Posted on 12/05/2014 7:46:32 AM PST by Kaslin
In years past, this column has urged conservative Republicans in Congress to shut down the federal government as a way to counter some of the hardline policies and stare down some of the more uncompromising positions taken by President Obama.
But the current row that's brewing among congressional Republicans is a different matter. Debate is raging about a proposed continuing resolution to fund the government, instead of passing a regular budget that would allow new funding for the assimilation of millions of illegal immigrants. This potential GOP strategy could easily turn growing support for the Republicans into opposition.
Don't get me wrong. The president's use of executive orders as a way to sidestep Congress and its constitutional role of lawmaking -- in this case to decree amnesty for illegal aliens -- is every bit a justification for shutting down the normal budget process.
Those who advocate a short extension of the current federal budget, along with a substantial cut in the budget of the Department of Homeland Security, have a justified legal and moral case for their position. If Republicans don't live up to the rhetoric that returned them to control of the House and won a majority in the Senate, they will risk the appearance of being toothless tigers who are willing to say anything to win an election.
I get all of that. In fact, I agree with their position: The president -- any president -- should not go unchallenged when he tries to bypass his constitutional authority by unilaterally decreeing laws.
But I have been down this shutdown road before with the man who first "paved" it, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich. That experience taught me that there is a huge difference between winning a battle and winning the war. In this case, the battle is the one over executive amnesty, but the war could be winning the presidency in 2016, as well as retaining majority control of the Senate. (Given the particular Senate seats up for contention in two years, that could be a taller order for the GOP than many think.)
It would be great to cut off funds to federal agencies and departments that are helping to implement "laws" that were never passed by Congress. And support for both Obamacare and amnesty are weak right now. But waiting on the sidelines is an elite media that is salivating over the prospect of a government shutdown. They know these shutdowns never get the support of the critically important independent and swing voters.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has joined a group of conservative House members that is demanding a very short period of time for any continuing resolution that would fund the federal government. Cruz is a dedicated conservative member of the Senate, but his motives for pushing another potential shutdown are more likely centered around his own potential run for president in 2016. Ironically, if he were to get his way, a shutdown would most assuredly take place, and Cruz would find his electability as a potential presidential nominee ruined.
That's a shame, because what Barack Obama needs is a swift kick in his posterior from Congress. It skirts the very essence of our Constitution's spirit of a balance of power for the president to arrogantly abuse the use of regulations and executive orders to implement policy that is opposed by both a majority of Americans and by the Republican-majority Congress that will be seated in January.
But it would be a political catastrophe to try to pull off a shutdown before new members of the House and Senate even learn a little bit about how things work in their respective chambers. It would look like overreach -- political showboating. And it would be used as fodder by the liberal media in the 2016 elections.
There are other ways to dismantle at least some of the damage President Obama has done. But it will take careful planning by congressional Republicans to implement any meaningful countermeasures to the president's policies. It's true that the Gingrich shutdown in the '90s actually forced then-President Bill Clinton to push for more conservative policies than he otherwise would have. But Clinton was a more reasonable and pragmatic Democratic president than Obama is.
Sadly, necessarily, this is one shutdown that we need to let pass by.
So congress shouldn’t use their constitutional authority over spending to stop the presidents unconstitutional action over unilateral amnesty.
The GOP majority was elected in November to STOP OBAMA. Period.
the battle is the one over executive amnesty, but the war could be winning the presidency in 2016, as well as retaining majority control of the Senate.
And what good has that done us? lol It’s all politics all the time with these people. Never about what’s right or wrong for the country.
Yes they were. I am one of the folks who voted for them. I don’t care much if 15% of the government is shut down and I do not know anybody who does.
/johnny
on the sidelines is an elite media that is salivating
They always have And they ALWAYS WILL BE, It is WE THE PEOPLE that matter, not the media. This wussy attitude is the problem. Stand and fight on Principle and get right in the face of Big Media, We the People Demand it!
Matt Towery is entitled to his opinion, as you are to use. Calling him names though goes to far
He's an idiot that ignores history, and gives up the fight before it is fought.
/johnny
We had a shutdown less than 10 months before this most-recent election... and the GOP won but HUGE amounts. Exactly how does it follow that another shutdown, even more than 10 months removed from an election, would somehow lead to losing the Senate majority? Republicans want their elected leaders to FIGHT against this atrocity in the White House!!!! Those who do not fight are the ones who are in danger of being displaced in 2016... not the ones who do fight.
The media made a huge deal about the last “shut down” hoping to influence the next election. What happened? Landslide. “Please don’t throw me in the briar patch Bre’r Fox!
Matt Towery doesn’t get it. But Pete Sessions does. The GOP is every bit as invested in Amnesty as the Dems. They are already planning their very own amnesty next year as soon as they get their new majority in place. Sessions is bragging about it already.
Putting a rider in the new appropriations bill forbidding the use of any money to hire the 1000 new workers to process work permits and social security cards for illegal aliens is not going to shut down the government. If BHO wants to shut down the govt over his illegal actions so be it.
The GOP also needs to block every judicial nominee that comes along for the next 2 years. No more activist left wing judges on the Federal bench. No more Czars either.
Oh btw that arrogant pos occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave would like nothing better if the republicans would shut the government down. That however does not dawn on you.
Republicans can't shut down the government right now. Only Reid can do that, by not bringing a bill to the Senate floor, or Obama can do that, by not signing a bill.
Don't expect nice anymore. I refuse to accept your assumptions or your rules.
/johnny
You obviously did not read past the first paragraph
Matt is also silent with any specifics. He needs to either put up or shut up.
I agree. These pundits have no idea how bad the republicrats are blowing it by taking a shutdown off the table. If they won't fight they will get kicked to the curb.
And yes, I did. He's an idiot throughout.
/johnny
Welcome to unreasonable. ;)
/johnny
You might want to look in the mirror
Idiot.
The 2013 shutdown obviously caused all sorts of problems for the Repubs in last month’s elections. /sarc
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