General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums“Obama didn’t ask us to do work, so we’ve decided not to bother.”
Posted with permission.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/congress-content-sit-the-sidelines
Congress content to sit on the sidelines
09/24/14 08:00 AMUpdated 09/24/14 09:54 AM
By Steve Benen
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), arguably more than any other senator, has invested considerable time and energy urging Congress to do its duty. As a U.S. military offensive gets underway in Syria, President Obama has received no real authorization from lawmakers, and the Virginia Democrat knows the system isnt supposed to work this way.
Its that latter part that stands out. In recent years, congressional Republicans have been almost hysterical about presidential overreach, condemning the White House for alleged abuses that leave Congress out of the policymaking process. In nearly every instance, their evidence has fallen somewhere between baseless and ridiculous.
And yet, heres a legitimate example of Obama ignoring Congress when he shouldnt, and those same Republicans who pretended to care about this institutional dynamic are sitting on their hands, perfectly content to ignore their constitutional responsibilities in the name of political convenience.
Shortly after airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria started, some lawmakers started pushing again for an authorization vote. But so far, leaders arent gearing up to bring their members back to town.
Asked to explain why Congress is satisfied doing nothing, House Speaker John Boehners (R-Ohio) office told Roll Call, As the Speaker has said, he thinks it would be good for the country to have a new authorization for the use of military force covering our actions against ISIL, but traditionally such an authorization is requested and written by the commander-in-chief and President Obama has not done that.
Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) added that Obama should seek a new congressional authorization.
Republicans may not fully appreciate just how extraordinary this approach to governing really is.
According to leading Republicans on Capitol Hill, Congress isnt doing anything, and thats the presidents fault. Why? Because the executive branch hasnt written a bill for the legislative branch. Sure, lawmakers could write a bill on their own its literally what theyre paid to do but theyre instead waiting for the president to serve as a check on his own power.
In effect, GOP leaders are arguing, Obama didnt ask us to do work, so weve decided not to bother. Take every Republican argument of late about separation of powers, about co-equal branches of government, about the importance of institutional checks and balances and throw them right out the window, confident in the knowledge that the GOP didnt mean a word of it.
Congress could return to session immediately to tackle its constitutional obligations. Indeed, some lawmakers are returning to work next week to hold a hearing on the recent White House fence jumpers.
Apparently, thats important unlike, say, a new phase of a war in the Middle East.
Im reminded once more of a recent quote from Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.): A lot of people would like to stay on the sideline and say, Just bomb the place and tell us about it later. Its an election year. A lot of Democrats dont know how it would play in their party, and Republicans dont want to change anything. We like the path were on now. We can denounce it if it goes bad, and praise it if it goes well and ask what took him so long.
tularetom
(23,664 posts)A lot of people would like to stay on the sideline and say, Just bomb the place and tell us about it later. Its an election year. A lot of Democrats dont know how it would play in their party, and Republicans dont want to change anything. We like the path were on now. We can denounce it if it goes bad, and praise it if it goes well and ask what took him so long.
Amazingly enough, our free press hears things like this, and doesn't think they are worth reporting on. A statement like this should have been the lead story on every network and cable news show.
No Vested Interest
(5,164 posts)a little freer to say what he really thinks now, rather than hewing to the party meme.
mindwalker_i
(4,407 posts)Doing work has no positive effect on their prospects, so they don't do any.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)babylonsister
(171,035 posts)I finally agree with you!
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)that the President is in charge. Those in charge have no interest in lowering the SS age. They would tell you that you are lucky they haven't eliminated SS entirely.
It's my opinion that those in charge are the same ones in charge during the Bush Admin. Their power transcends mere presidents. Go ahead and try to elect Sen Warren and see what happens or doesn't happen. Gen Clapper can get away with lying to Congress for a reason.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)I was just throwing up a Hail Mary.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Actually I am not a fan of Bloody Mary's, I hate celery. I order a Bloody Mary and hold the celery and any other stupid vegetables. Also, while you're at it, hold the tomato juice, (spoken in the voice of a young Jack Nickelson).
adieu
(1,009 posts)This freedom to conduct war without Congress's input is a green light for Obama to initiate plenty of other actions without Congress's input. In fact, he should do as much as he can between now and November until Congress is forced to yield and buckle under and return to DC to stop him.
And even then, it might be too late.
I think he should first start off with raising the minimum wage to $20/hr, lower medicare to 25 (since Obama care allows children 26 or under to stay on a parent's health plan), raise the taxes on the wealthy, and do most other things that Congress is supposed to do.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Don't bother to answer either question, they are rhetorical. I am trying to maintain the delusion that we still live in a constitutionally controlled democratic republic.
babylonsister
(171,035 posts)Some fearless Dems perhaps, but they're few and far between, I guess.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)I have seen lots and lots of people explain where we are and how we got there, but no one has really come up with a strategy to save us. Typically I see where we "need to take control" or "eliminate money from politics" or "institute campaign finance reform". But I have yet to see anyone explain how we actually accomplish that. Some of us pretend that if only Sen Sanders or Sen Warren some how magically became president then things would be different. We delude ourselves*. Those that control the NSA/CIA Security State, and the Economic Policies are laughing at us. "Have some more cake, you filthy peons."
