Istook’s Insights: White House claims it can raise taxes without Congress, security taken hostage, redistribution by fiat


This is scary: The White House claims it has power to raise some taxes without asking Congress, because Congress already gave it that power. The particular proposals run $10-billion a year in more taxes on business.

It’s another example of how extra Presidential powers have been granted by Congress for decades. There are so many laws adding authority to Presidents and bureaucrats that it’s hard to find the boundaries that limit them.

Constant expansion of government was guaranteed to produce a chief executive who abuses his power and wants to act like a dictator. 

Every expansion or new program sends more power to the President, because the legislative branch does not handle day-to-day details—only the executive branch does.

Two things made Barack Obama’s runaway Presidency possible: Root causes are big government and irresponsible Congresses.

Priorities in Washington are rotten, as the current top story in D.C. illustrates.

President Obama created a crisis on purpose when he announced his amnesty plan.

He knew money for immigration enforcement is always part of the legislation that funds homeland security.

Obama took homeland security hostage to protect amnesty. Trying to de-fund amnesty, he claims, will jeopardize homeland security funding. 

Obama’s priority is to manipulate.

Many in Congress take the bait, saying they cannot de-fund amnesty because it jeopardizes security. But that’s not true. 

The law prevents shutdowns of vital government functions; it’s just that people receive their paychecks late.

It’s lopsided to declare it sacrosanct that government must be kept open; to make it the top priority.

The clearest present danger is when President Obama usurps power and fails to enforce laws. 

Letting Obama get away with it now only guarantees that he’ll use his blackmail tactic again, and that he’ll do it more often.

In other news, redistribution of wealth is underway in America.

Before running for President, Barack Obama was more open about his goal of re-distributing wealth.

 He called our Constitution flawed because it does not compel government to give things away.

Bypassing Congress, Obama is making redistribution happen through regulations and the bureaucracy. 

Congress kept granting more power to Presidents for decades as government grew.

 It was inevitable that one would realize they can do almost anything and Congress won’t stop them and the courts probably will not.

Beyond Obamacare and Obamaphones, Obama’s agencies are compelling lenders to make bad loans again, to minorities with poor credit. Housing subsidies are rising, just like food stamps. 

New subsidies are coming for free broadband access.

And lots more.

But Obama never could do this except that Congress has been granting extra power to Presidents, year after year after year.