The First Opposition Constructive

Should our President invoke executive powers for Immigration Reform?

Immigration is a complex and complicated issue and it is hard to fully understand such a broad topic. Since sources for data are so polarized, I prefer to leave this topic to those who research and investigate the matter. Consequently, the question is not so much about immigration, as much as it is the act of our president invoking an executive order. Even though Immigration is an important issue for our country, is invoking executive order and by passing congress an acceptable solution?

Separation of power is an important political concept that is intended to create limits on government. To ensure separation of power our government consist of three branches. These three branches are legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch creates laws, the executive branch vetoes or enforces the law, and the judicial branch determines which laws apply to specific cases. This system is designed for each branch to check the decision and actions of the others and to ensure balance. This system is important because it keeps one branch from having more control over policy and becoming more powerful than another. http://www.house.gov/content/learn/branches_of_government/

Now I have to agree, this seems like a brilliant way for a government to work. Officials who are elected by the people to represent the people, and for these representatives to present ideas for laws and persuade others to accept their premise. After a bill is agreed upon and passed by Congress, it is sent to the executive branch for approval. But, what happens when the legislative and executive branches cannot negotiation workable solutions? Often time’s relations between branches have been tense and eliciting cooperation has been challenging. Even still, does this mean one power should bypass another?

When a president bypasses Congress, not only does he defeat the purpose of a check and balance system, but he also contributes to the dysfunction in Washington. According to Douglas Holtz-Eakin, the former director of the Congressional Budget Office, executive action stymies bipartisan cooperation. He said that “with every new stretching of the boundary of executive authority, the president alienates Congress”.  http://stewart.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/obama-faces-backlash-on-executive-power

No matter how frustrated a president becomes, rather than bypassing congress, working with the elected officials of Congress for a comprehensive solution is the way the system is designed to work. Therefore, it is my opinion that the president should not invoke executive powers to bypass Congress for Immigration Reform.  Each time executive powers are used, we disregard what America has stood for since its founding, a system of checks and balances through elected government officials that represent the voice of the people. Consequently, bypassing congress through executive orders is not an acceptable solution.   http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/editorial/2014/09/07/democrat-obama-immigration-action/15264525/