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The GOP should threaten publicly to use Obama’s amnesty precedent once they’re back in White House
Hot Air ^ | November 13, 2014 | Allahpundit

Posted on 11/13/2014 6:19:36 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Not a perfect strategy but if you’re grasping for last-minute ways to deter Obama from dropping the A-bomb, this may be your best shot. Impeachment’s not happening. If it did happen, Obama would welcome it as a post-landslide deus ex machina that turns the country against the GOP. Defunding’s probably not happening either, I hate to tell you. McConnell and Boehner will have no choice now but to insert language defunding executive amnesty in the new continuing resolution next month, but Obama will veto that CR. And I just don’t believe B&M have the stomach for a protracted shutdown so soon after taking over Congress. Frankly, I figure that’s half the reason O’s suddenly eager to do amnesty this month instead of waiting until New Year’s. He wants Boehner and McConnell to choke on the idea of a new shutdown, knowing that they’d like nothing more than to pass some popular bipartisan bills instead to prove they can govern. That’s the state of Hopenchange in 2014 — tossing unconstitutional, highly divisive policy grenades in hopes of triggering a shutdown or even impeachment. Just because it might help Democrats politically.

So here’s an idea. Boehner and McConnell call a press conference flanked by Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and Paul Ryan. If any Republican governors eyeing 2016 want to attend too, they’re invited — Christie, Walker, Jindal, Jeb Bush, whoever. At the presser, B&M make a short statement: The GOP intends to challenge Obama’s amnesty in court as an unconstitutional infringement on separation of powers. If, however, they lose that suit, they’ll encourage any Republican successor to O to use the amnesty precedent in other areas of policy, starting with tax reform. Specifically, they’ll advise the president to issue an executive order barring the IRS from collecting more than 10 percent of adjusted gross income from American taxpayers, a de facto flat tax. Like Obama’s amnesty, that order will be temporary; a Democratic successor could rescind it with one stroke. Like Obama’s amnesty, that order will be aimed at a highly contentious issue on which Congress is currently deadlocked. If the opposition party doesn’t like the order, they can simply join the majority party in Congress in passing a compromise bill that supersedes it, just as Obama always says about the GOP and immigration. The point, obviously, is that the practice of dubious executive power grabs at Congress’s expense can work for both parties. And will. Smarter liberals digested that point months ago, which is why they’re leery of O’s amnesty. Dumber liberals will need it explained to them, verrrrry slooooowly. Once it is, if they’re still gung ho about the president appointing himself national lawgiver, well, okay. I guess that’s America now. At least they won’t act surprised when President Cruz starts doing this stuff.

As I say, though, not a perfect solution. The obvious problem: How do you argue on the one hand that Obama’s doing something grossly unconstitutional while arguing on the other that you’re prepared to do the same thing as soon as you have the chance? That’s what the lawsuit’s for. If, as everyone expects, a court tosses the GOP’s complaint against O, then they can say that while they disagree with the court’s ruling, it is what it is and it’d be foolish for them not to use the same precedent to make America better. Having Boehner and McConnell deliver this message instead of the 2016ers themselves also creates a bit of a fig leaf in case one is needed on the campaign trail. If Rubio or Cruz et al. are asked whether they’ll really issue an order like the tax one I mentioned, they can say they haven’t made up their minds, that that was B&M’s plan, but that obviously Democrats are in no position anymore to object to bold unilateral moves by a powerful executive. Clearly, they can say, they’d prefer that the president not have this power at all. But Barack Obama, con law professor turned president, decided that the legislature couldn’t be trusted with legislative power, and a court agreed. Oh well.

Now that Obama’s aides are floating specifics about his order to reporters, with hints that it’ll come sooner rather than later, it’s probably too late to stop it. He’d lose too much face with the amnesty shills if he bowed to GOP threats at the eleventh hour. But let’s make this threat anyway, if only so that liberals know what’s in store for them down the road when they’re busy celebrating Obama’s authoritarianism next Friday.


TOPICS: Issues; Parties; U.S. Congress; U.S. Senate
KEYWORDS: amnesty; gop; obama; republicans
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Are there no real Americans left inside or outside the armed forces?
1 posted on 11/13/2014 6:19:36 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

why? who thinks they actually would?


2 posted on 11/13/2014 6:22:18 PM PST by cableguymn (We need a redneck in the white house....)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Dumb and dumber. Yeah. That’s the trick. /s


3 posted on 11/13/2014 6:23:29 PM PST by don-o (He will not share His glory and He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

you don’t seem to understand. The democrats who are advocating for executive action will be totally against it when gop is in power. Remember “nuclear option” in the senate was viewed negatively when gop was in control, but when dem came into power it didn’t stop them at all. Obama was against executive power when he was senator, but now he’s president he’s totally for it


4 posted on 11/13/2014 6:25:49 PM PST by 4rcane
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; a fool in paradise

Oh gee, the GOP will threaten to do leftist stuff too is going to really make Obama change his mind.