I think we are screwed but I am not going down without a fight.
On edit: I forgot the *deluding ourselves is some times necessary to maintain at least a semblance of sanity. Personally, I drink vodka.
babylonsister
(171,035 posts)Hahaha! I read your comments above; you are way too negative to me. Just think, the arc of history, and don't worry so much. Whatever is going to happen will happen, perhaps positively with our effort and thoughts, but breathe deep and take time to smell the roses.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)bothers me but they are good children. I am certainly not miserable and I have and am smelling the roses. But I am very logical and I think pragmatic and I have watched the lower classes continue in decline for the last 30 years. I don't see how this will change. If someone can explain to me how this will change, how this oligarchy will relinquish power, please tell me.
I see many as delusional and I don't hold that against them as it's probably the only way they can deal with reality. But, please someone provide me with some hope as to how we will get out of this mess.
I see first hand those that are fighting daily for food. Tell me this will change soon. Tell me that we turn around the statistics that show our country has a terrible infant mortality rate. Tell me we can turn around the suicide rate of veterans of about 30 per day.
Don't misunderstand my concern with surrender.
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)Just some brown people are dying, over there, in a country most people can't point to on a map. Just smile and everything will be better!
Look at this picture of Bo instead
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)over here.
adieu
(1,009 posts)Obama has to play the bad cop and do runaway executive actions, and allow the Democrats in Congress to play the good cop to stop those actions. It's close enough to elections to make the feeling clear. At the end, Congress finally steps in and sanity returns, Obama gets a tough tsk, tsk from Congress, and since he's no longer running for office, it wouldn't matter to him.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Good for you.
Skidmore
(37,364 posts)to reclaim it since. The mechanisms of a democratic republic are in place. Keep electing people who don't want it to work and this will continue to happen. GOTV.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Crisis? Looks like they could vote to have a Unitary Executive if they so choose.
whatchamacallit
(15,558 posts)They're staying away so they don't have to own it or stop it.
Cha
(296,873 posts)Exactly, babylonsistah... Bernie was talking about this on the Thom Hartman show..
As he stated it's an "International effort" and guess what.. "they have to put money in it too."
Senator Sanders also said Assad Gassed his own people.. whether the conspiracy theorists around here believe it or not..
Hartman and he talked about one republiCon saying.. they'll "blast him if it doesn't work and ask why he didn't do it sooner if it does." Sounds like a familiar whine.
FrodosPet http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5527989
randome
(34,845 posts)In the name of yet another extended vacation. Conservatives are the laziest creatures on the face of the Earth.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Everything is a satellite to some other thing.[/center][/font][hr]
sheshe2
(83,655 posts)Here is what Obama said in his victory speech on election night 2008.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=6181477&page=1&singlePage=true
I posted it here:http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025577283
No, they were not listening at all. They were to busy plotting against this President and America.
Robert Draper Book: GOP's Anti-Obama Campaign Started Night Of Inauguration
WASHINGTON -- As President Barack Obama was celebrating his inauguration at various balls, top Republican lawmakers and strategists were conjuring up ways to submarine his presidency at a private dinner in Washington.
The event -- which provides a telling revelation for how quickly the post-election climate soured -- serves as the prologue of Robert Draper's much-discussed and heavily-reported new book, "Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives."
According to Draper, the guest list that night (which was just over 15 people in total) included Republican Reps. Eric Cantor (Va.), Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), Paul Ryan (Wis.), Pete Sessions (Texas), Jeb Hensarling (Texas), Pete Hoekstra (Mich.) and Dan Lungren (Calif.), along with Republican Sens. Jim DeMint (S.C.), Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), John Ensign (Nev.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.). The non-lawmakers present included Newt Gingrich, several years removed from his presidential campaign, and Frank Luntz, the long-time Republican wordsmith. Notably absent were Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) -- who, Draper writes, had an acrimonious relationship with Luntz.
For several hours in the Caucus Room (a high-end D.C. establishment), the book says they plotted out ways to not just win back political power, but to also put the brakes on Obama's legislative platform.
More http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/25/robert-draper-anti-obama-campaign_n_1452899.html
Uncle Joe
(58,298 posts)Thanks for the thread, babylonsister.
whereisjustice
(2,941 posts)Jamaal510
(10,893 posts)Obama didnt ask us to do work, so weve decided not to bother.
don't do shit even when he does ask you to work.
frylock
(34,825 posts)Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)morningfog
(18,115 posts)Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)You should know that by now. The president cannot send troops anywhere or expand war powers without the authorization of Congress. Again, this is Civics 101.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)He has explicitly said he doesn't need them, but "welcomes their buy in."
I agree that what he is doing is contrary to the constitutional authority as President.
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)and do their job! If you're not listening, that's not MY fault. It's yours.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)A link to his statement requesting an AUMF in Iraq or Syria this year?
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)If you aren't paying attention, that is YOUR fault. You cannot make demands on me to stop what I'm doing and go digging up press conferences and statements.
No! YOU do the fucking work!
And next time, pay attention.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)Provide a link because it didn't happen. He had NEVER requested an AUMF this year.
You pay attention. You look silly acting with such confidence and then refusing to produce.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)In real time and looking back. I can't find it.