Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R., Calif.) was not a fan of President Obama’s speech this evening. Like most Republicans, he was particularly outraged by the president’s pronouncement that he would bypass Congress and achieve his preferred policy outcomes through executive authority.
“He was basically saying ‘you do this, or I’m going to do it on my own,’” Rohrabacher told reporters after the speech. “This is a constitutional government. The president has certain powers, and he’s supposed to work with Congress.”
“For him to come over here and say he’s going to do things on his own is arrogant and belligerent,” the congressman said. “The tone that people heard tonight sounded nice, but the substance was incredibly belligerent and incredibly arrogant.”