King him: It's not about the policy. It is about the action.

There is a reason that so many lawmakers are so disturbed by the fact that President Barack Obama has decided to go it alone when it comes to immigration policy.

The first is that there have been several immigration reform proposals presented, only to be stalled when it came time for a vote. The issue has been a political football for decades.

So, the president's statement that he is "tired of waiting for Congress," is not exactly the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

The second reason, however, has a lot more potential impact on the future of this country.

Executive orders should be reserved for intense and important emergencies -- not for policy decisions meant to capitalize on potential political gain.

The president is not the emperor -- although there are times when he seems to think he is.

A new Congress is slated to take office in January. Why not wait until then to draw a line in the sand and to insist on a solution -- in the bipartisan manner that he promised when he took office more than six years ago?

Simple. Then Democrats cannot claim that Republicans fought immigration reform.

Yuck. Politics rears its ugly head again.

There is a need for immigration reform. And if the new House and Senate cannot get a measure passed, fine, then point the finger.

But the president needs to remember that this is a democracy -- with branches of government meant to operate with equal powers.

That is still a message that he just does not seem to be able to comprehend.

Published in Editorials on November 20, 2014 10:55 AM