Did a compliant Congress empower this petulant, defiant president?

Red State claims: The GOP Emboldened Barack Obama on Cuba
... "The United States Congress just declared Barack Obama’s actions on amnesty unconstitutional, then promptly funded them.
"I said just a few weeks ago that if the congress did that, it would embolden Barack Obama on a host of other foreign and economic policy matters."  Erick Erickson

December Surprise: Obama normalizes relations with Cuba
 "Just as Congress left town, and everyone is focused on Christmas and New Year’s holidays."

Ted Cruz: Obama Is Unilateral President – Exhibiting Anger & Defiance Towards American People (Video)

 “Listen, there’s no doubt that this is a unilateral president who is exhibiting right now anger and defiance towards the American people. He’s angry at this last election. He’s angry that there’s this tidal wave that retired Harry Reid. He is acting in defiance of that… It’s like Ronald Reagan said about the hard left. It’s not what they don’t know it’s that so much of what they do know just isn’t so. "”