Posted on 07/09/2014 1:13:13 PM PDT by PoloSec
Republicans in the House of Representatives have conveyed the message that they would support Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) lawsuit against President Barack Obama for allegedly abusing his powers of executive privilege, even though critics on the right dismiss the move as no more than a political stunt.
Several Republican legislators on Tuesday said the president leaves them with no choice but to sue him, citing executive actions to bypass the gridlocked Congress on issues that include health care, immigration, foreign policy and energy.
Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said he believes the lawsuit is “a very reasonable step to take. We believe the president has been violating the law and going around the law.”
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said he’s “reluctantly” endorsing the lawsuit, although it’s “unfortunate” Republicans have been pushed to this extreme. “At some point, the president has to listen to the legislative branch and this may be a way to make that happen,” Kinzinger elaborated. “I don’t celebrate this. Any time that we have to go into the courts to settle a dispute shows that the system isn’t quite working as it should at this moment, which is sad to see.”
Boehner has been facing criticism from both the left and the right for planning legislation, which is likely to be brought for a vote this month, that would authorize the House general counsel to sue the Obama administration and “compel” the president to enforce existing laws.
The White House and Democrats have dismissed the lawsuit threat as a political maneuver designed to strengthen Republican support ahead of November’s midterm election. Surprisingly, they have been joined by some conservative commentators, including Erick Erickson, the RedState.com editor who wrote a scathing critique of the lawsuit plan on Monday, arguing that Boehner should “man up” instead. “I realize John Boehner and the House Republicans may lack the fortitude to fight President Obama, but I would kindly ask that he save the taxpayers further money on a political stunt solely designed to incite Republican voters who might otherwise stay home given the establishment’s abandonment of their constitutionally derived powers,” Erickson wrote. “John Boehner’s lawsuit is a Republican waste of taxpayer dollars.”
Sarah Palin also belittled the lawsuit on Tuesday, stating that it was time for Republicans to impeach the president instead. “You don’t bring a lawsuit to a gunfight, and there’s no room for lawyers on our front lines,” the former Republican vice-presidential nominee said. But most rank-and-file Republicans disagreed with her, noting that impeachment was not politically viable, or even appropriate. “This is much more responsible,” said King in regard to the lawsuit, adding that he would “absolutely not” support impeachment. “And no true conservative should, because that destabilizes the government.”
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) pointed to the example of former President Bill Clinton, who was impeached by a Republican-controlled House in 1998 on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice over the Monica Lewinsky scandal, but subsequently acquitted by the Senate. “If we couldn’t get a verdict on the impeachment of Bill Clinton, why would we think we could get one in the United States Senate with Harry Reid as majority leader,” Steve King said. “So that’s off the table.”
For his part, Boehner dismissed the idea when asked last month if his lawsuit was a prelude to impeachment proceedings in the House. “This is not about impeachment,” the House Speaker said. “This is about faithfully executing the laws of our country.” Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) spoke in a similar manner, asserting that the lawsuit is a result of “an overreach on the part of the executive branch.” Impeachment, Bishop said, had a number of problems. “First of all, the last time the House impeached somebody, it made the president more popular,” Bishop stated, referring to the dramatic rise in Clinton’s approval rating following his impeachment. “That should not be the goal — [the president] becomes empathetic and a martyr. Second problem is if the Senate’s not going to pass it, why waste your time? The third one is Joe Biden would be president — that’s no big improvement.”
A lawsuit carries no political risk so of course it’s the preferred step for the GOP.
In addition, they again get to avoid doing their duty and pass along any responsibility to the one branch of government that doesn’t have to face the voters.
Win-win.
“You know, I loathe Obama, but I cannot see him as the equivalent of Hitler.”
No one possibly could be that evil, but you see the point hopefully.
YOu do not appease power-hungry people who commit harm to others. You take them out of power.
BTW, Obama commands a much greater entity than Hitler did. Being less evil than Hitler with a much bigger stick, things can come out just as messy.
The way Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and ISIS is surging, don’t think for a minute we could not be soon into WWIII
The media has already turned somewhat against him. We've had lots of negative stories about Obamacare; Obama's approval ratings are way down; everybody now knows Obama's foreign policy is lousy.
We don't need that many more scandals to drive approval down even more...particularly if they are of a national security nature.
Let’s see which has the better chance of being a reality? A Boehner lawsuit accomplishing anything including being heard and settled before Obama leaves office, or Hell freezing over. My bet is on Hell freezing over first. Boehner’s lawsuit is like a drunk peeing on himself wearing real dark pants. It gives the person a warm feeling and no one will ever notice.
Scenario: Immediately after their victory. (Close one. Negro districts must, must I say, turn out 123% of registered voters).... immediately after inauguration, Joey Plugs succumbs to brain infection due to infected hair transplant plugs.
Your new President: Michelle Robinson (you see, she divorces Barry before the campaign ... in public to get woman's sympathy vote. Reggie named as co-respondent.) She'll announce the break-up on Okrah Winfree.
Try and keep up with current events, willya?
Get the memo on the National Enquirer hotline ASAP!
Eh, his approval rates are still what, in the 40s? I think Nixon was in the 20s when he resigned. I can’t believe Obama’s are still as high as they are.
Even accounting for black people, they would get him AT MOST to 20%, so a lot of white libs and/or hispanics are still loving this guy.
I absolutely understand that he deserves to be impeached, but I also understood that he did not deserve re-election.
He won’t be removed from office and like Clinton it will only strengthen him. I don’t know enough about history to have any real understanding of Andrew Johnson’s impeachment but I do know that Nixon was hounded by the press for years and they weren’t the libs then that they are today.
I’m afraid we are stuck with this dope until the end of his term. Let’s not do anything that makes him look good in any way. I’m very much afraid impeachment would do that.
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