Remember when George W. Bush was "shredding the Constitution"?

As a senator and presidential candidate, [President Obama] had criticized George W. Bush for flouting the role of Congress. And during his first two years in the White House, when Democrats controlled Congress, Mr. Obama largely worked through the legislative process to achieve his domestic policy goals.

But increasingly in recent months, the administration has been seeking ways to act without Congress. Branding its unilateral efforts “We Can’t Wait,” a slogan that aides said Mr. Obama coined at that strategy meeting, the White House has rolled out dozens of new policies — on creating jobs for veterans, preventing drug shortages, raising fuel economy standards, curbing domestic violence and more.

Each time, Mr. Obama has emphasized the fact that he is bypassing lawmakers. When he announced a cut in refinancing fees for federally insured mortgages last month, for example, he said: “If Congress refuses to act, I’ve said that I’ll continue to do everything in my power to act without them.”

Aides say many more such moves are coming. Not just a short-term shift in governing style and a re-election strategy, Mr. Obama’s increasingly assertive use of executive action could foreshadow pitched battles over the separation of powers in his second term, should he win and Republicans consolidate their power in Congress.

Congress is as much a part of the Constitution as is freedom of speech and the Commerce Clause. Yet Obama is willing to do an end-run around the representatives of the people. Isn’t that what Democrats have accused corporate interests of doing? Bribing Congress and ignoring it both result in a less representative government. But since he’s a Democrat, then it’s OK with those Occupy Wall Street types.

And the media, predictably, are defending him.

Mr. Obama got fed up, finally, last fall, according to Mr. Savage’s article, and the result was the “We Can’t Wait” project, which has led to dozens of executive actions on a range of issues, including jobs for veterans and fuel economy standards.

Unlike the Bush/Cheney team, Mr. Obama did not take office with the explicit goal of creating new powers for the presidency. That was not part of his agenda. Moreover, his executive actions often are more modest in their effect than the White House’s public relations team might admit.

Government by executive order is not sustainable in the long-term. Nor is it desirable, whether you agree or disagree with those orders. But in this particular case, there may be no alternative.

"He didn’t mean to, but this nasty ol’ Congress just won’t bow down and do his bidding, so there may be no alternative." I would remind Democrats that there are more Republicans in Congress precisely because he got his way so much when Democrats had bigger majorities. By doing an end-run around Congress, he’s trying to nullify the results of the last mid-term election; your votes.

For the Left, it’s not so much about principle as it is about politics.

Good morning.

1. Off the beaten track information regarding Mr Wood.
2. Music and … heaven?
3. Misquote is a political strategy, alas practiced on both sides.
4. Our government overreach in action.
5. Beauty and church adornment.
6. Advice and academia from a very fast man.
7. Competition and moving power down not up.
8. Blank bang and the 3-d printing process.
9. Intimations of danger.
10. I disagree. It seems to me that wisdom/fool has a similar relationship as saint/sinner, the more you increase in wisdom the more you feel yourself to be the fool.
11. Yikes. And … it seems to me America and China would have a different reaction in the ensuing tort courts … and I’m not of the opinion that America is better in that regard.
12. Not getting “the sisterhood thing”.
13. Next stop the shooting range?
14. Marines then and now … which approach was better?
15. So, four strikes?
16. And a verse to recommend to close out this list.

Yikes, I’m running late. A few links?

1. A little political humor.
2. Not getting the IVF press.
3. Of drugs, alcohol and policy.
4. Of Obama’s reaching for (more) executive power, here and here. Ya think “ineffective Senate (legislature)” was not a reason Rome went Imperial? It worked so so well for them.
5. So, the BBC takes a story … and where do they go with it? The question is, are liberals offended by this too?
6. A little size disparity.
7. A metaphor for the nanny state? (see item #4).
8. Well, they grow on trees ya know!
9. A question asked, why is this more than a 2 hour trial?
10. A question about Colson and the Watergate kerfuffle.
11. The problem of positive errors.

Being on a business trip for a week makes it hard to keep up with blogging. And being on the US west coast helps with the realization that the world doesn’t revolve around Eastern time.

On with the links.

