War? What War?

Activists tend to be easier on presidents from their own party. So, it's understandable that Democrats would cut slack for Obama when they'd otherwise give a Republican a hard time. Hence, renewal of the Patriot Act and the continuing operation of Guantanamo don't receive the same fury that they once did under Bush.

However, there is one area regarding the exercise of presidential power where President Obama has gone far beyond his Republican predecessor. He is ignoring the War Powers Act, and he is the first president to do so. Here is how I explained the issue three weeks ago:

Where does this presidential power to wage war end? Are there limits?

In 1973, as a response to these issues, and over a presidential veto, Congress passed the War Powers Act. It stated that the president could order American forces into combat, but must inform Congress within 48 hours. The president then has 60 days to receive either a declaration of war or an authorization to use force. If he doesn't receive Congressional authorization, he has an additional 30-day window to withdraw American troops.

Every sitting president has viewed the limits placed on him by the War Powers Act to be unconstitutional, but all have abided by it. ...

That record might be coming to an end. It is now 61 days since President Obama informed Congress of the Libyan campaign. Unless he ends the fighting by the 90th day, he will violate the statute. 

The Libyan War is now in its 79th day without congressional approval. If Bush had fought such a campaign while Nancy Pelosi was Speaker, she would have impeached his ass so fast, he would have been on trial in the Senate before getting the chance to say 'separation of powers'.

Democrats won't always control the presidency. Hard as it may be to believe, at some point there will be another Republican in the White House. Those who fretted about an "imperial presidency" while Bush was in office will revisit those claims under the new occupant. And, they will find that a huge check on presidential power had be swept away by the Obama Administration. Defenders of the new president will say: 'you never complained about this stuff under Obama.' What will be said in reply?

I'm shocked that people of principle on the left are being so quiet regarding the destruction of the War Powers Act. The fact that it's their guy who is doing it doesn't excuse the silence. Was the relentless attacks on Bush's use of presidential power partisan, not principled? Don't they realize that conservatives have become downright gleeful while jumping on the Act's grave? Or, are there no people of principle left on the left?

Note to the American Left: good luck getting an audience for your complaints about presidential power the next time the GOP occupies the White House. No one is going to listen to you.