A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

Photo by Isaac Brekken/AP

        Thank you, Mr. President!
        Given the unwillingness of the House of Representatives even to discuss the Senate's bipartisan immigration bill that has been in their hands for a year and a half, your executive order providing temporary relief from the fear of deportation to millions of undocumented immigrant families was the right thing to do.  
        You gave the House every opportunity to act. You warned them time and again that if they did not, you would. You gave them ample opportunity to avoid your having to take executive action, and they did nothing. The Republican leaders said they preferred to work on the immigration bill one part at a time, and when you said you were okay with that, they backed off.
        You have stated clearly that even now they can nullify the need for any executive action on your part by passing the immigration reform bill they already have, or their own version of it. But no, they just want to attack you for doing what you legally could and morally should do to fix our broken immigration system.
        This is only a temporary solution, of course. There is much more to be done and you have acknowledged that. But it is a humane and hugely important first step.You have kept your promise to the American people. Thank you for having the courage of your convictions.

President Obama's executive action yesterday brought
joy to millions of undocumented immigrants.

        Your opponents are accusing you of acting illegally. They ignore the precedents set by your predecessors, including two of their own Party, Messrs. Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. They forget that you have been a professor of constitutional law, and that you have consulted with the best legal minds regarding the parameters of your executive authority. As is their wont on every issue, the Republicans are politicizing it, instead of trying to solve the immigration challenge, and dehumanizing a very serious and growing social problem, with immense economic and humanitarian implications.
        Now that you have acted, the Republicans seem to be backing off a bit. Realizing that opposing your action too vigorously would further jeopardize their already strained relations with the Latino community, they have chosen this time to file their much talked about suit against you over what they consider to be your unconstitutional actions regarding the application of the Affordable Care Act. No matter that millions of previously uninsured Americans now have health care coverage!
        Thank you for sticking to your agenda, Mr. President, and for keeping your cool, and for not letting the hypocrisy, meanness, unfair criticism, and often despicable behavior of your opponents and their gullible constituents diminish your love of America, or discourage your passionate desire to right our country's wrongs and to make the America dream available to all.
        May God encourage and strengthen you for the facing of these challenging times, and may God use you mightily in the final two years of your presidency.
        Grace, mercy, peace, love, and joy to you and your wonderful family,
        RSA
PS  Forgive me, Mr. President, but I can't resist adding this: Illegitimi non carborundum!