On the Statue of Liberty is an oft-repeated and embraced quote. Courtesy of the late poet, Emma Lazarus, it goes like this: “Give me your tired, your poor/

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/The wretched refuse of your teeming shore/Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” It has well more than stood the test of time, for this great nation is a wonderful melting pot, a land of opportunity for those willing to seek it and make the most of it in a positive manner. Last Thursday, President Barack Obama was to have delivered an executive order on immigration. The White House said this would be “a step forward in the president’s plan to work with Congress on passing common sense, comprehensive immigration reform.” Judge Andrew Napolitano, a news personality, posted this to his Facebook account: “Obama is NOT the lawmaker – he is the law enforcer. And he is grossly abusing his discretion when it comes to ‎immigration reform.” We agree the system is seriously flawed, and Lazarus probably is spinning in her grave, but what the hell is Congress for – other than a dime-store sideshow in this case? Without all the details, we still know that the president has urged Americans to not “visit the sins of the parents upon the blameless children.” The actual policy, however, exempts the parents as well, The Atlantic points out. The supposed immigration plan would welcome additional waves of illegal immigration; count on it. His plan would legalize permanent residency for scores of criminal immigrants. Maybe that’s what Lazarus meant by “wretched refuse?” The immigrants’ lower incomes will get them into social programs once the ink is dry; that will cost all of us a bundle. As The Atlantic points out, the president’s move technically may be legal, “but it rips up accepted norms of presidential conduct.” Presidents are sworn to faithfully execute the laws … even if they don’t like them. This, like so many orders before it, is a thumbed nose.