Obama to Republicans: 'So sue me'
(CNN) - President Barack Obama dared Republicans to follow through on their threats to bring a lawsuit against his administration over his use of executive action.
"Middle-class families can’t wait for Republicans in Congress to do stuff. So sue me," Obama said Tuesday at an event in Washington.
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"As long as they’re doing nothing, I’m not going to apologize for trying to do something."
Obama’s defiant attitude comes as House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, plans to propose legislation that could bring a lawsuit against him for implementing executive actions that the GOP contends amounts to a breach of his constitutional power by side-stepping the legislative process.
Obama: Boehner's lawsuit is 'a stunt'
Recently, Obama has ramped up his use of executive authority as a way to bypass a deeply divided Congress, avoiding inaction on issues the White House has made hallmarks of the President's second term agenda.
On Monday, Obama said he would start "a new effort to fix as much of our immigration system as I can on my own, without Congress."
Poll: Can Obama get the job done?
At Tuesday's event, Obama continued to harp on congressional Republicans to pass legislation - this time pushing them to invest in transportation.
Standing in front of Key Bridge, which connects the city's Georgetown-area to Virginia, Obama continued his stepped-up rhetoric hammering Republican for obstructing action in Washington.
Obama proposed a long-term highway construction bill earlier this year that he says would spur job growth.
"It’s not crazy, it’s not socialism," Obama said of his transportation proposal. "It’s not the imperial presidency - no laws are broken. We’re just building roads and bridges like we’ve been doing for the last, I don’t know, 50, 100 years. But so far, House Republicans have refused to act on this idea."
CNN's Mike Ahlers and Rene Marsh contributed to this report.
Related: Obama’s ‘day in life’ offers opening to tout message and slam Republicans
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GO 'BAMA, GO! A bunch of wusses on both sides of he House/Senate - so play ball for the rest of us - we elected you - those who pick a bone .. put that in your ballot box next 4 year tour !!!! While Sens and Reps sit the nation crumbles and growth teagates ..get out of DC and get to work....
Stop making sense, Obama. It makes people nervous.
He is setting some scary precedents as a president. disappointed in his lack of leadership. dictator not president.
Good! I complete support the President doing this! If Congress doesn't want to act he SHOULD side step them!
Don't sue. Just Impeach him.
Why hasn't his criminal been impeached yet?
This guy will never get it. All people want is leadership, and he has none of those qualities. Keep acting like the King as your approval rate plunges. His mouth might move, but "blah, blah, blah" just keeps coming out. Hope he takes all the Libs down with him in the mid terms. As for the GOP – you will probably screw up what is being handed to you too. Is there a box on the ballot for "None of the Above"?
Hope and change continues it's death spiral into partisan bickering and special interest fueled political brinksmanship. Then Senator and candidate Obama in 2008:
“The biggest problems we’re facing right now have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power in to the executive branch, and not go through Congress at all,” he told an Iowa audience. “That’s what I intend to reverse when I’m president of the United States of America.”
Pot, meet Mr. Kettle. Hypocrisy is alive and thriving in Washington D.C.. And we all lose.
How much more of this guy can we handle? HE IS PLAIN AWFUL
The GOP is an embarrassment to our system. They will do anything to try to make this president look bad. They have shot themselves in the foot over and over and over. Pity.
If Obama can't get what he wants by following the law, rules & procedures regarding the separation of powers then he'll do it any way he can get away with. The end justifies the means so who cares whether it's legal or not? All hail King Barry Barack Hussein Soetoro Obama!
Yep! Another President and Administration we all can really work with!
Rat's leave the ship? Where is everybody?
Something SHOULD happen. He has gone around congress tooooo many times. Like he IS a dictator.
I can't think of anything witty to say about this. It's early I should get some coffee and come back and read this again
When is the spineless congress going to do their jobs and stop this great divider of our nation? He circumvents congress and we act like that we can't do anything about it. If Congress don't want to act on something, he can't do much about it as far as making laws go. When is he and this congress going to figure that out. If he does something, let's just ignore it because it is not the law. That would be like me deciding to change the speed limit in front of my house and expect people to obey it. Come on Americans, we are the land of the free and the home of the brave. Let's act like it!!!
Lead, follow, or get out of the way....Obama's leading.
Simply put the constitution doesn't provide the expectative branch with the power of enacting legislation, ....... Other presidents may have utilized their expectative actions more frequently than this president,,,, however none have utilized it to the degree of this president in terms of depth and scope.... Altering the scope, timing, and the number of exceptions of OBAMACARE..... This is clearly Congress's responsibility..... Picking and choosing when to enforce other laws... Immigration act, where a whole class of individuals are pardoned from prosecution [not just specific individuals],.
The republicans have completely shot themselves in the foot. They need to grow up and do their jobs.
I wont ever call you president because I have no respect for a wannabe imperial Dic-tator, if you had any experience rather than a blow hard then you might clear the smoke from the coke in your eyes and see the damage that you have done to America. Useless is what you and your administration is.
Unfortunately, in our system of government, it is congress that makes law, not the president. Changing that would require a change to the constitution, which I don't believe Mr. Obama has the votes to do. Granted, congress is currently dysfunctional, but them's be the facts...
Thank you...Mr.President!
Yes we will. Once again, Obummer shows his contempt for America and the Constitution. Impeach him. Now.
Well given that the King has lost a couple of mighty big lawsuits lately, why wouldn't the GOP try and sue him?
Give them hell. That is all they have give you since you got in office. I can't stand them.