Obama Demonstrates Bold Leadership On Complex Issues

Photo: Chip Somodevilla
Getty Images

This week's Supreme Court decision to uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) marked a major victory in President Obama's courageous fight to revise the broken healthcare system in America.

While the ACA may be both Obama's signature achievement and his achilles heel, there is no denying its boldness.

The President’s attack on the lobbyist-dominated monstrosity that is the American healthcare system showed enormous mettle. Regardless of what one thinks of Obamacare, it should be noted that no other president has been able to muster the know-how, the political muscle, and the intestinal fortitude to successfully pass legislation to overhaul our broken healthcare system.

Obamacare is not the only recent example of the President's willingness to take a stand and lead America forward. 

Two weeks ago, in a statement delivered from the White House Rose Garden, the President declared the United States will no longer pursue deportation of undocumented immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children.

Conservative pundits questioned the President’s motives in making the election-year policy change, while Republican Congressional leaders had relatively little to say on the issue, partly in deference to Mitt Romney, who continues to take a nuanced non-position on the announced changes.

Why would the President take the politically risky step of allowing some illegal immigrant children to stay in the U.S.?

Turn of Phrase - Arizona Governor Jan Brewer Is Pissing Me Off

"They want chaos. They want a larger voting base as far as I’m concerned and they want the illegal immigration to continue. 

Now they’ll have all the illegals and they can all do whatever they want and register to vote. Although it’s illegal if you’re not a citizen to register. But they’re not enforcing the law so what is going to happen to them? He’s looking for votes."

- From Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, in remarks she made about President Obama on the same day the Supreme Court struck down three of the four provisions of Arizona's contentious immigration legislation (SB1070). Incidentally, the Court upheld the most controversial element of the law, the "show me your papers" component.

Is it just me or has Governor Brewer become more brazen in her blatantly disrespectful treatment of Barack Obama, the duly elected President of these United States? 

Remember this picture of Brewer wagging her finger in President Obama's face like he's a little league umpire who just called her kid out on strikes?

Brewer attempting to call down the President
on the tarmac during his visit to Arizona.
Photo: AP

Civility and graciousness in political discussions should be a universal goal, and between elected professionals who must work together to govern our nation, it should be mandatory. 

That is not to say that Bill Maher who is a comedian, not a politician, can't say mean funny things about Sarah Palin, or that Rush Limbaugh, who is a rhetorical masturbator - but not a politician, can't give a clever nickname to Nancy Pelosi. 

Elected politicians, though, should be more thoughtful in choosing their words, particularly those governors who are prone to running off at the mouth and making public allegations that imply illegal activity on the part of other politicians - and especially, when the other politician holds the title PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

Governor Brewer's repeated disrespect for President Obama really pushes my buttons - but I feel that may be obvious by now?

As I said though, we should all strive to be more tactful and courteous in our political discourse. That's why I decided on the headline above, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer Is Pissing Me Off, instead of these alternate titles that I briefly considered for this post, but ultimately rejected. 

Jan Brewer - Who the Fuck Do You Think You Are?

Would Someone Please Have Sex With Arizona Governor Jan Brewer?

Governor Jan Brewer - Disrespecting President Obama Almost As Much As She Disrespects Hispanic-Americans

Sorry Arizona, I Guess Stupid Bitchville Already Had a Governor

Hey Asshole, Even Fox News Is Starting to Think You're an Idiot (see)

I don't know, those seem kind of harsh, but in retrospect, I'm still not sure I chose the best headline.

Turn of Phrase - Romney's Pathetic Non-Answer On Immigration

Romney at Hispanic Leadership
Network lunch on Friday
Photo: Charles Dharapak /AP

"Some people have asked if I will let stand the president's executive action. 

The answer is that I will put in place my own long-term solution that will replace and supersede the president's temporary measure. 

As president, I won't settle for a stop-gap measure. I will work with Republicans and Democrats to find a long-term solution."

- From Mitt Romney, in response to President Obama's bold unilateral decision to change to U.S. immigration policy. Last Friday, the President issued an executive order stating the U.S. would no longer pursue deportation of young illegal immigrants who were brought into the country as children.

No one expects Romney to solve anything - he's a candidate, not the President. Nonetheless, his empty rhetoric and vague promises continue to disappoint. Dude, just tell us what you think!

Romney's address to the Hispanic Leadership Network today in Florida provided him with the perfect opportunity to rebut Obama's action and outline specifics of his own plan for addressing the immigration challenge (and if he has no plan, he could still give Americans some idea of what he thinks would be fair).

Instead, Romney gives us more waffly non-answers and another mouthful of partisan criticism of President Obama, who at least took a substantive policy position, decided on important first steps, and implemented them.

Did you read about Romney's new economic approach?

President Obama's Immigration Reform - The Right Thing To Do

Sergio Baron, 17 of Elizabeth, NJ
and his siblings, beneficiaries of
the new immigration policy.
Photo: Tim Farrell / Star Ledger

Last Friday President Obama announced an executive order that will, at least temporarily, significantly shift American immigration policy and make daily living much less stressful for nearly one million young illegal immigrants living in the U.S.

According to the President's order, his administration will cease deporting and begin granting work permits to illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, and who have since followed our nation's laws.

The new rules, which impact approximately 800,000 "foreign nationals" living in America, apply specifically to undocumented immigrants who are under 30 years of age, and who were brought to the U.S. prior to their 16th birthday. Immigrants must also be either currently enrolled in school, high school graduates, or members of the armed services, in order to be exempt from deportation.

In his explanation for the policy change, President Obama put a human face on the immigration issue, noting that the children of illegal immigrants "study in our schools, play in our neighborhoods, befriend our kids, pledge allegiance to our flag. It makes no sense to expel talented young people who are, for all intents and purposes, Americans."

The poignant short video below, Illegal by John X. Carey, illustrates the need for immigration reform, particularly as it relates to children, by showing the real life challenges a group of talented young immigrants face in the U.S., even though they don't remember life before America. Do yourself a favor, and watch.

Illegal from John X. Carey on Vimeo.