Realizing the Republican DREAM

Some Republicans are up in arms over President Obama's executive order on immigration:

Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children will be allowed to remain in the country without fear of deportation and able to work, under an executive action the Obama administration announced on Friday.

There are policy differences even within the Republican Party about illegal immigration, and the President's move is seen as a brilliant stroke both to divide the opposition and capture the allegiance of the fastest growing segment of the American population.

If Republicans can take a deep breath, they will see that President Obama has given a potential Republican President the greatest of gifts. The President has chosen unilaterally not to enforce certain laws that he disagrees with, and Democrats are enthusiastically in support of this approach.

Following President Obama's precedent, a Republican President may choose:

1) Not to require environmental impact statements or enforce the Endangered Species Act;

2) To waive numerous reporting requirements that burden businesses;

3) To stop measuring various organizations' progress toward diversity goals;

4) Not to collect the Alternative Minimum Tax.

Frankly, the possibilities are endless, and President Romney will have President Obama to thank.

[Update - 6/17: Another commentator has the same idea.

If President Obama’s frustration over a “do nothing” Congress prompts him to respond with a “do nothing” government, then I’m all for it.  Imagine the good that could be done if a Republican president used Obama’s precedent:   By not filling tens of thousands of authorized positions, he could shrink the size of government.  By refusing to enforce some environmental regulations, he could remove barriers to economic growth and greater employment.  By canceling unnecessary weapon systems, he could remove the influence of earmarks from the defense budget. 

Instead of complaining about Obama’s decision, conservatives should applaud anything which increases government inaction.  Meanwhile Democrats who applaud the President’s decision for the short-term advantage it might give them, should be very wary of handing a precedential hammer to a future Republican president who could use it to smash big government.]