When Is a Scandal Not a Scandal?

The IRS e-mail scandal is just the latest on a long list of offenses.

President Obama has flouted the law again and again — unilaterally rewriting the health-care law at least 18 times since passage; changing immigration law by executive fiat (after having explained that to do so would be beyond the scope of his constitutional authority); dictating that union claims should trump creditors in the GM and Chrysler bailouts; altering the welfare laws by regulation; making recess appointments when Congress was not, in fact, in recess; and many more. After each arrogation of power, critics have protested, “He can’t do that!” Yes, he can — because there is nothing to stop him.

What Obama has done is plainly unconstitutional — but there is no magic buzzer that sounds when a public official violates his oath to uphold the Constitution. Lightning bolts do not issue from the heavens staying the errant executive. The only guardrail that keeps our leaders from abusing their power is the vigilance of the people. Key to that vigilance is the press — so much the worse for us.

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