President Obama's use of children in announcing his "common sense" approach to gun control raised questions in some circles about exploiting youngsters for political advantage.

But that wasn't the only criticism to his much anticipated strategy to combat gun violence. There are some who feel Obama overstepped his powers in issuing his 19 executive orders.Some charge Obama is continuing to build an imperial presidency. Sen. Rand Paul calls his latest actions a breach of constitutional separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, offering further proof that Obama is developing a "king complex."As for protecting children, the president did little to hold Hollywood and the producers of the violent videos accountable for polluting the minds of impressionable young people. His only reference was that violent videos should be part of a CDC study. Of course, Hollywood celebrities and the film industry at large were major contributors to both of Obama's election campaigns.Also in the audience at Wednesday's gathering were relatives of some of the 20 children killed in the Connecticut rampage last month. We're sorry that Melinda Herman of Loganville, Ga. was not invited.Melinda recently defended her children against a convicted criminal who forced his way into her Georgia home. When she first heard the knocks on her door and then repeated ringing of the doorbell, Melinda immediately called her husband at work who instructed her to hide their 9-year-old twins. In the 911 tape, Donnie Herman calmly tells his wife to remember everything she learned during recent visits to a shooting range and that if he opened the door, "you shoot him."After the intruder used a crowbar to forcibly enter the home, he opened a closet door where Melinda was hiding and was confronted by her .38 revolver. The trapped woman fired six times and five bullets found their mark. The intruder, who had an arrest record, staggered away but was soon found in his car in a neighbor's driveway, pleading for medical attention.Donnie Herman called his wife a hero, stating on "Good Morning America" that she did what "any responsible gun owner would do."Sen. Mark Rubio's claim that the mass shootings represent a cultural, not a Second Amendment problem, is correct."If you're going to pass a bunch of laws that are not going to work but are going to infringe on the Second Amendment right of law abiding citizens you're going to have a problem with that," Rubio stated.The Herman family of Loganville, Ga. and millions of other law-abiding Americans would agree.By Jim Zbickjzbick@tnonline.com