Donald Trump has, so far in this
campaign, threatened to “loosen up” libel laws and thereby infringe on the 1st
Amendment rights of those who disagree with him; displayed an understanding of
the 5th Amendment’s Takings Clause radically at odds with the intent
of the Framers; and named education and health care as just two of the policy
realms in which it was the proper role of the federal government to make
aggressive policy changes. He has shown no indication that he is even aware of
constitutional limits on presidential authority.
Barack Obama is to blame for much of the
voters’ acceptance of these attitudes.
During his term in office, President
Obama has led the federal government, and especially the executive branch, into
involvement in numerous issues no previous president would have dared take it. When
Congress has refused to pass bad laws, Obama has attempted to institute those
laws by executive fiat, daring the Supreme Court to enforce the clear text and
meaning of the Constitution and stand against him.
Many conservative voters, angered by
this, adopted a “two can play this game” attitude. When Trump came along,
promising unilateral action and strength, these voters saw an opportunity to
have their own Obama, someone who would retaliate for eight years of executive
overreach by Democrats with some executive overreach of their own. Principles
and the Constitution were forgotten in the rush to punish Obama and his party
for their actions.
Some blame must of course rest with Trump
and his early supporters. But it was in large part Barack Obama and his
trampling of the Constitution which led to the rise of Donald Trump.
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