President Obama has directed the Justice Department not to enforce the “Defense of Marriage” Act. Supporters of gay rights must recognize that this is a bad precedent. Jeremiah hopes that DOMA will indeed be overturned – by the Supreme Court. The president’s fiat is not legitimate, and not to be celebrated.
… when the personal views of the president override the government’s duty to defend the law of the land.
Only Congress has the power to make laws. If the administration usurps this power, then America will become a dictatorship. We may elect a new dictator every four years, but our representative democracy will be finished. Rep. Lamar Smith cites “the politicization of the Justice Department, when the personal views of the president override the government’s duty to defend the law of the land.”
The trend began when Justice abruptly dropped its case against three Black Panther militants. Subsequently, having omitted to enforce immigration law, the administration prosecuted Arizona for doing so.
The President has a sworn duty to uphold the Constitution, including its famous separation of powers. He should direct his cabinet to do their proper duties, no more and no less.
See also: Arizona Has Rights, Too
