President Obama taking executive action during the last couple of months has kept him in the news, prioritized his issues, defined his position, and greatly pleased core constituents. Obama’s approval rating has moved above the 42 or so percent it has been stuck at for all of 2014 and contributed to the deep party losses in November (see Dec. 15 blog: Republicans Control Most State Legislatures).
The Cuba diplomatic decision was one executive action that contributed to his uptick in approval.
“As you know, the public is concerned about the level of executive action,” said Floyd Ciruli, 9News political analyst. “One place where the president, however, is asserting himself, and of course you can in foreign policy, is through executive action.”
“You cannot get out from under an embargo without congressional action. You can’t fund an embassy without congressional action,” Ciruli said. “So congress will be involved, but I think the president does have authority to try and reopen diplomatic relations.”
And it’s those same types of decisions that Ciruli believes Obama will continue to push forward for his legacy as he tries to finish his term through a Republican-controlled Congress.
“Fundamentally, what I think he's looking for is that ever so often, he’s going to do something to make sure that you know that he’s in this game because he suspects very little is going to get through congress,” Ciruli said.
See 9News: Obama issues 'executive orders by another name"
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