[gridlock]

No, because by obstaining, the democrats will vote to raise taxes on the rich only. When the economy tanks, Republicans can say—WE DIDN’T VOTE FOR THAT!

Imagine that I am a bank teller, and somebody comes to my counter, and asks without any show of force or threat of any kind for me to hand him a thousand dollars. I ask him if this is a robbery, or if something bad will happen if I don't hand him the money, and he says that nothing will happen if I don't, but he just wants a thousand dollars.

If I hand him the money from my drawer, who robbed the bank? Me or him?

We elected a Republican House of Representatives. It is their job to be the Bank Teller. It is time for them to do their job.

[Resettozero]

We elected a Republican House of Representatives.
... It is time for them to do their job.

IF the elections of 2014 go anything like 2010, perhaps there will be enough leverage to do what you say. But the Republican Party has already made it clear that those elected in 2010 were, instead, "Tea Party" members -- the modern definition of conservative members of Congress. Were there any immediate chance of holding ALL Republican congressthings to their oaths, there would already be significent and very public rumblings of the need for a new Speaker. Have only heard a few peeps so far. All rumblings have been their stomachs.