Obama is invoking Reagan a lot these days, trying to promote his agenda. But as Steven Hayward notes, Obama takes Reagan’s words out of the context of the politics and the times in which they were spoken.

Just prior to Reagan, Jimmy Carter worked with the dictatorship of North Korea to send food in return for not pursuing  nukes. In light of the recent (failed) N. Korea missile launch, you have to wonder why we thought it was a good idea to strike bargains with megalomaniacs.

The Hillary Rosen remarks, condemning Anne Romney for being a stay-at-home mom tipped the hand of the Democrats as to what they really think of women who make that choice. (Because, as with everything else from the Left, it’s not about the principle so much as it is the politics). On the Right, some were suggesting that we don’t need to worry about this because it means stooping to their level to respond to "Rosen-gate". But Ben Howe points out that, yes, this issue is worth our time and effort to respond to.

Irony Alert: For the third year in a row, Democrats punt on the budget, while at the same time accusing the Paul Ryan budget of being irresponsible.

Abortion as religion, with Planned Parenthood writing the prayer book.

From Fox News:

LANSDOWNE, Va. – Watergate figure Charles Colson, who turned to religion, died Saturday at a Northern Virginia hospital after a brief illness, according to a family spokesman. He was 80.

“This is a time of conflicting, colliding emotions for all of us,” said Jim Liske, the chief executive of the Lansdowne, Va.-based Prison Fellowship Ministries that Colson founded. “We grieve that our brother, our founder, our inspiration is no longer with us. But we rejoice that Chuck is with Jesus, we rejoice as we reflect on his life and legacy and that we could be a part of that, and we rejoice when we think of all the redeemed in heaven who will greet him and thank him for the role he played in their salvation.”

Colson was the author of numerous books his most famous being his autobiography Born Again which tells his compelling story of coming to faith in Christ prior to going to prison for his role in the Watergate scandal.

He was also a compelling speaker and boldly proclaimed Christ at every opportunity. My wife and I had the privilege of being in the audience at his acceptance of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion at the Universty of Chicago in 1993. In the midst of a highly ecumenical service with representatives of every major religion, Colson bravely and unashamedly proclaimed the gospel. Many who disagreed with him walked out during the speech. However, reading the text nearly twenty years later still gives me chills.

Chuck Colson made a tremendous impact on many believers all over the world. His story is a true story of redemption and the power of Christ to change lives.

Rest in peace, brother.

Good morning. Christ is Risen! (response:  He is Risen Indeed!)

1. On our American reticence to share our problems (and consequently the impolite nature of noticing others problems as well).
2. On further thought … perhaps it would be better if one didn’t give it further thought.
3. Global warming and some IPCC predictions.
4. While on the subject of warming, “All that’s Fit is News” isn’t that the NYTimes motto? And heck, if the news doesn’t fit stretch it.
5. Missing. Why sundering is a good thing.
6. Weaponized food.
7. How not to correct a stereotype.
8. Yet another remark on the Derby kerfuffle.
9. Shrubbery … I guess the Monty Python/Holy Grail piece wasn’t the last word. The Administration wanted to get some laughs too.
10. More Obamacare Constitutionality issues.
11. “Unworthy priest” is after all enshrined in the liturgy.
12. Our President … a good bad example for industry?

A federal government out of control. Without any evidence, Attorney General Eric Holder took a woman to court for obstructing the entrance to an abortion clinic. The judge threw out the case and ordered the government to pay $120,000 to the woman. Yes, it’s good that the woman was compensated, but this case should have never gone to court.

I think Julian Assange has been irresponsible for dumping secret data that, in many cases, has put lives at risk or tipped our hand to enemies. Still, it’s nice to know that, in all that, George W. Bush has been vindicated in his handling of the Iraq/WMD situation.

I agree with the sentiment that the teen’s shirt said, "Jesus Is Not A Homophobe". However, I also think that the folks he thinks need that message aren’t, for the most part, homophobes either, if, by "homophobe" you mean "someone who agrees with 2000 years of Christian teaching".

