As he eyes re-election, President Obama is increasingly flexing his executive muscle to outflank congressional Republicans, even though he railed against such expansive uses of presidential power as a candidate in 2008.

Over the past week alone, Obama pushed through the appointment of a consumer-protection agency head opposed by Senate Republicans, unveiled a plan to recast the U.S. military and slash defense spending and issued new rules allowing some illegal immigrants to remain in the country while they apply for legal status. Obama not only acted without congressional approval, but, in many cases, despite strenuous congressional opposition.

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