George,

Once again, I am disappointed with President Obama caving to the forces who appear to be unfamiliar with the Constitution of the United States.

What is the purpose of this law? Is it needed? It is beginning to appear, at least up to this point, that the provisions of our democracy that have made us so different in a positive light from the rest of the world, are now being eroded away by fear and politics.

The shocker is the number of Democrats, even Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, supporting it whole heartedly. Is winning re-election THAT important?

The "bad guys" must be high fiving!

It is sorry enough that there are many on the right who find it desirable to treat our constitution as if it were a stale inapplicable piece of paper--subject to superficial amendments from banning flag burning, outlawing women's freedom to preventing individuals from marrying partners of their choice.

The list goes on.

Surely silly amendments in our history have been proposed and rejected, but now with the stroke of a pen, our President has, for all practicable purposes, changed the fundamental rule of law in our nation

Now, they get the equivalent of an amendment without a single state approving.

Does not President Obama realize this law may never be used by him, but it will not expire when he leaves office, characters and the crazies from the right wing of the Republican party would not hesitate for a moment to apply this "Nixon/Cheney-like" law to punish their opponents? We have the evidence. Remember "enemies lists" from our not-too-distant past?

Maybe I am incredibly naive but I think if our President took a strong stand against legislation so negative and explained why, I think his approval ratings would grow beyond where they stand now, on a par with George H.W. Bush

We need an "American Spring."

Harry Tenney (Electronic mail, January 12, 2012)