Sixteen days from now, on February 27, funding runs out on on the Department of Homeland Security. Republicans claim that the impasse is a mystery, because they don’t understand why Democrats refuse to compromise. The impasse is no mystery. Republicans refuse to offer a clean bill.
With a little over two weeks until the Department of Homeland Security runs out of money, Republican leaders in Congress publicly announced Tuesday what had become a grim, if private, truth in the Capitol — they are at an impasse, with no easy way out.
“I think it’s clearly stuck in the Senate,” said Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader. “We can’t get on it, we can’t offer amendments to it. And the next step is obviously up to the House.”
Senate Republicans have failed three times so far to pass a bill to finance the department, which runs out of money on Feb. 27, in what has become a larger proxy fight over President Obama’s immigration policies.
The House last month passed a bill to the pay for department operations, but the legislation included provisions that would have gutted the president’s executive actions on immigration, rolling back legal protections for as many as five million undocumented immigrants, including children.
Senate Democrats, united against anything other than a “clean” spending bill, filibustered to prevent Republicans from taking up the legislation — a maneuver they decried when they were in the minority — and Mr. Obama has promised to veto any bill that undoes his executive actions… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
For the most part, the media are parroting Republican talking points, instead of explaining that Republicans are attempting to usurp Obama’s executive authority. Passing the bill in it’s current form makes no sense, because Republicans do not have the numbers to overcome a presidential veto.
What we need is a clean bill, which would pass the Senate and the House, if Bought Bitch Mitch and Agent Orange would bring a clean bill to the floor. Instead, they are catering to their anti-Latino base, for whom racism trumps the security of our nation. Them we can deal with immigration as the separate issue that it is.
17 Responses to “The Impasse Is No Mystery”
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Shows how sad a day it was when these two assumed the mantle of leadership in Congress without intending to truly lead.
Well, yes, but the saddest day was when Ohio and Kentucky voters voted both back in, knowing full well that they had no intention to lead. (We won't be sending Boehner any of those Jameson chocolate truffles any time soon LOL!)
I agree with you JOanne. I did my part to keep McTurtle out of office, there just were not enough mes.
I know, Edie, I would never blame you.
They are following a pattern they set when Obama was elected the first time, block anything he tries to do, even if you destroy the country in the process.
I have actually wondered whether asking for war powers might not be a ploy to get Republicans on record as having voted against it.
"The impasse is no mystery." Golly, it is a "DUH…"
Funny how, when the shoe is on the other foot, the Senate Republicanus/Teabaggerum blame Democrats for holding up the funding. If the Greedy Old Pharts would present a clean bill, there would not be any issues. But they insist in lumping in non related items. That's where the blame lies.
Looks like the Senate Democrats have learned a few things from the Republicanus/Teabaggerum and that pisses McTurtle off.
True – but how else are we going to harvest unbelievable rich irony like this from Boehner:
Such total GOP incompetence WRT "governing" (something Rethuglicans thought they'd show the country how THEY could do it post-election) prompted "The Wall Street Journal" to opine:
I'm old enough to remember when, after Walter Cronkite turned against the Vietnam War, LBJ said: "When you've lost Walter Cronkite, you're lost the war."
Note to Rethuglicans: When you've lost "The Wall Street Journal" you've lost the battle!
PS: Vote on a CLEAN BILL!
Brilliant comparison SoINeedAName! 🙂 It's about time the Wall $treet Journal speaks at least SOME truth..
(AP) — "House Speaker John Boehner challenged Senate Democrats Wednesday to "get off their ass" and pass a bill to fund the Homeland Security Department and restrict President Barack Obama's executive moves on immigration." He was told by Harry Reid's aide to pass a clean bill and it would sail through. Agent Orange and McTurtle are ready to blame Congressional Democrats if Homelan Security is defunded. They don't like the shoe being on the other foot.
Senate Democrats seem to be "standing their ground" for the time being.
President Obama has his Veto pen ready just in case.
Go ahead. Make his day!
It seems quite evident that we're all on the same page here.
Frankly, I don't see the need for another Spy Agency like Homeland Security at ALL. The FBI is supposed to keep Americans safe in America, the CIA is supposed to keep Americans safe in foreign countries – both abuse their powers, both with-hold information from each other, both are becoming (or have become) useless in this time of mass surveilance & computer technology. So why invent ANOTHER layer of idiocracy to ruin people's lives to meet an arbitrary quota (surely they ALL have quotas to Prove their Importance?;) Seriously, I watch CSI, NCIS, etc., etc…WHY are we paying over & over & over for "protection" that seems more & more to be used Against Us???????
I agree, Don't Shoot…
The 'lying hypocritical sexist egotistical bigots' are at it again I see! Thanks TC.
These two banana farts make me so angry I could spit…. so let the funding for Homeland Security run out. Let the ax fall on the proper necks.
I stand by for the coming years… Yawn → 😆