Why the Law Matters and a Case for Impeachment

The President of the United States has broken the law. He has decided that he and he alone would change the dates that a penalty against employers that don’t offer health insurance to their employees takes effect. In part this section of the law states: “The amendments made by this section shall apply to months beginning after Dec. 31, 2013."   Words mean things in the context of law. They may have many meanings in politics but in law words have specific purpose and meaning.

The word “shall” leaves no room for doubt. It shall be done does not translate to it should be done. So how can a President change a law without changing a law through the legislative body of the House in Congress? That is the process to change the law as laid out in our Constitution (The Law of the Land). The answer is he can’t. He can’t unless of course he is not challenged. I am not talking about phony outrage from our elected officials I’m talking about real action. Impeachment would be a good start.

The other way is civil disobedience. Since the President now has shown the people he reports to, we the people, that laws are no longer firm and resolved but soft and malleable, we should all follow the lead of the president and only follow the laws the way we interpret them. For example, it is tax season and for those of us that owe money to the government we should follow the President’s lead in making our payment. Instead of we shall submit payment by April 15^th or be subject to a fine, we can simply extend the deadline out a year or whenever we choose to pay the tax bill. You see, the IRS works for the American people and now that we no longer have to follow the “letter of the law” according to the President, then why shall we? The words in the law no longer have meaning.

This is a nation built on the rule of law. Business is conducted through contracts that are carefully crafted word for word to define the terms that the parties agree to in their conduct of business between each other.  If those words can be interpreted in creative ways or ignored completely where does our economy turn to in a dispute? If either party to a contract can simply ignore the terms of a contract how long before the country and the economy collapse?

You see the law is what separates great economies from unstable economies. The law and our moral fiber to obey those laws are the underpinning of this great nation. The US Constitution is the law of this land and the laws of this land can’t be ignored if we hope to remain free and prosperous.

This President is lawless and the disappointing aspect is he is a trained lawyer. He is sticking a pencil in the eye of every lawyer, and law abiding citizen in this country. If he is allowed to get away with this anarchy is not far away. He must be held accountable and that mechanism is impeachment.

Impeachment is the remedy for government officials that fail to follow and obey the law. The President is not above the law. In this country no one is. It is time for every representative in government to defend the Constitution they have sworn to protect.

**Definition of Impeachment: Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as criminal or civil punishment.