Op-Ed: Executive Disorder

With another stroke of his executive pen, President Obama has again confirmed his anti-Second Amendment agenda. On August 29, 2013, the White House issued a press release declaring two executive actions going into effect. The first proposed change is to federal regulation to require background checks and law enforcement approval before firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act or “NFA” (things like machineguns, destructive devices, short barreled rifles/shotguns) can be transferred.

The second executive action makes it impossible for firearms collectors to bring home collectible firearms currently held oversees by our allies, typically as war surplus.

All presidents have tried to expand the definition of executive power, which one dictionary defines as “pertaining to or charged with the execution of laws and policies.” An executive order is a rule issued by the president to an executive branch of the government. It has the force of law. Where congress fails to narrowly define the effect of a statute, Obama now stretches the meaning of language to create his own interpretation. Having lost the battle to enact new gun control laws – a stunning defeat given the gift of bad news which he had received late last year – Obama is now constantly seeking to satisfy his gun control acolytes and base. He uses executive orders to obstruct gun ownership whenever and wherever possible.

In another attempt to create gun control without authorization, Obama tossed out the two new executive orders redefining the law without specific input from congress. Granted, congress often writes laws and gives whoever occupies the White House extra leeway in handling the minutia of daily decisions. But Obama is redefining public policy at his whim and to your detriment.

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