Obama needs to do more, not less, on his own

The Washington Post ^ | February 24, 2014 | E.J. Dionne Jr.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Republicans are unhappy that President Obama is invoking his executive powers to govern in the face of a do-nothing-in-2014 House of Representatives. To hear them talk, you would think our chief executive is modeling himself on the late Hugo Chavez and wants to seize dictatorial control.

This, of course, is nonsense. In fact, Obama has in many ways been less aggressive in his use of executive authority than his predecessors.

Take the matter of executive orders. According to the American Presidency Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara, Obama issued 147 executive orders in his first term. This compares with 173 in George W. Bush’s first term, 200 in Bill Clinton’s, 213 in Ronald Reagan’s and 320 in Jimmy Carter’s single term in office. By this standard, Obama is not doing a very good job if he wants to be a tyrant.

Moreover, since getting major bills through the House is about as likely as an equatorial country dominating the Winter Olympics....

[Graewoulf]

Make this a true Year of Action: Impeach Soetoro-Obama in 2014, PERIOD.

[Cementjungle]

...our chief executive is modeling himself on the late Hugo Chavez and wants to seize dictatorial control.

This, of course, is nonsense.

Well, it's official. When WaPo has to deny something, that's when you know it's happening.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Using EJ’s “logic”, a conservative should run in 2016 on a platform of only one executive order. Eliminate the EPA, IRS, Energy Department, HHS, Homeland Security, Education Department, MSNBC, and the New York Times.

[4Liberty]

[GeronL]

bump

[Rummyfan]

Lefties just love a dictator.