The Patriot Post® · Douthat: 'This Simply Does Not Happen in Our Politics'

New York Times columnist Ross Douthat wrote in his Sunday column that Obama’s expected executive move on immigration may very well set a precedent for presidents in the future. “Beyond a certain point, as the president himself has conceded in the past, selective enforcement of our laws amounts to a de facto repeal of their provisions,” Douthat writes. “And in this case the de facto repeal would aim to effectively settle – not shift, but settle – a major domestic policy controversy on the terms favored by the White House. This simply does not happen in our politics. Presidents are granted broad powers over foreign policy, and they tend to push the envelope substantially in wartime. But domestic power grabs are usually modest in scope, and executive orders usually work around the margins of hotly contested issues.” Obama’s legacy: ObamaCare and the rise of the imperial president. More…