Leo Pusateri

St. Cloud

Promises stemming from Obamacare, other issue raise questions about immigration orders

President repeatedly shows he will do whatever he wants, no matter the law

Amnesty for 5 million illegal immigrants could easily expand to cover 5 million more

In the aftermath of President Barack Obama's address to the nation Nov. 20 regarding executive orders granting what amounts to amnesty for about 5 million illegal immigrants, and prior to his signing those orders, news stories came out with headlines to the effect of "...What we know so far."

The sad fact is, nobody – outside of President Obama himself, and possibly Valerie Jarrett – can ever "know" what Obama will do.

With regard to all the hubbub regarding Obama's immigration plan as outlined by the executive orders he signed Nov. 21, allow me to invoke the venerable Steve Martin with his observations/reservations about cats: "Do you trust 'em?"

Even though some may agree with the supposed substance of what those executive orders entail, is there anything in Obama's history of governance that suggests he is a man of his word? That he will stick to what he said in his Nov. 20 address to America, or to the letter of what those executive orders entail?

My point is, if Obama gets his way, can you trust him to keep to the tenets of the agreement?

Harken back to the phrases, "If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan. Period." and "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. Period."

Obama has displayed no compunction against pulling a Darth Vader ("...I have altered the deal..pray I do not alter it further ...") on the American people with respect to Obamacare, as well as with countless other promises he has made since his campaign in 2006-08. There are precious few exceptions; among those was his promise to bankrupt the coal industry and make energy prices skyrocket.

The takeaway to this latest series of promises outlined in these executive orders must necessarily be that in the end, President Obama will do what President Obama wants to do.

Barack Obama's modus operandi has served well to inform us that he doesn't take laws very seriously, neither in terms of execution nor enforcement.

Based on history, there is no reason to believe that amnesty for 5 million illegal immigrants today will not turn into amnesty for 15 or even 20 million illegal immigrants tomorrow.

There is no reason to believe his promise that his administration will deport felons. Indeed, there continue to be illegal immigrant felons who have gone so far as to commit murder who remain in this country. Plus, violent illegal immigrant offenders have even been freed from American prisons.

History has indeed shown us that Obama has precious little respect for laws. Not even his own.

Given that, why would anyone believe what he promised Nov. 20? Or for that matter, why would anyone believe any word that comes from his mouth in the future?

This is the opinion of St. Cloud resident Leo Pusateri.