Global Warming Update: "The number of [polar] bears along the western shore of Hudson Bay, believed to be among the most threatened bear subpopulations, stands at 1,013 and could be even higher, according to the results of an aerial survey released Wednesday by the Government of Nunavut. That’s 66 per cent higher than estimates by other researchers who forecasted the numbers would fall to as low as 610 because of warming temperatures that melt ice faster and ruin bears’ ability to hunt."

James O’Keefe is at it again. He, a white guy, to prove that voter fraud really is simple, something that Attorney General Eric Holder denies, was able to (almost) vote in the primary as Eric Holder himself, a black guy. Extremely easy.

An atheist who threatened to sue over a Nativity scene, was helped in his time of need by the very Christians he had threatened. Result: He’s now a Christian preparing to enter the  ministry.

John Stossel, libertarian and (when he was at ABC News) a contrarian in the media, describes the liberal bias at his old network.

Ever since Jimmy Carter got snookered by giving food to North Korea in exchange for an empty promise not to pursue nukes, we keep hoping that they’ll change their mind about belligerence if we bribe them well enough. It hasn’t worked, and it won’t work. A dictator that will spend who knows how many millions on a missile program while his country starves is patently not concerned about his people. Period. No amount of appealing to his better nature will change that. Now that N. Korea has test launched (what Rick Moore calls) a "three-stage artificial reef", now we’re serious. Now we mean business. Well, I’ll believe it when I see it.

Civility Watch: "Moderate Caucus" chairman, a Democrat, tweets, "Cheney deserves same final end he gave Saddam. Hope there are cell cams."

Women, interested in firearms… in California?
Yes! On March 24th the Women on Target event, held at an outdoor shooting range in southern California drew 100+ women for 100 slots. The event was designed to familiarize women with the sport of shooting – and was taught by women, with the men delegated to workhorse duties.

There is still hope for Kalifornia.

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Do as I say, not as I…
Evidently, Bill Cosby has weighed in on the Trayvon Martin case. From ABC (emphasis added),

“We’ve got to get the gun out of the hands of people who are supposed to be on neighborhood watch,” Cosby said in his first public remarks about the case, published today.

“Without a gun, I don’t see Mr. Zimmerman approaching Trayvon by himself,” Cosby added. “The power-of-the-gun mentality had him unafraid to confront someone. Even police call for backup in similar situations.

“When you carry a gun, you mean to harm somebody, kill somebody.”

Yikes!

Flash back to 2005, in this New York Magazine article titled, New York’s Gun Culture (emphasis added),

Who’s Packing Heat?

Taxi Driver star Robert De Niro is one of New York’s most famous gun owners, as is his friend Harvey Keitel. Others on the list include Arthur Ochs Sulzberger (a former Marine), Don Imus, Bill Cosby, Joan Rivers, Howard Stern, Tommy Mottola, and Donald Trump (just one pistol, says his spokeswoman, who didn’t know the make).

Let’s hope that Bill doesn’t ever carry his gun.

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Of course, if we can’t trust Neighborhood Watch members to carry, then at least we can trust the police?
Only until their guns “accidentally fire”. From CBS Chicago (emphasis added),

An off-duty Chicago Police officer was wounded Thursday night when her gun accidentally fired.

Police say the female officer was in the 2100 block of East 71st Street when her gun went off around 7:20 p.m. Thursday.

Again: guns don’t “accidentally fire” nor do they “go off” all by themselves.

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Not heeding the fact that guns don’t accidentally go off can be deadly
From South Carolina,

The Charleston County Coroner’s Office has identified the man killed following an accidental shooting that occurred Monday at a North Charleston gun range.

…

According to witnesses at the gun range, Patteron was shooting on a lane when he stopped to inspect the weapon. He turned the handgun toward himself when it discharged, striking him.

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“That is what you get. If you out doing something you ain’t supposed to be doing, that is what happens”
Another homeowner protects herself by using her firearm.

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More young people are killed in Chicago than any other American city
Yet, Chicago had a ban on handgun ownership from 1982 until 2010 (and still tries to make it difficult to own a firearm).

So much for the notion that banning guns reduces crime.

The Oklahoma Skillet, from Flappy Jack’s Pancake House, in Orange, CA.

