President Obama let his frustration over the stalled debt talks seep into an address on Latino issues on Monday, confessing that he’d like to “bypass Congress and change the laws on my own.” He told the National Council of La Raza, “Believe me, the idea of doing things on my own is very tempting. I promise you.”
But he told the group meeting at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel that he has to work with Congress and will continue to fight for what he called a “balanced” plan that does not focus solely on spending cuts but that spreads the sacrifice to the wealthiest Americans as well.
La Raza—and activist Latinos elsewhere—are disappointed in the president for not keeping his promise to champion comprehensive immigration reform in his first year in office. They are particularly angry that his administration has been aggressive in deporting undocumented immigrants, but the president defended the record number of deportations, contending he has had no choice.
“Those are the laws on the books,” said Obama. “I swore an oath to uphold the laws on the books. That doesn’t mean I don’t know very well the real pain and heartbreak that deportations cause.”
He added that he shares the concerns of Latinos. “I understand them and I promise you we are responding to your concerns and working every day to make sure we are enforcing flawed laws in the most humane and best possible way.”
His ''I'd like to change'' comment followed a section in his speech that mentioned the limitations of Washington in stopping deportations. He then spoke of his frustrations in dealing with Congress. His ''bypass Congress'' comment drew applause and chants of "Yes, You Can," a 2008 campaign slogan.
