This is a stupid question, I know

[oldtime dfl_er]

but why cant Pres Obama use an executive order to extend unemployment benefits?

[rurallib]

1. or if there was some other way to go around the road block.

Was wondering that myself.
Did he use all his tools?

[Laelth]

2. All expenditures of federal funds must originate in the House. n/t

-Laelth

[slackmaster]

3. "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay...

"...the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States;..."

http://topics.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlei#section8

[Ozymanithrax]

4. Because the President can not appropriate money.

Congress, alone, has the powers of the purse and can appropriate money. So they have to pass the bill.

[oldtime dfl_er]

6. I do know about the Congress

having the power of the purse. But there have to be ways around that. If it's an extension of existing law rather than a new expenditure, or something....?

[Ozymanithrax]

7. Unemployment cost money.

The President does not have a pile of cash that he can put independently into unemployment. He has some power to take funds already appropriated by the DOD to different DOD projects. But he could not put them into unemployment. He does not have that power. He has enormous power when it comes to foreign diplomacy, but money appropriated for foreign diplomacy can not be moved to unemployment.

There are limits to what the President can do and what can be done with an executive order.

[gateley]

5. Kick - I'd like to see the response from those who know the answer to this. nt

[Ozymanithrax]

8. Check posts 2, 3, and 4 for the answer. n/t