Comments on: Obama Declares Defense Of Marriage Act Unconstitutional

By: 2pence

2pence — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:35:22 +0000

#14, 15:

See #13

By: charliehall

charliehall — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:25:42 +0000

#12,

Based on Boehner’s comments today in response, it seems like he may just let this one die.

By: charliehall

charliehall — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:23:37 +0000

“President Obama did serve as a Lecturer at University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 1996, and as a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004. However, that is not the same a being a tenured professor.”

He was offered a tenured position but turned it down.

By: charliehall

charliehall — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:22:19 +0000

#8,

One judge ruled the law unconstitutional. Another ruled one section of the law unconstitutional. Three others (including one just yesterday) have ruled it entirely constitutional. That is 3-2 or 4-1 in favor of the law, but you are once again being disingenuous and citing only the 1.

By: borninthebronx

borninthebronx — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:13:38 +0000

The President has violated his oath of office to defend the Constitution. Unless the courts have declared a law unconstitutional, the law stands, and it is his duty to “preserve, protect, and defend the constitution”. Nor does the constitution empower the president with the prereogative to determine what is and is not constitutional. This extralegal reach for power is probably even an impeachable offense. What do you think, akaperma?

By: Shintav

Shintav — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 01:33:06 +0000

Wow! It’s almost like Obama thinks he’s in charge of some magical ‘third branch’ of the government that has the constitutional right to not enforce laws it can project as being unconstitutional. Why can’t we do things like the good ol’ days where one party was responsible for brutally enforcing the law, no matter how immoral or inane it was?

By: 2pence

2pence — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:55:46 +0000

#7:

Are you aware that GW Bush used presidential signing statements to declare certain parts of legislation that he signed unconstitutional, or proclaiming the intent not to enforce them?

The executive branch has been “deciding” the constitutionality of statutes LONG before Obama.

Do some reading before spouting partisan nonsense.

By: akuperma

akuperma — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:30:34 +0000

#6- the “fixating” refers to the whole party, both of them. The Republicans will try to present gay marriage as what the the Democrats were doing instead of fixing the economy. When (some) Republicans respond (probably by hiring their own lawyers, or trying to re-enact the statute, or with a constitutional amendment), the Democrats will say the Republicans are focusing on gay marriage instead of fixing the economy.

I believe Obama couldn’t care less (he’s straight, while he’s somewhat liberal on the issue, most other African Americans are very conservative on gay rights). He wants to make sure there isn’t any backlash against him personally – and probably will take the position that there are better things for him to worry about.

By: danielb43

danielb43 — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:06:07 +0000

To clarify, President Obama did serve as a Lecturer at University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 1996, and as a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004. However, that is not the same a being a tenured professor.

By: danielb43

danielb43 — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:59:00 +0000

Putting aside the fact that this is liberal nonsense, it is ridiculous purely from a legal perspective. Interestingly, former President Clinton, who is no right winger and is a far greater legal scholar than President Obama (Clinton was a law professor before entering politics), was the one who signed the Defense of Marriage Act into law.