Boehner: Obama ‘also has a Constitution’

President Obama’s pledge to lean heavily on the power of his office to accomplish policy goals this year drew fire Thursday from Speaker John Boehner, who lashed back at the remarks during a news conference on Capitol Hill.

“I would remind the president he also has a Constitution, and an oath of office that he took where he swore to faithfully execute the laws of our country,” Boehner (R-Ohio) countered Thursday. 

{mosads}“We have a system of government here, and a system of laws, and a Constitution that we’re all required to abide by,” Boehner said. “No reason that this year can’t be a bipartisan year to work on the issue of our economy, and get Americans back to work.” 

Obama has vowed repeatedly in recent days that 2014 would be “a year of action” for his administration, and that he would not hesitate to use executive authority to move forward on issues in lieu of action from the divided Congress.

The remarks roiled Republicans who have relentlessly accused the president of exceeding his authority on numerous fronts. 

“I’ve got a pen,” Obama declared Tuesday before a Cabinet meeting, “and I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions and administrative actions that move the ball forward.”

Obama broadly listed education, support for businesses and job training as areas in which executive action might be needed, though he did not elaborate on the specifics of any proposals.