GOP Likes Unchecked Executive Power--In Case Romney Wins

Last night the House of Representatives passed a bill that we were assured the tough negotiator John Boehner wouldn't allow to pass.  The House joined the Senate in passing S.679 The Presidential Appointment Efficiency & Streamlining Act of 2011.   Yes, it is such a piece of work that it has been in the pipeline since 2011.

This nefarious checks and balances slashing bill has the pedigree of being sponsored in the Senate by the radical left Senator Chuck Schumer.  The House played games for a year feigning opposition to it, but with a renewed sense that Mitt Romney might have slightly better than a 50-50 chance at recapturing the White House for the party, principles gave way to all-consuming power.

The bill passed the Senate in June of 2011.  At the time, the House refused to act on the bill because GOP leaders claimed that Obama's executive overreach with appointments was offensive.  Now that the prospect that Mitt Romney might be able to strangle the Constitution and do the same, the GOP suddenly has become executive branch overreach enthusiasts.

The Washington Post gleefully reported o this legislation by remarking on the wonders of bipartisanship.  Bipartisanship, you'll note, is only worthy of glowing approbations when it is a result of the GOP caving 100% and the Democratic party getting everything it desires.  Any attempt at bipartisanship in the other direction--which admittedly is as common as Haley's Comet--is ignored or besmirched as GOP abusing its power over helpless Democrat do-gooders.

In this latest glorious display of complete GOP surrender, the Washington Post reports:

The House Tuesday evening passed a measure to improve the clogged presidential appointee confirmation process by eliminating 169 jobs from requiring Senate approval.
The positions in that category, such as assistant secretaries for public affairs or for administration or management, are ones that rarely spark partisan Senate battles.
The Senate has already changed its rules to place another 270 or so nominees in a “streamlined” category where, if no senator objects, the nominee would bypass laborious committee hearings and go directly to the Senate floor for a vote.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (and by leader, we of course mean surrender monkey) passively signed on with the radical left to sponsor this bill in the House.  He saw Obama's unconstitutional czar army appointments of 38-45 shadow officials with no clear accountability and seemingly endless power and thought that it would be best for the nation to give that man greater latitude in appointments clear of any meddlesome Senate confirmation hearings.

Writing in an Op-Ed in June, Senator Orrin Hatch (who voted against the bill) rightly identified the danger to our Constitutional government with all of these unelected and unaccountable czars running around:

Even if the lowest figure is used, that means this Administration has more czars than Imperial Russia had in its entire history. In other words, Abraham Lincoln's "government of the people, by the people, for the people" has given way to government by unelected bureaucrats who are often unaccountable to no one except the president.
Ironically, this is precisely what the president vowed he would put a stop to during his campaign.

And to be clear, Executive overreach is a problem in both parties but it has been elevated to an art form by this administration.  President Obama's executive overreach goes beyond his gaggle of czars.  He's issued executive fiat to counter established law regarding the Defense of Marriage Act (signed into law by President Bill Clinton) and various immigration laws.  He has also issued executive orders to establish "control over all communications" within the country in "emergency situations" as he so deems fit.  And then there is the disastrous overreach of policies like Obamacare.

The Obama administration has been nothing short of a lawless regime that, at best, ignores established law; and at worst, intentionally usurps authority from the other branches of government recklessly and in virtually every area of policy-making.

Whether or not the folks who voted for S.679 think that streamlining some presidential appointments would help move things along or not, it is not the proper response to an administration that has made sport of flouting the Constitutional limits placed on its seat of power.  This bill is nothing short of surrender and political opportunism.

Conservatives and defenders of the Constitution who are horrified at President Obama's various abuses of his power were told that with strong leadership like John Boehner and Mitch McConnell the GOP would not allow such abuse to stand.  And yet virtually every time they have a show-down with the president on anything, these folks are the first to buckle.  All he has to to is wink at them and they swoon in deference to his mighty power.

Some conservative folks argue that this bill was necessary as a matter of national security because positions are going unfilled while the senate fails to do its job.  

Fine.  Then take action against the senate.  Bring lawsuits against them, protest them, contact your senators and urge them to DO THE JOB THEY WERE ELECTED TO DO.  You don't, however, answer that question by giving the Executive Branch even more power that is clearly outlined in the Constitution as falling into Legislative purview.  

This bill is a wake up call to conservatives across the country.  The GOP has sold you out again and we now find ourselves confronted with the reality of a two-front war this election cycle.  Mark Levin reported last night that sources were telling him that the House members were pressured into voting for the measure by Mitt Romney.  Romney, apparently sensing victory a little more likely than a few months back, wants to preserve the Constitution-stomping Executive overreach for himself.  What's good for the goose is also good for the gander.

Our Founders created a system of government whereby the president would never be able to become too oppressive or too powerful.  For that, they rightly divided the central government into three distinct branches designed to act as a checks and balances system on one another.  They also wisely limited the power of the federal government and handed most power back to the states and the people.  

For years both parties have been growing the power of the federal government and doing everything in their power to break down any such checks on limitless power.  The Executive, Judicial and Legislative branch are each continuing to usurp larger stakes of authority over the people not granted by the Constitution.  It is a slow gradual creep--but it is dangerous.

This bill just gave a blank check to a shameless executive who has shown time and time again that he doesn't respect the rule of law and will do whatever he wants, whenever he wants.  And the GOP members that handed him that power simply because like the one ring in Tolkien's classic Lord of the Rings trilogy, they cannot resist that power either.  Suddenly, Obama's actions don't look so bad now that they fantasize about Mitt having the same unchecked authority. 

America needs leaders to put principles and our Constitution above their lust for personal power or glory.  Sadly, there are very few in either party willing to do so.

But there are some.  And they are fearless.

Solid conservatives in the Senate voted against this bill:  Kelly Ayotte, Jim DeMint, Orrin Hatch, Mike Lee, Mike Crapo, and Ron Johnson voted NAY.

Lisa Murkowski, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, John McCain, Lindsay Graham and the usual RINO suspects voted for the measure.  Surprise!

Supposed "conservative stalwart" Rob Portman, the disastrous Budget Director for George W. Bush, who is stupefyingly mentioned ad nauseam as a top contender for Mitt's VP, voted FOR the measure as just another indicator on how severely conservative he truly is.

In the House, Allen West, Ann Marie Buerkle, Michele Bachmann, Sandy Adams, Mike Kelly,  and Marsha Blackburn all commendably voted against this bill.  

Paul Ryan, alleged conservative stalwart and commonly mentioned Mitt VPer, voted FOR the bill following orders from the leadership like a good little boy.

 (Side Note:  A large number of the folks who voted against this bill were supported by Governor Sarah Palin in their uphill battles for election.  Thankfully Ted Cruz, Deb Fischer, Richard Mourdock and Sarah Steelman will be joining this fearless group in January.)  

I've already tweeted my congressman with my disappointment over his vote.  For those wishing to contact their representatives, you can find a complete listing of votes below:

Senate Vote on S.679

House Vote on S.679

Thank the good patriots who stood on the side of the Constitution and against the permanent political class and their most recent usurpation of power.  Work tirelessly for those good folks who will go to Washington to enact sudden and relentless reform by putting the power back into the hands of the people and respecting the limits placed by the Constitution.

Also, feel free to consider this moment the time to start a "Dump Boehner" and "Dump McConnell" movement.  The current GOP leadership is weak, hapless and more concerned with inside Washington status quo preserving than actually doing what they ramble on and on about in their political campaigns.

Hold them accountable folks!