Every wannabe tyrannical dictator admires Xi - President for life and no pesky Constitution, Congress, Supreme Court, or popular elections to gum up the works.
Obama might have had an easier time with GOP Congress had he, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid not abused Budget Reconciliation to shove the Affordable Care Act down America's throat without debate nor amendments ... by 1 vote.
For every action, there is a reaction. Obama, Pelosi, and Reid acted like dictators, and they got an obstructionist GOP Congress in return for their efforts.
Tyrannts, dictators, and revolutionaries use expediency as an excuse to infringe upon Civil Rights.
In the American Constiutional Federalist Republic form of Government, the means - debates, amendments, votes, checks, balances, consensus/coalition building - are the ends. Every aspiring Executive tyrrant will view those as obstructions, and try to circumvent them.
In 2009-2011, the Dems were impatient and desparate to pass the Affordable Care Act at any cost, even if they had to trample upon Democracy to get their way, quickly.