Posted on 02/24/2015 6:43:00 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) unveiled legislation targeting President Obama’s most recent executive orders on immigration that does not withhold funding for the programs, after Senate Democrats once again filibustered a motion to debate the House-passed Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. “Some Democrats give the impression they want Congress to address the overreach,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.
“But when they vote, they always seem to have an excuse for supporting actions they once criticized. So I’m going to begin proceedings on targeted legislation that would only address the most recent overreach from November. It isn’t tied to DHS’ funding. It removes their excuse.”
An aide to House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) hailed the bill as a way to flush out Democrats who claim to oppose Obama’s executive amnesty but have closed ranks around the funding bill.
“This vote will highlight the irresponsible hypocrisy of any Senate Democrat who claims to oppose President Obama’s executive overreach on immigration, but refuses to vote to stop it,” said spokesman Michael Steel. “If we are going to work together on the American peoples priorities, Washington Democrats must be honest with the people they represent.”
As uncomfortable as the vote might be for some Democrats, McConnell’s gambit frustrates some conservative lawmakers who note that Obama can veto any legislation targeting the orders and then implement his programs with funding provided through a clean DHS appropriations package.
“Cave, cave, cave,” one Republican lawmaker says. “It would pass with unanimous Dem support and fractured GOP support in each house — not exactly what the base will want to see.”
“If this is where McConnell wants to go, I’m not sure why doesn’t just Rule 14 a new appropriations bill, but which only defunds the November 2014 stuff,” says a Senate aide, referring to the rule that allows the Senate majority leader to bypass the committee process and bring a bill straight to the floor. “That would create the same political problem, but actually have a path to passage.” Another conservative Senate aide, though, maintained that Republicans can content themselves with putting red-state Senate Democrats in the position of having to defend the executive amnesty, votes that could imperil their reelection prospects. “This is pressure,” the aide says. “This is how we get to 60 votes in the Senate.”
I’ll bet the commie ‘RATS are laughing their @$$es off right about now. “Unveil that puppy Mitch!”
READ THE FINE PRINT...
So he wants to pass the bill to fund it and draft a separate bill that eliminates it to die in a filibuster. Why isn’t the nuclear option on the table? Isn’t the option there specifically for appropriations?
We want amnesty sh*tcanned, period.
Mitch the Master Sellout doing what he does best and the Dems have their favorite dog in line again.
As expected the whole thing was a ruse to start with. Mitch is not fooling anybody.
McConnell should just give the gavel back to Reid or his buddy Scummer and be done with it.
The whole (supposed) purpose of tying the two together was so the dems would have to agree to stopping and reversing the invasion of the US!
Abolish DHS.
So in other words Turtle-man is on the Democrats' side, who are on 0's side, who is on the side of ISIS.
So... which Republicans are really going to support this?
And, which Democrats, if any, are going to break ranks with 0? (Okay just a rhetorical question...)
McConnell don’t know nuttin’ bout real strategery.
Really? Is THIS what is motivating McConnell?
He thinks that voters are going to remember this cynical vote in two years, and that it will be enough to oust a Democrat Senator regardless of what state they're from?
What game is McConnell playing here, because he's missing the point entirely.
-PJ
Another cave. Did anyone really expect it to be otherwise?
What’s the point of having a majority in the senate if you’re not going to use the power you have? May as well turn things back to the Democrats because they still run the show.
As if THAT ever meant anything to them...
The RepubliCAVEians strike again.
Is this laughable?
Pass a funding bill. Obama and the Dems mostly cheer. Their only disappointment is that they can’t yell and scream about the GOP shutting down Homeland Security. But they are basically happy. The GOP Establishment is happy. Obama is happy.
Then pass a bill that outlaws Obama’s illegal Executive Actions. Will the Dems allow such a vote? Probably. Maybe. But if they do it will be vetoed for sure by Obama. No IFS, BUTS, or WHATEVERS. It will be vetoed. The Dems are happy. Obama is happy. The GOP Establishment is happy.
So who is unhappy with this scenario? You, me, Freepers everywhere and a few Senators and Congressmen. As for the CongressCritters, we are about to find out who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. (As if we didn’t already know).
How much money did the Kentucky Turtle make from the Chamber of Commerce on this latest sellout? McConnell is the ultimate example of a politician in the special interests’ back pockets.
As long as the filibuster is still in the rules, the Republicans can’t be taken seriously. If the Rats take back the Senate, they’ll get rid of it the very FIRST time it becomes an impediment. The filibuster is already Dead Rule Walking anyway. Get rid of it.
Mitch McConnell is a really poor excuse of a man, proof positive that any pathetic weasel can rise to the top in politics.
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