Speaking to a crowd that was “invitation” only, and taking on a revival meeting air,

the President engaged in his favorite political pastimes of blaming others and issuing half truths.  If we had an inquisitive and analytical journalistic press, this blog would be unnecessary.  But we don’t.

Executive orders

Accurate as he may be when he states, as he did in Texas, that he has used executive orders less than his predecessor, the scope and magnitude are inordinate in comparison.  Facilitating passed legislation is one use of executive orders.  However, overruling passed legislation and creating new law are quite different.  “The president has signed orders to halt the deportation of those who came to the United States when they were young, those who care for children and those who haven't committed crimes. He's also started to allow some relatives of U.S. service members living here illegally to stay.”

And making law…” forcing power plants to cut their emissions by 30 percent by 2030.”

His full list of his executive orders contains mostly innocuous measures, consistent with intent of executive powers.  But his recent threat to rule by “pen and phone” and the widening scope of his recent executive orders, extended in a “try to stop me (sue me)” attitude is disquieting.

Immigration

The President said, “Congress just said no to fixing our broken immigration system in a way that strengthens our borders and our businesses.”  But, in the President’s mind, the border is already secure…with a completed fence.  Yet, it isn’t. Securing the border is preeminent and the first condition to be met by any immigration reform by Republicans, but the President can’t even make an honest assessment of the current security.  “Who” impedes “what” in this instance?

Job creation

The President recounts an economic success and job creation story. 

A woman he met relayed her experiences, “… she described to us last night what it was like to take the risk to mortgage the house and make a business for herself, and then now to have a hundred employees and to be giving those folks an opportunity. “  Sandwich making, in a sandwich “factory”.  Do we put that in the manufacturing column?

He touts the fact that the unemployment rate is falling. “The unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest point since September of 2008 -- the fastest one-year drop in nearly 30 years. “  True enough.  Untold is the way we arrived at the number.  The denominator in this calculation is the work force participation which has plummeted to all time lows.  Also forgotten is that the Federal Reserve, an alleged autonomous body, has pumped 4 Trillion dollars into the economy while depressing interest rates to all time lows circa zero.  What exactly has the President himself done to create jobs would be a fair question.

Obama noted, “If Congress won’t act to create jobs in construction or manufacturing, we're going to go ahead and speed up permits for big projects ….”  Like a pipeline that will bring oil into the US instead of it being shipped to China?

Energy production

He continued. “We’re more energy independent. We’ve tripled the electricity we generate from the wind, ten times from the sun, creating jobs across the country -- -- while producing more oil at home than we buy abroad for the first time in nearly 20 years. Our energy sector is booming.”  Tenfold a small number (solar) is not a big victory.  What of failed federally subsidized ventures that were punished by the uncalculated realities of fundamental economics (Solyndra).  Furthermore, the increase in oil production at home has occurred despite the regulators inhibiting new drilling permits on public land. Again, what credit falls to the President and his policies?

Do nothing Congress with Republican obstructionists

Stuff he says.  “But these days, basic common-sense ideas cannot get through Congress. Basic stuff -- stuff that used to be uncontroversial.”  Some might call “stuff” legislation.

Obama said, “So far this year, Republicans in Congress have blocked or voted down every serious idea to strengthen the middle class.”  What the President means by “serious” is the question, and it appears that if he disagrees with a Republican bill, it wasn’t “serious”.

Did the President mention that “Out of the 195 House-passed bills that are now stalled in the Senate, 31 were written by Democrats, and many have been awaiting Senate approval for close to a year.” ?  That would mean that 164 Republican bills have been blocked by ….Democrats.

The President fails to mention that the Senate does not allow consideration of all these bills duly passed by the “People’s House”.  Yes, even Republicans get elected and act at the pleasure of their constituents, Mr. President, but apparently not when Harry Reid halts the process.  Perhaps the President should inquire as to why the wishes of the people are short circuited by the Democratic controlled Senate.

Obama continued. “We’ve made our tax code fairer. We cut our deficits by more than half.”  What exactly has made the tax code “fairer”?  And aren’t those deficit reductions due to a “sequestration” to which you were fervently opposed?

“We’ve created more jobs at this point of the year than any year since 1999”

According to the Bureau of Labor, “The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) increased by 275,000 in June to 7.5 million…. “the civilian labor force participation rate was 62.8 percent.”

The President failed to mention that according to the BLS, “20 percent of American families do not have a single person that is working…and the number of Americans getting money or benefits from the federal government each month exceeds the number of full-time workers in the private sector by more than 60 million.”

Taking credit where no credit is due, blaming others to justify self authorized expansion of executive power is the game.  So sue him, as he suggests, so he can claim the ultimate prize, victim status.