Imperial Presidency? I Don't Think So!!!

Everyone, legislation for Immigration Reform is long overdo and for some reason our United States Congress has "kicked the can" down the road one time too many. More than 500 days ago, the Senate passed an immigration package, 68-32 and the House has refused to bring it up for a vote. Now grant it, the bill isn't perfect, but what bill is? It is my opinion that the House didn't bring it for an up or down vote because they knew the bill would pass the House and be signed by the President, thereby becoming legislation. So, for more than 500 days now, the House has keep this issue in limbo. It is time for our Congressmen and Congresswomen to stop sitting on their laurels and PASS A BILL to fix the broken immigration system.

So, since Congress refused or refuses to act, President Obama did not, or doesn't. Last night, at 8:00pm EST, for approximately 15 minutes, he laid out some steps that he could legally take through an Executive Order, that would help about 5 million immigrants in their quest to become law abiding citizens of this great nation we call THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Although this order will not be enough to include all immigrants, it is a starting point. This order will force the hand of Congress to act on this issue and PASS A BILL. 

Their are those who say our President, that's right OUR PRESIDENT, is acting like a tyrant, an emperor, a monarch or even an Imperial President because of his use of Executive Orders. But, let's take a look at history. President Obama has signed 193 orders, President George W. Bush signed 291, President Clinton signed 364, President Reagan signed 381.....President Franklin Roosevelt signed over 3,700. President Obama has signed fewer executive orders than 17 of his predecessors. Some of the arguments in how the modern day presidency is imperial are:

• As staff numbers increased, many people were appointed who held personal loyalty to the person holding the office of president, and who were not subject to outside approval or control.
• A range of new advisory bodies developed around the presidency, many of which complemented (critics suggest rivaled) the main cabinet departments, with the cabinet declining in influence. The National Security Council and the Office of Management and Budget are prime examples.
• The Senate does not "advise and consent to" appointments to the Executive Office of the President (with only a handful of exceptions), as it does with cabinet appointments. A corollary of this is that EOP personnel may act independent of, without regard for, and without accountability to Congress.
• The Presidency relies on powers that exceed the Constitution. The extent of foreign policy and war powers of the Presidency are questioned. Also the extent of Presidential secrecy is questioned. 
• The plebiscitary Presidency is a Presidency that is accountable only during elections or impeachment rather than daily to the Congress, the press and the public. This has been considered evidence of an Imperial Presidency.

So, if Congress wants to continue to sit back and do nothing, then it is high time that someone has the GUTS to do something in which they were elected to do, not once, but TWICE!!! And Congress, just in case you have forgotten, any legislation that you pass regarding immigration will supercede any executive orders signed by OUR President. And for those who desire to double check my numbers, I have attached the website by which you can.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data/orders.php

Grand Jury in Ferguson.....

A couple of years ago I served on the Grand Jury in Cartersville, Ga. We were instructed that what information, evidence, names and etc. we heard, or seen, were to be keep within the confinements of the Grand Jury Room. We could not discuss anything outside of that room. So, as you might imagine, I am baffled of the amount of information, evidence, names and etc. that are being leaked from the Grand Jury in Ferguson, Missouri. Yes, we have discussed that on multiple occasions in our Mass Media and Politics class that leaks often occur from within, so the narrative is controlled. However, the more I hear about this Grand Jury, the more I believe laws are being broken; if not by the jurors themselves, then by those with direct knowledge. Regardless of whether the Grand Jury indicts officer Darren Wilson or not, I would like to see the parents of Michael Brown, or perhaps the U.S. Department of Justice, demand a thorough, neutral investigation into the behavior of THIS Grand Jury. It has a foul smell to it, that must not go unnoticed. If these jurors or others, who are leaking this information, are allowed go unpunished for their actions, they are doing a disservice to the American people, the citizens of Missouri and those of Ferguson, Missouri. Now, is not the time to resort to looting, or throwing bottles, or setting buildings on fire, but to ORGANIZE, UNITE, CONFRONT, PROTEST AND DEMAND that those breaking the law are held accountable for their actions. Irregardless, of their race, gender, profession, educational background, or economic status.


http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/14/us/ferguson-police-involved-shootings-killings-data/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Detainees are Released!!

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/08world/asia/US-north-Korea-detainees-released/index-html?c=hompage-t

It is with great joy and profound gratitude that I blog about the last two detainees in North Korea being released this morning, 11/8/14, Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller. North Korea had requested that a high profile person within the U.S. government travel there to discuss the status and possibility of an imminent release. U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper traveled abroad to negotiate these releases. I am forever grateful to the media for not forgetting about these American citizens and keeping pressure on our government officials and foreign diplomats to do all they could to bring them home. And home they are coming!!! And, it appears, at least in this case, there is no “quid pro quo” for the men’s release.

The Release of a U.S. Marine Reservist

On Friday, October 31, 2014, Sgt. Andrew Paul Tahmooressi, a U.S. Marine reservist was released from Mexico's El Hongo Federal Prison after serving 214 days on weapons charges. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Montel Williams and others negotiated his release. Mr. Tahmooressi served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, stationed  in California, suffering from PTSD, took a wrong turn and ending up in Tijuana, Mexico. He just so happened to have a .45 caliber pistol, a pump shotgun and an AR-15 rifle in his vehicle. Now, exactly what he was planning to do with those weapons, we may NEVER know, but it does seem suspicious. It had been stated that the Mexican officials had been abusing him, but due to on slaught of media coverage, they stopped the abuse and actually gave Mr. Tahmooressi better treatment.

I want to say "Thank You" to members of the media who did not forget about this young man, his service to our country, and the need to bring him home.


http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/01/world/americas/mexico-u-s-marine-freed/index.html?hpt=hp_t2