The foundation of this monster breakfast is a thick layer of fried potatoes, followed by a heapin’ helpin’ of bacon, cheese, and scrambled eggs. The best way to attack this bad boy is from the top down – that way, after you’ve filled up, and you still have lots of potatoes left, you simply take them home.

Enjoy!

– image © 2012 A R Lopez

Good morning.

1. Some parting thoughts on the Derb kerfuffle. I’d add that the observation that “white on black” crime gets national attention but the “black on white” (and the missed “black on “black” and “white on white” crime)  gets no notice at all.
2. Illegal trade practices and eBooks.
3. “Intolerance will not be tolerated” … one wonders how people who say things like that survive the cognitive dissonance.
4. Feminist? (big house, big dog and a shotgun).
5. 3-d printing of a different sort.
6. Press reports a Romney claim as “Mostly False”, misses the “Completely True” reality.
7. Romney and a prediction regarding the “winning back” the GOP perspective.
8. Oh, please, he’s already Peter Principled.
9. Flight … or? So what power would you want?
10. A book noted.

"Everyone’s going to need healthcare, so Congress can force you to buy it", or so says President Obama in defense of the individual mandate. So my question is: what else is everyone going to need, such that he can force certain choices on you?

I’ll start:

• Everyone’s going to need food.
• Everyone’s going to need a casket.

Post yours in the comments.

Good morning.

1. A discussion of modern heresy. An interesting observation, all theological heresies recapitulate as ecclesiastical errors. That is, errors of “what is God” recapitulate as errors in “what is the Church”.
2. Who benefits? The value of disinterested parties, and euthenasia?
3. When a methodology gives blatantly stupid answers, the methodology is suspect. Unless your head his too far buried in the sand to see it. This conclusion, “Although I think I agree that the ideal number of people is zero,” is one such stupid answer.
4. A liturgical poem sung last night in the Orthodox church(es). For myself the contrast of the repentant harlot washing Jesus feet and Judas greed and betrayal one  of the more powerful connections made in Holy week. (more here)
5. Country or profession, which is more important?
6. Atheists debating epistemology.
7. Of price and principle.
8. This happens more often than not I think, ads made for one candidate work for the other. Pro-Obama ads are more effective (for example) at moving me towards a sympathetic view of his opponent than not (and vice versa for that matter).
9. I thought this interesting, in the context of the Derbyshire kerfuffle, the analogy “as the right is to racism, the left is to communism” (and why) as expressed is what I found interesting in particular.
10. ABC, women, and the Limbaugh kerfuffle.
11. AGW, NASA and a petition.
12. 7th graders acting their age.
13. OK. So all the knuckleheads supporting the notion that the high court didn’t ever rebuff economic legislation since the New Deal now can retract. Those who were lawyers can turn in their degrees.

1. City of Chicago bans handgun ownership in 1982:  Bad
2. 76 year-old Otis McDonald sues City of Chicago for 2nd Amendment right to own a handgun, in 2010:  Good
3. Supreme Court rules in favor of McDonald, in 2010:  Great
4. City of Chicago, in 2012, writes a check for $399,950 to the Second Amendment Foundation for legal fees incurred in the McDonald v. Chicago case:  PRICELESS

Link to an image of the check from Chicago (Mayor Rahm Emmanuel)

Good morning.

1. Ooh, more cost estimates of Obamacare.
2. A clearly offensive mural,  Huh?
3. A radical(?) global economic strategy suggested for America, don’t change the game-plan.
4. Five meanings of judicial activism defined, two are touted as useful three as not. Which one do you think the President was referring to in his speech? #5?
5. An ugly side of the world we have made.
6. Hiring practices and Mr Obama.
7. An artist died … Another post on that event noted that Mr Kinkade worked with animator Ralph Bakshi on some projects. I found that tidbit interesting.
8. For your country … is that enough?
9. What does “trademarked” mean in this context, legally speaking?
10. A “new” Bubba? Who was the old one, Bubba Smith?
11. Is that for Pascha/Easter or Palm Sunday I wonder?
12. Duty, honor and disaster … some statistics.
13. A primary rhetorical (fallacy) utilized so often on the left, the omnipresent ad hominem.
14. On Obama’s use of the term “social darwinism.” Let’s see the left defend that one.

