What's Wrong With Obama Having Extrajudicial, Extralegal Executive Powers?

The indefinite detention section of the National Defense Authorization Act, passed by Congress in 2011, says that the U.S. can hold a suspect "without trial, until the end of the hostilities." It was met with a mighty signing statement by President Obama where he pledged to never use his superpower for evil and that no Americans would be treated like filthy foreigners (except, you know, for the whole blowing them up with missiles overseas).

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You can't ignore this shit. You just look like a fool if you do. Again, this is not just an extension of the very things we took to the streets to protest George W. Bush for, it's an expansion. And it's fucking scary shit. Because instead of reducing the power of the imperial president, an idea he criticized while running, Obama has embraced it. And, no matter how much you trust him, Obama ain't gonna be there some day and all these powers and laws will be.

Rude Pundit

You don't hear too much from Conseratives complaining about having extra powers awarded the executive branch, not even the one where the President can kill anyone he wants, whenever he wants, wherever he wants, do you? That's not something they're against. That's not one of their complaints about Barack Obama.

You do, however, hear Liberals who are frightened at what Obama has done in his four short years in the office trying to convince other liberals that, Houston, we have a problem here, using the argument that, while Mr. Good Guy may not use those powers for evil, a future (read: Republican) president might. And we sure don't want the bad guys to have that kind of power.

Now, here's why I think that is a shabby argument and shouldn't be used: 1) We already know that Mr. Good Guy has used those powers; 2) What makes us think that, given another four years, Mr. Good Guy might not take his awesome unprecedented executive powers and, increasing them a little more, fix himself permanently at the head of the government? "I mean, you don't want some future bad guy up here with these powers, do you?" he could ask. And, 3) Well, 1) and 2). So please drop the "what-about-a-future-Republican-president?" argument, because if that's the only reasoning your liberal friends can muster, we're doomed.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.