This is a good article by Conor Friedersdorf in The Atlantic for the Obama supporters who minimize the disappointment he's generated among those who voted for him the first time around, believing in the "change" he was peddling.
For examples, consider these statements:
1) On presidential authority to launch wars:
Obama: "The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation. History has shown us time and again, however, that military action is most successful when it is authorized and supported by the Legislative branch. It is always preferable to have the informed consent of Congress prior to any military action."
Obama fell short of his own "performance threshold" in Libya.
2) On indefinite detention:
Obama: "I reject the Bush Administration's claim that the President has plenary authority under the Constitution to detain U.S. citizens without charges as unlawful enemy combatants." And, "The detention of American citizens, without access to counsel, fair procedure, or pursuant to judicial authorization, as enemy combatants is unconstitutional."
Obama has signed indefinite detention into law.
3) On Executive privilege:
Obama: "My view is that executive privilege generally depends on the involvement of the President and the White House."
Obama's Department of Justice has invoked it far more broadly than that.
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Conor Friedersdorf: "One wonders how long it will take for these issues to be treated as though they're important again if Romney is elected, and starts adding names to the kill list, spying on Americans without warrants, persecuting whistleblowers, and waging undeclared wars of choice without Congressional permission. Come 2016, as Romney runs for reelection, will those subjects coincidentally appear in New Yorker and The New York Times endorsement editorials?…"
Full article below.
