Washington Post: Obama Doesn't Have Right 'to Tear Up Constitution' for Exec Amnesty

by Tony Lee

Aug 6, 2014 10:45 AM PT

The Washington Post warned President Barack Obama not to shred the Constitution to enact more executive amnesty. 

In a Wednesday editorial, thePost acknowledged that Obama's "frustration is understandable" and urged voters to vote out lawmakers who are opposed to a comprehensive amnesty bill. But it declared that Obama does not have the license to grant work permits and amnesty via executive fiat--in contravention of federal law--to millions of illegal immigrants.

"Obstinate, hopelessly partisan, and incapable of problem-solving, Congress is a mess," thePost declared. "But that doesn’t grant the president license to tear up the Constitution."

The Post, which reported that the Obama administration knew about the influx of illegal immigrant juveniles from Central America but did nothing about it to focus on his reelection and a comprehensive amnesty bill, noted that "Obama himself said last fall: 'If, in fact, I could solve all these problems without passing laws in Congress, then I would do so. But we’re also a nation of laws.'"

"To act on his own, the president said, would violate those laws," the Post emphasized.

The White House has indicated that Obama will implement executive actions "by the end of summer," and the Post said doing so "would trigger a constitutional showdown with congressional Republicans, who could make a cogent argument that Mr. Obama had overstepped his authority."

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