Lawless Obama? Where was Paul Ryan when a lawless Bush extended Medicare Part D Deadlines and waived Penalties?

It’s amazing what a little investigative reporting can turn up!

MSNBC: It was easy to note the similarities between its difficulties and those associated with the Bush/Cheney Medicare Part D policy. On Friday, Sam Stein had a terrific report noting just how deep the parallels go. Stein’s report is quite comprehensive … Both the ACA and Plan D struggled during the rollout; both suffered technical glitches; both shrunk networks to the surprise of consumers; both struggled with overwhelmed call centers; both suffered in the polls.

Here’s a new wrinkle that should embarrass Paul Ryan, who has based his “lawless Obama” claim on the “illegal” delays Obama put in place regarding the Affordable Care Act. But Ryan said nothing about his own backing and roll-out of Medicare’s Plan D implementation:

When Plan D implementation struggled, the Bush/Cheney administration unilaterally extended deadlines and waived penalties – relying on nothing but executive discretion and regularity authority. Why is this important? In general, it’s not, except now that the Obama administration is taking similar steps, Republicans are characterizing it as the end of our constitutional system of government.

Here's a list of Obama offenses:

-President Obama is creating a “government of one” by ignoring the Constitution and further delaying ObamaCare’s employer mandate, according to Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah).

-The Republican senator said on “Fox News Sunday” that the president seemed to be flouting the law in order to improve Democrats’ chances in the 2014 midterm elections. “The president knows this is wrong and it’s not defensible,” Lee said.

-There is something wrong with holding one leader to a new standard – an “Obama standard” – that doesn’t apply to anyone else.

-When other presidents issue executive orders, it’s fine. When Obama does it, Republicans insist it’s scandalous.

-When other presidents rely on “czars,” it’s fine. When Obama does it, Republicans insist it’s scandalous.

-When other presidents make recess appointments, it’s fine. When Obama does it, Republicans insist it’s scandalous.

-When other presidents decide not to defend certain federal laws against court challenges, it’s fine. 

-When Obama does it, Republicans insist it’s scandalous.

-When Bush used his powers to improve implementation of a federal health care policy, no one raised a fuss, but now that Obama’s done the same thing, congressional Republicans are convinced he’s a lawless radical violating the Constitution.