Dear Friends,
It seems to me, the Obama administration has instituted a whole host of government innovations, some of which have the ability to change the very nature of the relationship, between the US government and it’s citizens. Political innovation can result in the bettering of the lot of Man; or it can be the downfall of great empires and societies. The edge of innovation in the realm of government is often razor sharp, slicing deep wounds into the body of government, society and possibly even civilization itself. For this reason, political innovation should always be enacted carefully, and with great deliberation. If innovation is done without a care, then the results are universally negative for Mankind. When they are done thoughtfully, and with an eye to backing away if the predicted results don’t happen, or especially if the results go counter to the interests of civil society. Our lives, fortunes and very freedom can be upended by political innovation faster than any other type of political event.
- Selective enforcement of the law. The US Constitution makes it clear, the Executive must enforce the laws, equally and without bias. Obama has innovated in not enforcing laws he personally is opposed to. Gay Marriage is one example, immigration laws are another. In the sequester, the administration released thousands of violent illegal immigrants onto the streets of the US, which has certainly resulted in rapes, murders and violent attacks on innocent American citizens. This was done in direct contravention of both the US Constitution, common sense and US Law. With this new innovation, Obama has set the precedent that he has imperial power to rule as he sees fit, regardless of the Constitution, US Law and common sense. In fact, Obama is so bold he has openly declared he will not enforce key provisions of his very own health care law, for obvious political purposes.
- Going “around” Congress. Obama is the first sitting US President who has been able to do this. That in and of itself is quite an innovation in the rule of law. Obama has unilaterally passed regulations that would ordinarily take an act of Congress. This innovation has made the US government far more efficient… at stepping on people’s rights.
- Lying under oath has always been done by human beings if they thought they could get away with it. Bill Clinton was famously caught lying under oath to a grand jury in the Monica Lewinsky affair. His defense was what the definition of “is” is. While this has always been a problem, perjury has been raised to an art under the Obama administration. The US Attorney General, Eric Holder, has been caught over and over, in absolute lies while under oath. His Fast and Furious testimony was as egregious as it comes, but his lack of alacrity has only grown with all the scandals that he has lied about, without consequence. At this point, the only thing we can believe with any certainty that this administration says, is that what ever they say… is not the truth.
These are only a few of the political innovations the Obama administration has brought into the American government, to name them all would require a tome, while I am limited to a page. Each of the innovations I have outlined, have the potential to drastically change the nature, role, and scope of the government in the United States, but, added together they will certainly fundamentally change America. Only an emperor or king, can selectively enforce laws, even the British Kings were barred from this, by the Magna Carta. The inevitable result will be greater distrust of our politicians and their motives. Going around the legislative body is another power that conventionally was reserved for despots and usurpers. That the President has gotten away with passing laws by executive fiat, cheered on by the unbiased media, proves the President now has arbitrary power. Added to these innovations, elevating perjury to an art, disconnects the government from any truth. Taken together, they show the US has turned it’s back on limited government, for the glitter of arbitrary power. That this has happened, without any real push back from Congress or the Judiciary, strongly suggests they agree with it, (regardless of any rhetoric to the contrary). One of the near results of all this innovation, is that in the past, people have come to the US for asylum against political oppression, but now, whistle blowers flee the US for refuge. That they need to go places where the rule of law has traditionally been arbitrary, is empirical evidence that the US has decoupled from the Constitution, and become a banana republic, in fact… if not in name.
Sincerely,
John Pepin
