Roughly since mid-November (NMP) Obama has been Cranking up the pressure on passing “fiscal cliff” legislation. He’s been excoriating Republicans. He made dire predictions. He came out to make statements and Blame Republicans. Of course, he himself created a situation whereby the deal was done after the last minute. Nor did he excoriate Harry Reid for refusing to allow a vote on Obama’s fiscal cliff plan. But, we were told how super duper massively important this legislation was. So, how did he sign it? The Washington Post tells us in a story that is web-only
The hard-fought legislation that allowed the United States to avoid the “fiscal cliff†was signed into law on Wednesday by autopen, the White House said, less than a day after being approved in a contentious vote in the House of Representatives.
President Obama, who interrupted a family vacation here to oversee the cliff negotiations in Washington, returned to Hawaii on an overnight flight that arrived early Wednesday. He spent the day working out a local gym, golfing and dining with first lady Michelle Obama and some friends at a favorite HonoÂlulu restaurant, Alan Wong’s.
In between, Obama reviewed a copy of the cliff legislation, titled the “American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012,†and directed that the original — still in Washington — be signed by autopen.
It tells you where Obama’s priorities lay in that he couldn’t wait to receive a copy of the legislation and sign it in Washington. Nor could he be bothered to even read it on the long taxpayer funded flight back to Hawaii. Nor even read it first thing in the morning. No, he waited till he fooled around while on vacation, and could not be bothered to actually sign the legislation.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.
Auto-pens, like red light cameras should be illegal as it allows the official to not be present. It’s very unsatisfying to not face the accuser or to know it wasn’t really signed by the president. Can’t bother to do his job.