Tyranny: Defined

The Office of the Presidency has become increasingly imperial and autocratic.  Barack Obama has just taken it to such an extreme level of lawlessness that it bodes dire consequences for the nation.  It's not just him.  Bush took many actions unilaterally.  Obama has taken Bush's expansion of executive power and put it on steroids. 

Regardless of how one feels about either Bush or Obama, the imperial presidency is anti-American and anti-constitutional.   Some may not be concerned about what their guy does because the ends justify the means, but they should imagine the future.  Their 'guy' will not always be in office and, in modern times, Presidents have a way of building on the excesses of their predecessors.  If Obama is allowed to continue, what will the next President of the United States do?  Or the one after that?

Just consider this:  Obama has, unilaterally and illegally, issued waivers and carve-outs to his clientele.  What if a future President decides to issue an Executive Order directing the Internal Revenue Service not to collect taxes from his cronies on Wall Street or in Silicon Valley?   What if a future President instructs the EPA to enforce laws against one industry, but not another?  What if a future President - say the first Hispanic President of the United States - directs the Department of Justice to only enforce civil rights laws when they favour Latinos?  What if the first Muslim President decides to make it a requirement that companies with governmental contracts refrain from charging interest on the accounts of other customers?  What if the first woman President directs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to give interest-free mortgages to women only regardless of means?

In America, all citizens are supposed to be treated equally under the law and the government is supposed to obey the laws that it imposes on everyone else.  Without the rule of law and equal protection under the law, we will become just another corrupt, lawlessness, and bankrupt Banana Republic.

Despite what Richard Nixon said, if it is illegal, when the President does it, it is still unlawful.  Being President (or holding any office) does not put one above the law.  And, ALL citizens should demand that their elected officials obey the laws and eschew corruption and cronyism.  After all, if our leaders don't have to obey the law, why should we?