Immoral Abuse of Power

Moral and Legal Authority

A government with moral and legal authority promulgates written rules and universally, impartially and uniformly enforces the rules, which provides a stable and predictable legal order on which to base economic and personal decisions. The law prevails, not the proclamation or arbitrary decision of a ruler, government bureaucrat, the enforcer (e.g., policeman) or judge.

Immoral Abuse of Power

President Obama has decreed that young immigrants not be deported. Obviously, this is election-year politics – pandering to the Latino community. Most Americans have sympathy for the young immigrants, however, the essence of a Constitutional system of governance – the Rule of Law – is to adhere to our legal process. The President has by-passed Congress, violating promulgated laws and procedures, and to justify his proclamation the President asserts, “it’s the right thing to do.” No, Mr. President, in exchange for energizing Latino activists for your political advantage, you have disrespected the moral and legal authority of this great nation.

As to a stable and predictable legal order, an Executive Order is merely temporary. Therefore, the young immigrants and potential employers waiting for approval are living in limbo with no legal certainty. Their lack of legal certainty disrupts personal and professional relationships, which creates high levels of tension and potentially criminal liabilities. Tom Sowell explains in the American Spectator:

First, the family:

To come forward today and claim the protection of the Obama Executive Order is to declare publicly and officially that your parents entered the country illegally. How that may be viewed by some later administration is anybody’s guess.

Next, employers:

Employers likewise cannot rely on policies that may be here today and gone tomorrow, whether these are temporary tax rates designed to look good at election time or temporary immigration policies that can backfire later if employers get accused of hiring illegal immigrants.

Why hire someone, invest the time and money to train them, if you may be forced to let them go before a year has passed?

Harmfully, this is a continuation of President Obama pandering to special-interest groups at the expense of a stable legal order. While the examples of such pandering are numerous, the following are three prominent moments:

  • At least until the November election, the President has stopped the building of the Keystone pipeline. Hence, the environmentalists are happy, at the expense of cheaper gas for all Americans.
  • The President and Health and Human Services have decreed that women shall receive free contraceptives. Most women are pleased, but the Catholic clergy is suing the government for religious liberty. Clearly, the female vote prevails over potentially fewer concerned Catholics.  The Constitution, the cornerstone of a stable legal order, is abandoned for the female vote.
  • Then, there’s the automobile bailout. Obama and the Democrats controlling Congress violated long-standing bankruptcy laws to enrich auto unions at the expense of secure bond holders. Of course, union money and get out the vote campaigns will be crucial for Obama’s re-election. 

Absolutely essential for a vibrant and prosperous society is the adherence to a stable and predictable legal order. Preventing the use of available energy, favoring unions over secure creditors, arbitrary and temporary amnesty and disregarding the Constitution destroys economic stability and predictability. Sadly, a politician’s lust for power generally prevails over good governance. This “political game” has been increasingly condoned and accepted by Republicans and Democrats alike.

Resultantly, the “game” has created an economy that stinks. Worse, the “game” also desecrates moral authority. Most politicians play the “game” and a sizeable portion of Americans have lost their respect for government. Americans sense there is blatant corruption between their politicians and special-interest groups – i.e. big business, big banks, big unions, public employee unions, and thousands more.  Bluntly, a great nation and a great society cannot excel without a moral political system of governance.

The following are the words of our founders on governance, morality and virtue:

The aim of every political Constitution, is or ought to be first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of society; and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public trust.
– James Madison

We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our constitution as a whale goes through a net.
– John Adams

No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality and virtue, and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.
– George Mason

America is in great need of a stable and predictable moral and legal authority. Economically, adherence to the law will set rules by which consumers and entrepreneurs can make personal and financial choices. Most important, however, is controlling the avarice and ambition of our political leaders. A free and prosperous society will only excel when the politicians remain virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public trust.

Replacing the corrupt “game” requires We the People to frequently educate ourselves on the fundamental necessity of virtue. Virtuous leaders are essential to establish public trust, which assures and enhances the consequences of a predictable moral and legal authority.