House authorizes GOP-led plan to sue Obama alleging he exceeded constitutional powers

[hexpunK]

[QUOTE=Pilot1215;45557361]The Kalashnikov ban is a small part in a bigger executive order. I just used an example. The president has no right to regulate commerce, It's a pretty simple rule. Just because Obama and Congress can't kiss and make up doesn't mean Obama can circumnavigate them. There are rules in place for a reason. I'm not saying to impeach Obama, just he needs an obvious reminder.[/QUOTE]

Fairly sure that's why you have the executive order system, for times where nothing, absolutely nothing, would get done and action needs taking. If Congress are being complete shits and just refusing to do anything because "Obama wants it done", he's going to use the system provided to him by the system to get around that hurdle. Trade sanctions like that are a bit bigger than just commerce, it's more the intent behind the sanction that matters.

[Deunan]

[QUOTE=sgman91;45557155]What is your actual point? You keep tempering everything you say by adding "it's often said" or something of that nature. Are YOU saying those things and making those claims?[/QUOTE]
Yes, pretty much every single presidential system country failed in one way or another, often multiple times in relatively short courses.

The US is pretty much the only presidential system country which hasn't crashed to date. The reason was the way your parties functioned in the past.

[QUOTE=Pilot1215;45557361]The Kalashnikov ban is a small part in a bigger executive order. I just used an example. The president has no right to regulate commerce, It's a pretty simple rule. Just because Obama and Congress can't kiss and make up doesn't mean Obama can circumnavigate them. There are rules in place for a reason. I'm not saying to impeach Obama, just he needs an obvious reminder.[/QUOTE]

That's kinda a problem - from the standpoint of the US constitution he can most likely. The reason Obama is pretty much circumventing congress is because they're at odds. The congress is following a vastly different party line compared to the executive.

[DemonElite]

[QUOTE=Pilot1215;45557361]The Kalashnikov ban is a small part in a bigger executive order. I just used an example. The president has no right to regulate commerce, It's a pretty simple rule. Just because Obama and Congress can't kiss and make up doesn't mean Obama can circumnavigate them. There are rules in place for a reason. I'm not saying to impeach Obama, just he needs an obvious reminder.[/QUOTE]

Through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, President Obama actually has the power through Executive order to establish these sanctions.
[quote=IEEPA 1701](a) Any authority granted to the President by section 1702 of this title may be exercised to deal with any unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States, if the President declares a national emergency with respect to such threat.[/quote]
[quote=IEEPA 1702](a) In general
(1) At the times and to the extent specified in section 1701 of this title, the President may, under such regulations as he may prescribe, by means of instructions, licenses, or otherwise—
(A) investigate, regulate, or prohibit—
(i) any transactions in foreign exchange,
(ii) transfers of credit or payments between, by, through, or to any banking institution, to the extent that such transfers or payments involve any interest of any foreign country or a national thereof,
(iii) the importing or exporting of currency or securities,
by any person, or with respect to any property, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States;[/quote]

The events in Ukraine could easily be considered violations against the foreign policy of the United States, especially when one looks back at the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances.
[quote=BMSA]
1. The United States of America, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the CSCE Final Act, to respect the Independence and Sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine.

2. The United States of America, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defense or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
[/quote]

[url]http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/201730-reid-sets-up-ukraine-vote-for-thursday[/url]
[quote=thehill.com]The amendment would impose sanctions against anyone deemed by the president to have undermined Ukraine's security or independence, or to have engaged in corruption in Ukraine or Russia.

The sanctions codify steps already being taken by the Obama administration and expand the criteria for possible targets, while giving the administration the ability to waive sanctions. [/quote]

And here's that nice little act that The Hill was referencing.
[url]http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-113publ95/html/PLAW-113publ95.htm[/url]
[quote] (4) to use all appropriate economic elements of United
States national power, in coordination with United States
allies, to protect the independence, sovereignty, and
territorial and economic integrity of Ukraine;[/quote]

This includes sanctions.

[quote]8. SANCTIONS ON PERSONS RESPONSIBLE
FOR VIOLENCE OR UNDERMINING THE PEACE,
SECURITY, STABILITY, SOVEREIGNTY, OR
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF UKRAINE.

(a) <<NOTE: Determinations.>> In General.--The President shall
impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to--
(1) any person, including a current or former official of
the Government of Ukraine or a person acting on behalf of that
Government, that the President determines has perpetrated, or is
responsible for ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing,
significant acts of violence or gross human rights abuses in
Ukraine against persons associated with the antigovernment
protests in Ukraine that began on November 21, 2013;
(2) any person that the President determines has
perpetrated, or is responsible for ordering, controlling, or
otherwise directing, significant acts that are intended to
undermine the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or
territorial integrity of Ukraine, including acts of economic
extortion;
(3) any official of the Government of the Russian
Federation, or a close associate or family member of such an
official, that the President determines is responsible for,
complicit in, or responsible for ordering, controlling, or
otherwise directing, acts of significant corruption in Ukraine,
including the expropriation of private or public assets for
personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the
extraction of natural resources, bribery, or the facilitation or
transfer of the proceeds of corruption to foreign jurisdictions;
and
(4) any individual that the President determines materially
assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, [B]material, or
technological support for, or goods or services[/B] in support of,
the commission of acts described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3).[/quote]
[quote] (d) Regulatory Authority.--[B]The President shall issue such
regulations, licenses, and orders[/B] as are necessary to carry out this
section.[/quote]

[url]http://thegunwriter.blogs.heraldtribune.com/17287/breaking-import-of-kalashnikov-concern-aks-banned-by-executive-order/[/url]
[quote]Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), according to its website, "administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United States. OFAC acts under Presidential national emergency powers, as well as authority granted by specific legislation, to impose controls on transactions and freeze assets under US jurisdiction. Many of the sanctions are based on United Nations and other international mandates, are multilateral in scope, and involve close cooperation with allied governments."[/quote]

Here's the executive order which is related to Kalashnikov imports:
[url]http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Executive_Order_13662[/url]
And here's the Treasury's page relating to that executive order:
[url]http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20140716.aspx[/url]

Basically, these sanctions are legal as is the executive order that put Kalashnikov on the list. Kalashnikov is not only one of the biggest arms exporters in Russia but also the primary supplier of arms for the Russian military.