President Obama may start using his very substantial powers as chief executive to achieve some of his policy goals.
He already has announced he won’t negotiate with the Republican-led House over raising the debt limit. If Congress won’t act, he may tell the country and the world that he will create more debt as president rather than allow the nation to default on its obligations.
Monday there was speculation that he also will issue executive orders mandating gun controls because Congress is showing no signs of taking action while the tragedy at Newtown still burns in the public’s mind.
He can, the Associated Press reported, order stricter action against people who lie on gun sale background checks, increase federal research into gun use, order tougher penalties against gun trafficking and give schools greater flexibility to use grant money to improve safety.
He also will demand that Congress act to ban assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines and institute universal background checks.
Will all of his demands get through Congress despite opposition from the powerful gun lobby?
“I don’t know,” Obama said at a news conference.
“My starting point is not to worry about the politics. My starting point is to focus on what makes sense, what works.”
A freed Obama grabs the reins on tough issues
