Obama turns authoritarian, rather than work with Congress

◼ ...words matter even when those uttering them do so to mislead. The words provide insights as to the true feelings of the speaker. Thus, it was with Mr. Obama’s State of the Union speech last night. - David Keene/Washington Times

It was the speech of a clearly frustrated leader who has always been uncomfortable with the need to work with others to accomplish his ends.

He continues to talk as if he has tried his best to work with Congress only to be constantly rebuffed by Republicans, who just don’t share his heartfelt desire to solve the nation’s problems.

Even those who complain about the partisanship of Republican leaders know this isn’t even a half-truth. This is a president who doesn’t even work well with members of his own party, let alone those of the opposition party....

Words, as Mr. Carney has warned us, are just words and don’t really matter.

Actions do, though, and if Mr. Obama follows through on his threat to govern by phone and pen, to ignore Congress and to implicitly emulate the style of authoritarian governments whose leaders don’t have to worry about legislatures, checks and balances, and the separation of powers that have limited the ability of U.S. presidents to “get things done,” we are in for a rough couple of years.

He may have been delivering his speech last night to Congress, but it would have been better suited for an “Occupy” rally of class warriors.