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March 24, 2016

Title: Obama’s Executive Orders Explained
Topic: King Obama

Discussed by Professor Josh Blackman
with Professor Josh Blackman (www.JoshBlackman.com)

Professor Josh Blackman was recently invited before the US House Judiciary Committee’s Task Force on Executive Overreach to testify on President Obama’s Executive Orders and Actions regarding the Affordable Care Act and Amnesty. Blackman is an Associate Professor at South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas, and has authored the books, “Unprecedented: The Constitutional Challenge to Obamacare” and “Unraveled: Obamacare, Religious Liberty, and Executive Power”. I would like to add that Professor Blackman was selected by Forbes Magazine “30 Under 30” in Law and Policy. He is quite an accomplished young man and an expert in the area of Constitutional Law.

Today, Professor Blackman is with us to discuss the difference between Presidential Executive Orders and Presidential Executive Actions. “They are virtually synonymous,” he says. “The only difference is who is signing it. When the President takes the action himself, he signs the order.”

So, why all the confusion over Obamacare and Amnesty? Does Obama have the authority or not? In regards to Obamacare, Professor Blackman explains that Obama chose to suspend two aspects of the law on his own, without gaining the approval of Congress. Concerning amnesty, there were two separate bills proposed which Congress voted down and Obama used an Executive Action to allow illegal immigrants to break the law.

Professor Blackman also explains that, short of Congress, there are not many remedies for Obama’s Actions and Orders concerning healthcare and amnesty. Unfortunately, “The President’s immigration policy is structured in such a way that even Congress cannot defund them!” Blackman reveals.

What’s next? If there aren’t many viable solutions to the Obama’s Actions and Orders, what can we, the people, do? Professor Blackman believes the upcoming election is vital. “I hope and pray that people vote with an eye toward the Constitution.” He uses an example from Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and the 14th Amendment to shed some light on our current situation. Listen in!

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January 25, 2016

Title: Supreme Court to Inspect Obama’s Amnesty
Topic: Amnesty

Discussed by Professor Josh Blackman
with Professor Josh Blackman (www.JoshBlackman.com)

Part 1 of 2

Josh Blackman is an Associate Professor of Law at South Texas College of Law. Josh specializes in Constitutional Law, the United States Supreme Court, and the intersection of law and technology. He has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of their “30 Under 30” in Law and Policy.

Today, Josh Blackman is here as an expert in his field. Some of the topics which will be discussed today are: Executive Orders and Executive Actions, education, separation of powers, and government overreach. These topics center around a case before the US Supreme Court which challenges Obama’s illegal immigration and amnesty forgiveness initiative. Josh explains more about this case and what led it to the US Supreme Court.

Josh says, “They [the US Supreme court Justices] want the government to prove that the President is complying with his Constitutional oath to faithfully execute the law.” In other words, did the President act within the confines of the law? Or, did he completely overstep his authority? This is where Executive Orders and Executive Actions come into play. There is not much difference between the two, but Josh believes it is extremely important in learning the differences in order to know the truth. The President obviously did not abide by the law when he issued the Executive Order, but there is some wiggle room. “It’s tricky,” Josh says.

Tune in to the next segment as Josh and Terry discuss separation of powers and government overreach.

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Title: Part 2 of 2 - Supreme Court to Inspect Obama’s Amnesty
Topic: Amnesty

Discussed by Professor Josh Blackman
with Professor Josh Blackman (www.JoshBlackman.com)

Since the President signs Executive Orders and other branches of the government (Secretary of Defense or Health and Human Services, for example) authorize Executive Actions, how can we differentiate the separation of powers? “The Constitution is the longest-serving government document in the world. No one else even comes close,” Josh Blackman believes. This is what makes the separation of powers possible. “It checks ambition against ambition. It puts the power of the President against the power of the Congress. But the rule of law crumbles when the separation of powers falls apart.” And that’s the mess we are in right now.

Josh explains how pretty much every President has exceeded the separation of powers during his time in office. However, with President Obama, the abuse of that power is vastly different. He has consistently done so without Congress. “Time and again, the President has said we cannot wait for Congress. I’m going to do it by myself,” Josh points out. Congress has been too afraid or too complacent to go back and put a stop to the President’s orders.

Listen in as Josh Blackman gives a brief government lesson, explaining the powers of Congress and how a veto works. Right now, Congress has basically given President Obama a blank check and told him, “We love our jobs too much to stop you, even though we know that you are wrong.” It’s almost to the point of monarchy, friends.

“Even if Congress did decide to impeach this President, unless Congress is willing to assert its power over the purse in the future and be willing to deny the President funding, this train keeps going one way,” Josh Blackman declares. But, let’s be positive! Let’s do all we can to get a President elected who will turn this tide around; one who will stop acting like the King of America and will once again be a President for the people.

Fun Fact: Josh Blackman is also the Founder and President of the Harlan Institute, an interactive online program which is designed to bring high school students into a deeper understanding of the law. Through the course, students are submerged with information concerning the Constitution, cases of the United States Supreme Court, and our civil justice system. Check it out here.

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