do it there is going to be huge changes in 2016 and they know we can do it.
How true you are. with a congress now in the hands of a newer congress, if they can not stop the president’s abuse of law, we need to look how they vote. The congress are servants of the people. I think they have forgot that.
The freshman come in with stars in their eyes, but the good old boys will take them on the side and tell them how things work in Washington.
I think All the people with power have been Bought Off, after all, that Is the Chicago Way. I think they should let Blago out of jail because, looking back, what he did was No Where near being as bad as some of the con games Obama’s gotten away with.
If they refuse to defund Obama’s unconstitutional amnesty, then the GOP is done for.
I plan to leave FOREVER, as will the rest of their base. And this is a PROMISE. No other issue matters to me
as much as this single issue. If the GOP will not defund or in some way stop this illegal amnesty, then the GOP is approving of it. It makes me SICK to me stomach and the anger I’m dealing with is nearly impossible to bear. This is a direct assault on the people whose ancestors founded and built this nation. It is a direct effort to disenfranchise European Americans FOREVER. It is a despicable effort to gain a democratic supermajority by BUYING votes.
I hate Obama with all of my heart and soul. The man is filth, dirty marxist scum, the worst president in the history of our country, and probably one of the very worst leaders in all of world history. I rank him with Joseph Stalin and he is cut from the same cloth.
We are watching the wrecking of what was once the greatest nation on earth.
God help us.
Mr. Marsdens: Don’t forget that the Europeans you refer to as well as most others who came to this country earlier came here LEGALLY!! The ones the emperor wants to grant amnesty are illegals and have no business being here. I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of Obama—throw in his appointed Muslim and liberal brothers who are destroying our government. The democrats had the golden opportunity to do what they complain about when they had the majority in both houses of congress when Bush was at the helm—but they did nothing. They even had the numbers to override vetoes. Now the shoe is on the other foot, but I don’t think a GOP effort can override Obama’s vetoes. I do agree that the GOP will suck hind tit in the next election if they don’t do what the voters mandated them to do this past November. Boner has to stop dealing under the table with Obama and not punish his GOP compatriots who wanted a change in house leadership.
I agree with you 100% in everything you say. I have been writing comments about Obama’s disrespect and arrogance since I seen him doing his first crotch salute , everyone else had their hand over their heart while Obama stood there with his fingers intertwined in front of his crotch. I also have hate for him and his liberal a.. kissers as they do not stand for what America is or was. The only difference is I hardly ever get any hate replies from the liberals now, when I used to be flooded with them. It tells me that many of the left slow thinkers are finally figuring it out although their thought process is far too slow to help our Country.
Nothing will happen with Boehner and Mcconnell in charge, both are known RINOs and will play the democrat game.
I little hope that Congress will do anything.
They just reelected Boehner, showing they are not truly looking for change.
Too many of those with power in Congress are beholden to the Chamber of Commerce
which loves the cheap labor of illegal aliens and can’t look past the next quarter and their
year end bonuses. Eventually their acts will result in a ruinous tax on business to pay for
it all, something that might make France look business friendly.
America and the World Can’t Afford Overpopulation Degrading Wages
The collapse of oil prices lately highlights this fact.
in my state alone in 2014 we spent over 2 BILLION on Illegal Aliens and their families..everything from education through the public safety areas of government…http://www.fairus.org/issues/publications/state-cost-studies
It is local County property owners who get stuck with the bill for welfare, healthcare and education for illegals and the Feds only pay for food stamps. Neither the government nor the media will tell you how much it is really costing you. Frankly, in the mid 1980’s in California when the refrendum overwhelmingly pass to cut of welfare for illeglas the the bill was about the same, $2 billion. It is now over $12 billion. Obola likes to play Santa Claus with OPM (Other Peoples Money).
So with all of Obama’ illegal acts and abuse of office why doesn’t congress “impeach’ obama and nullify all his law usurping Memos and E.O.s or are they afraid that they’ll be called “racists” for doing their job? Or am I missing the scope of what can and can’t be done about it?
you sound like the Anti Civil Right people from the last century….
First, Don’t confuse the wrong doing of the u.s. government towards the depredation of rights of black u.s. citizens up until the civil rights act of the 1960s. With that of Illegal aliens whom are just plain criminals. That steal u.s jobs, and taxpayer paid benefits they have not earned or are entitled to. Because illegal aliens are not u.s citizens and are not needed in the u.s.
Second, Obama and his Administration and other minions (like you) are pretty damn quick to call every one else racist collectively and against the u.s laws when they don’t get their way and act like they are entitled to be exempt or above of the law because of their skin color when the u.s. laws applies to and applicable to everyone equally.
Stop making excuses for the willful misconduct of others whom are a determent to the sovereignty and safety of the U.S., the U.S. Constitution and of the U.S. Citizens whom protect and have served this country ~ a land with a Rule of Law.
I am an American Indian, U.S.M.C. (Ret.)
Not so!!! I think Mr. Marsdens is simply stating that we return to a rule of law, nullify those actions that were done outside the law, and see to it that the constitution is adhered to and that congress promulgate laws–not by a known socialist who has weakened our military, caused the devaluation of the dollar, alienated some of our closest allies, and has done everything he can to bankrupt our country, and bring the USA down!!!!!
Mr. Obama’s incompetence has absolutely NOTHING to do with his race.
It’s hard to impeach him for many reasons.
First and foremost would be finding enough Democrat votes in the Senate to get the 2/3s needed.
Since that will never happen, there is no point in the exercise.
Next, while morally offensive, most of his acts are not actually illegal.
He at least has a fig leaf of rationale to cover most of his acts. And, with the GOP in the Senate
allowing him to pack the Federal courts, its going to be even harder to find a court that will
recognize the standing of someone harmed.
Honestly, the one true impeachable offense is if the can prove a link between him and the IRS
scandal. The rest is mostly political posturing.
Richard, Thank you for your insight and opinion.