You may recall that I passed this law called the Affordable Care Act to sign people up for health care.

This is from a transcript of President Obama’s remarks on Friday to the SXSW (South by Southwest) conference in Austin, Texas.

Notice something interesting? Obama claims credit for passing a law. Actually, he didn’t pass it. He signed it.

Why would he make such a mistake? Was it that he just flubbed his lines? I don’t think so. I think the reason is more ominous: that Barack Obama, like the vice-president who preceded him, is subtly trying to change Americans’ views about what the Constitution says. I think he wants to get Americans thinking that U.S. presidents, and especially this one, can pass laws.

That reminds me of something similar, and even more glaring, that Vice-President Cheney did in his graduation speech at West Point. Cheney said:

On your first day of Army life, each one of you raised your right hand and took an oath. And you will swear again today to defend the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That is your vow, that is the business you’re in.

That’s not what they swear at all. Here is their actual oath:

I (insert name), having been appointed a (insert rank) in the U.S. Army under the conditions indicated in this document, do accept such appointment and do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God.

Why would Cheney have done that? As I said in this piece at the time, I don’t think it’s an unintentional mistake, not with the way Vice-Presidents’ and Presidents’ speeches are vetted with a fine-toothed comb. I think he wanted to lead people away from the importance of military people pledging to defend the Constitution.