THE ARBALEST QUARREL’S TAKE ON THE MIDTERM ELECTION RESULTS

For the first time in eight years Republicans have taken control of both Houses of Congress. This is no accident. The American public has had enough of Barack Obama. This glib, smooth-talking “used car” salesman can’t convince the public to purchase any more of his wrecks.In the next two years the Republicans can do much to set the Country on a corrective path, paving the way for a Republican in the White House. Through a concerted effort Republicans can rein in the Executive and can make Congress functional.This does not mean the Republicans are required to do everything; but they can’t sit idly by doing nothing, merely arguing that they do much by prohibiting Obama from doing anything. That won’t work anymore. The public won’t stand for that. The public will accept no more excuses. They will no longer buy sugar-coated lies.The results of this mid-term election are a wake-up call to Republicans. If the Republicans sit idly by for the next two years, Americans may very well see another Democrat – a Clinton at that – in the White House. Hillary Clinton feels cheated. She feels that she, not Obama, should have sat in the Oval Office these past six years. But, the puppet masters ordained Obama should rule in her stead. But now the puppet masters have given Clinton the green light. For most Americans the salient concern is that she might just make it to the White House.And don’t doubt for a moment Clinton won’t run for Office; that Clinton won’t be the Democratic Party’s candidate of choice; that Clinton won’t have a real shot at the Presidency in 2016.Although coyly disengaged from the subject of her candidacy, Hillary Clinton is quietly whipping her believers into frenzy. The lemmings support Clinton and no one else. Clinton is chomping at the bit. She lusts for the Oval Office. And many Americans – all too many – want her in the White House. She knows this and is counting on their active support.And what will Obama do in the interim? He will “ruff” a low trump card. His low trump card is his audacity.Any middle school student knows or should know we have a tripartite system of Government, based on a clear separation of powers:The Legislature shall make the laws and the President shall faithfully execute the laws, and the Judiciary, a U.S. Supreme Court, shall interpret the laws.This is the Separation of Powers Doctrine. And it exists for a reason: to preclude usurpation of all powers by one individual or one group. Usurpation of power, whether by one individual or a few, leads invariably to oligarchy or monarchy – tyranny. We are moving inexorably in that direction.Obama is obviously disdainful of Congress and of the U.S. Constitution. He wishes to accumulate legislative powers and executive powers in one Branch of Government: the Executive Branch. Is there proof of this?Consider the touchy subject of immigration. Obama has made plain his intention to give amnesty to millions of illegal aliens. Under our Constitution he can’t do that. He says he’ll do that anyway. What does this mean?The President will do whatever he wants to do but will refrain from doing whatever he wants to do if Congress does what the President wants Congress to do.And, what does that mean?Obama wants immigration reform. So he compels Congress to act to provide him with that reform.Congress, though, doesn’t work at the behest of the Executive Branch. And the Executive Branch cannot legally assume the role of the Legislature unto itself. That constitutes a clear breach of the Separation of Powers Doctrine, and is inconsistent with the dictates of the U.S. Constitution.Understand, Congress need not act on immigration matters at all. Congress determines what laws to enact. Moreover, Congress decides what matters it deals with. These are not prerogatives of the President.The President can’t act as if he were the Legislature. He says that he can. He says he can take action by executive fiat. He says immigration reform is the right thing to do. Obama says lots of things. But his saying this, that, or the other does not make it so.The President has no authority under our Constitution to dictate what laws Congress must pass. The President has no authority under our Constitution to dictate what policy issues Congress must consider. And the President has no authority under our Constitution to make law in lieu of Congress by Executive fiat simply because Congress fails to act.Obama demonstrates an incredible arrogance even to suggest America must have immigration reform. He thrusts his notion of morality on the entire Nation. Obama argues a lawful right to act, if Congress doesn’t. This he bases, ostensibly, on his own ethical belief system. But normative prescriptions don’t, ipso facto, provide a legitimate legal basis for action under the U.S. Constitution. Unilateral action based on a moral claim, however lofty, is, ultimately, clearly, unlawful, and conceivably constitutes an impeachable offense.Although the Republican Congress has much to do, it need not take on work the American public doesn’t want or truly need. It should deal with pressing matters, not unimportant ones. It must avoid being side-tracked by petty impulses and political posturing by the President.Several matters that Congress might reasonably consider spending time on these next two years include, inter alia, these:

• Encouraging economic growth and jobs for Americans
• Reining in the Executive Branch of Government
• Countering Obamacare
• Simplifying the tax code
• Developing coherent foreign policy objectives
• Reducing fraud and waste in Government
• Requiring accountability of the Federal Reserve
• Preventing Executive Branch encroachment on State rights and prerogatives.
• Repairing deteriorating infrastructure
• Protecting America from external biological and ideological threats
• Securing our borders
• Taking steps against foreign nations and foreign transnational conglomerates insinuating themselves into the political, social, economic, financial, and legal affairs of the United States.

In the next two years, Republicans must make headway to protect the fabric of American society. That will help secure our free Republic. That will go a long way to appease a rightfully angry public.Unfortunately, there are already disturbing signs from some centrist Republican Senators that, when dealing with Obama, compromise and conciliation will be the strategies employed. Confrontation is the strategy centrist Senators will reserve for their own Tea Party base. They intend to keep the base in line. Should that occur, these centrist Republicans will certainly tear the GOP wide open, and they may very well hand the White House over to Hillary Clinton in 2016. [separator type="medium" style="normal" align="left"margin-bottom="25" margin_top="5"] Copyright © 2014 Roger J Katz (Towne Criour) and Stephen L. D’Andrilli (Publius) All Rights Reserved.