What happened to Youth Ministry?
From The Gospel Coalition (emphasis added),

By the 80s the emergence of MTV and a media-driven generation meant church youth ministry became more entertainment-driven than ever. Youth pastors felt the need to feature live bands, video production, and elaborate sound and lighting in order to reach this audience…The message had been simplified and shortened to fit the entertainment-saturated youth culture. By the start of the 21st century, we discovered many youth were no longer interested in the show that we put on or the oversimplified message. Christianity was no different from the world around them. Some youth ministries intensified their effort combining massive hype with strong messages that inspired youth but did not translate to everyday life. We realized we were faced with a generation whose faith was unsustainable.

The result? Per the author, Dave Wright,

First, we moved from parachurch to church-based ministry (though the parachurch continues). In doing so, we segregated youth from the rest of the congregation. Students in many churches no longer engaged with “adult” church and had no place to go once they graduated from high school. They did not benefit from intergenerational relationships but instead were relegated to the youth room.

Second, we incorporated an attractional model that morphed into entertainment-driven ministry. In doing that we bought into the fallacy of “edu-tainment” as a legitimate means of communicating the gospel. Obscuring the gospel has communicated that we have to dress up Jesus to make him cool.

Third, we lost sight of the Great Commission, deciding instead to make converts of many and disciples of few. We concluded that strong biblical teaching and helping students embrace a robust theology was boring (or only relevant to the exceptionally keen) and proverbially shot ourselves in the foot.

Fourth, we created a consumer mentality amongst a generation that did not expect to be challenged at church in ways similar to what they face at school or on sports teams…

For my take, see Christians Need to Stop Making Converts.

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Additional nuggets of wisdom for so-called worship leaders
In You are not a Rock Star, Clint Archer offers up some sage advice. Amongst the tips,

The task of the worship leader is to get out the way of worship, and to lift our attention to God. He cannot do this if he is showing off his ability to do a lead break. Worship leaders need to be humble. They should dress modestly. Sometimes musos have a particular look they are going for in their midweek gig. But when they ascend the platform at church, their personal brand is expendable.

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October Baby ruffles some feathers, yet hits home
Movie critic Roger Moore seems to think that movies are strictly about entertainment. From his review,

It’s ironic that the studio founded by the son of Hollywood founding father Samuel Goldwyn should be the one releasing “October Baby.” Apparently, the acquisitions department never took to heart Goldwyn the elder’s most famous Goldwynism, about what movies are supposed to do:

“Pictures were made to entertain. If you want to send a message, call Western Union.”

Seriously?

I wonder what Moore thinks about Schindler’s List, To Kill a Mockingbird, Dances with Wolves, or All Quiet on the Western Front, just to name a few. Nah… no message in any of those.

Yet, despite pro-abortion bias, it’s interesting what the New York Times is reporting about the movie. From Film Inspired by ‘Abortion Survivor’ [yes – note the scare quotes around the term] is a Quiet Hit,

As mass entertainment goes, the abortion debate does not typically count as good Saturday-night date movie fare; the subject rarely makes it to the mainstream multiplex. But at a time when the issue is once again causing agitation in political circles, a small film, “October Baby,” about a woman who learns she is, as the movie puts it, a “survivor of a failed abortion,” is making a dent at theaters across the country.

Imagine that.

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Can a Christian Vote for Barack Obama?
Simple answer – Yes.

This post, at Conversant Life, seemed to be an attempt to objectively look at the issues at hand, yet fell prey to caricaturizing Republican ideology with,

Why is the party that supports the NRA, increased military spending, decreased economic regulation, and harsher immigration policy still the party most publicly associated with Christians?

Sigh. I suppose I could ask,

Why is the party that supports Planned Parenthood, decreased spending on protecting its citizens, increasing costs to consumers through governmental regulations, and the continued ignoring of existing immigration law considered a viable alternative for Christians?

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Speak with conviction!
Featured before, but worth a re-run (this time on Vimeo, with graphics instead of video) HT: Joe Carter.

Typography from Ronnie Bruce on Vimeo.

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So, are polar bears here to stay, or not?