Presidents aren’t inclined to hand back power, especially after voters have rewarded them with a second term. It’s a principle worth keeping in mind as Barack Obama moves forward. Indeed, there is every reason to expect the president to perpetuate what some critics see as a disturbing trend: his muscular exertion of executive authority.
Obama was supposed to be the tonic to George W. Bush’s imperial presidency. Bush gave the country warrantless wiretapping, “enhanced” interrogation, indefinite detention, and trial without due process. As a candidate in 2008, Obama was critical of all these things. As president, he has done little to curtail the latter two abuses. Military tribunals are still operating (albeit with the procedures revised in an attempt to provide more fairness), and the prison at Guantánamo Bay remains open, despite Obama’s vow to shutter it.
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.
For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]