5 posted on 11/13/2014 6:27:33 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: cableguymn

thinks they would what? hold a press conference to say totally stupid and useless things?


6 posted on 11/13/2014 6:28:34 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: 4rcane

The corrupt judges will change their opinion based on who is in power too. They will allow any abuse of power by a Democrats but will be against the same when its done by a Republican


7 posted on 11/13/2014 6:29:22 PM PST by 4rcane
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

That would only happen if Sarah Palin was president.


8 posted on 11/13/2014 6:30:35 PM PST by txrefugee
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I would also like to do what you proposed but I do not think it is the right thing to do for our republic. I know it will be hard to do but I think we need to play it cool and assume that the voters in the next election will give us another title wave to overcome the damage the Dems are doing. If the voters agree with Dems on the next election then it is over anyway. Our country will be gone in that case. Very sad.


9 posted on 11/13/2014 6:39:43 PM PST by robert14 (cng)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"If, however, they lose that suit, they’ll encourage any Republican successor to O to use the amnesty precedent in other areas of policy ... "

Then Obama will issue an executive order that there will be no more elections and he will order himself president for life.

America has officially become a banana republic!

10 posted on 11/13/2014 6:40:10 PM PST by Bob Mc
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To: Bob Mc

advising the GOP to be as lawless as Obama is supposed to be anything but a joke?


11 posted on 11/13/2014 6:41:46 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: Bob Mc

I agree. If he can wipe immigration laws off the books with his signature he can cancel the next election with his signature. I hope our folks in the House and Senate understand how serious this is.


12 posted on 11/13/2014 6:44:03 PM PST by robert14 (cng)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
So any POTUS has the opportunity to change any law on the books, enforce or not enforce it at a whim, even make up brand-new laws without vote or debate?

And every time the presidency changes hands, we start over defining legality?

How long do you think we'll last before we lapse into madness and dictatorship?

13 posted on 11/13/2014 6:44:10 PM PST by ZOOKER (Until further notice the /s is implied...)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Actually write a budget that balances payments on the debt, and spending on things that are necessary. Let the people keep the taxes not spent. Tell the President here is his budget and then spend some of the Republicans money running advertisements. A “shutdown” will save us more money, allow it to go on indefinitely. Six months, a year, I don’t care. Long enough to show that the only negative effects are on non-essential personnel. Spend money explaining how it is no big deal because the layoffs are NON-ESSENTIAL.


14 posted on 11/13/2014 6:45:59 PM PST by Glad2bnuts
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To: robert14

The republic is dead. The republic has been dead since 1861.

We have now entered into the death of the rule of law.

Whoever is most vocal, and most violent, will prevail.


15 posted on 11/13/2014 7:01:27 PM PST by QuisCustodiet1776 (Live free or die.)
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To: ZOOKER

How long? The party has already started.


16 posted on 11/13/2014 7:02:59 PM PST by QuisCustodiet1776 (Live free or die.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Obama should realize that a banana republic without bananas has no solid foundation.


17 posted on 11/13/2014 7:09:45 PM PST by headsonpikes (Mass murder and cannibalism are the twin sacraments of socialism - "Who-whom?"-Lenin)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Have the capitol police start arresting SC justices, and administrative hacks once they enter the capitol grounds. Charge them with violating their oaths of office. This is the only way to get them....the capitol police report to the legislative branch not the DoJ. The Sergent-at-Arms is the person to do this work.

Make him do his job.


18 posted on 11/13/2014 7:13:21 PM PST by Ouderkirk (To the left, everything must evidence that this or that strand of leftist theory is true)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
f it did happen, Obama would welcome it as a post-landslide deus ex machina that turns the country against the GOP.

Don't count on that.

yes, in 1998 most people didn't think Bill Clinton's lying to hide an affair was an impeachable offense and it did hurt the Republicans.

However, there's a big difference between that and what Obummer is planning. Look at Oregon where driver's licenses for illegals was on the ballot, it went down 66% to 33%, so if even in ultra blue Oregon they are sick and tired of Illegal Immigrants, the whole country is not going to have a big problem with impeaching Obama

19 posted on 11/13/2014 7:22:39 PM PST by qam1 (There's been a huge party. All plates and the bottles are empty, all that's left is the bill to pay)
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To: qam1

If the process starts it will be interesting to see the dems squirming under public pressure.


20 posted on 11/13/2014 7:29:38 PM PST by morphing libertarian
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