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.”
The GOP Establishment is happy.
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Yep, they put on another theatrical production without actually doing anything. With Republicans its all a big show; nothing but a deceptive façade. But it works for them. The base keeps re-electing these clowns.
Surprised? I think not.
Republicans naively try to play fair. They think the other side is honorable and will abide by the rules. But the reality is Dems play by their own rules. When they take back the senate they will steamroll the hapless Pubbies. Nothing changes.
Washington Democrats must be honest with the people they represent.”
Fat chance of that.
Let's give up on a bill that has some incentive of what the dems want and then try and pass a bill that can just be flat out rejected.
At least they “tried”.
(Yes! That is cynicism.)
Wasn’t it Little Bitchy Mitchy who said last fall, let’s have the Amnesty fight next spring thru DHS Funding instead of the threat of a Complete Government Shutdown?
How’s that working for you Mitch. You yellow bellied backstabbing worthless piece of crap?
Who didn’t see this coming last fall? Hell, might as well be Harry Reid running the Senate!
It is obvious the GOPe supports amnesty hence their muted opposition to Obama's 2012 Dreamer amnesty that, to date, has legalized 700,000. It has served as the template for the current unconstitutional action. This country is finished.
A show of doing something while doing absolutely nothing. This proposal is a game and nothing but. We will never see any results from the Repubs in Congress until McConnell and Boehner are removed — neither know how to fight or articulate a position. Unfortunately, I’m beginning to think that the GOPe really wants the same thing the Dems do — at least that is the way they act.
These F****** RINO, GOPe, bastards don’t represent the people who sent them there and have not for many years.
These C********** need to be removed along with the democrat party and include the Chamber of Commerce, and the big donors who are selling out the American public for their personal power and gain.
It is time to face up to these POS traitors with torches and pitchforks; to restore the Constitution and the Republic.
>>What game is McConnell playing here, because he’s missing the point entirely.
A lot of people are missing the point, including many FReepers who think that we should fight honorably and fairly against the Progs. “We should stick to the moral high ground”, “Not sink to their level”, and “Take the high road”.
McConnell is starting out right, forcing the Dems to vote against something that they have convinced the American people is good (DHS funding). But, he can’t find the moral courage to stay the course and use this to ATTACK the Left—call them hypocrites and enemies of American security to their face.
We start strong, but always finish weak. Democrats read Sun-Tzu and Alinsky to learn how to fight a war. We read the bible. The bible is great for everything, except war strategy. We’re at war. This isn’t “politics” anymore.
I’m sick of these childish games. The Republicans are spineless, weak, cowardly turncoats who must be destroyed. This is unacceptable. They keep talking about how they were elected because the voters hate Obama’s policies, yet we’re still seeing Obamaian legislation from idiots like McConnell.
They are all bad guys.
One party with two names has dog and pony show expects fly over zone not to notice.
Those of us who really KNOW McConnell easily saw this coming. My only question was what his timing was gonna be.
RINO Mitch.
Breaking news: Did you know Mitch’s middle initial is C? Rhymes with bathe.
So the Republicans always pay in the end.
All the Democrats have to do is stall and delay, and then say it's the Republicans' fault that the deadline passed and the hostage died or the government shut down.
And stupid McConnell already announced what he holds dearest: no government shutdown. So what do you think will always be the Democrats' hostage?
McConnell will never win another showdown in the Senate because now he's most afraid of the headlines that he broke his promise of no more shutdowns.
He's forevermore compromised as a negotiation leader because it's his baby that's been taken hostage.
-PJ
I guarantee you McConnell doesn’t love the U.S.
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