.... Practically speaking, today's Left finally has the situation it wants: a sufficiently progressive president in his second term is, in effect, an unchecked dictator. The only checks and balances the constitution provides are money, nominations, and impeachment. The political and media climate have removed impeachment as a viable option; nomination disruption is a pathetic response to a president committed to Caesarism – "oh, are you going to block my nominees to DOJ, fine I'll just ban bullets." That leaves funding, and Republican leaders have publicly committed themselves not to using that leverage at all. Barack Obama is basically operating now without any congressional checks and balances whatsoever. ...