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Friday, November 21, 2014

Bring It On

 

“With this action, the president has chosen to deliberately sabotage any chance of enacting bipartisan reforms that he claims to seek. And as I told him yesterday, he’s damaging the presidency itself.”
- Speaker John A. Boehner

John Boehner says Barack Obama is damaging the presidency itself.

John Boehner.

The same John Boehner who has done more to divide and damage the institution of the United States government than any Speaker since the Civil War, that John Boehner, says Obama is trashing the presidency and stinking up the White House.

I’ll remind you that this is the same John Boehner, acting for his party, who has repeatedly embraced a strategy of gridlock and obstruction in order to counter the president at every turn. Every turn. Every single one. For two years John Boehner’s party, the party of hysteria and paranoia and insane conspiracy theories run wild, has done nothing, absolutely goddamned nothing, but hurl the most vile of insults and accusations at the president and has deliberately, proudly, refused to work with Obama in any fashion whatsoever.

Over the last five years, congressional Republicans led by John Boehner and his ilk have treated Vladimir Putin with more respect than the President of the United States.

And this guy says Obama is damaging the presidency?

Oh, the irony.

As expected, Thursday night President Obama announced that he will take unilateral action via executive order to reform the nation’s immigration system.

And as expected, this morning Republicans are going apeshit.

Because going apeshit is the only thing Republicans can agree on.

Already this morning while John Boehner cries his orange tears of woe, Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-CA and winner of the ironic name award when it comes to fear of immigrants) railed against Obama’s “brazen power grab.”  No word on whether or not executive action was a “brazen power grab” when Reagan or Bush did the same exact thing, or if it’s only absolutism when the black guy does it.

Representative Mike McCaul (R-TX) howled that the president’s actions are “a threat to our democracy!”  He then declared that he would “use every tool at my disposal to stop the president’s unconstitutional actions from being implemented!”  Again, McCaul raises the same question, why are executive actions constitutional under a Republican president but not under a Democrat? I’m all ears.

Of course, I’m not the first to bring up the comparison. And the problem with it is that logic and reason are utterly wasted on irrational and unreasonable people. You know, modern Republicans.  Pointing out Obama’s executive action on immigration falls far, far short of executive actions on immigration taken by Ronald Reagan does Democrats no good.

And right from the start, that’s been Obama’s greatest weakness. He’s a professor. An intellectual. He keeps making the mistake of thinking he can reach Republicans with logic and calm reason. He can’t. You can’t reason with unreasonable people. You can not reason with Birthers and Truthers and FEMA Camps and Death Panels and people who believe that hurricanes are caused by magic fairies in the sky who hate gay people. You can not reason with people who think the earth is 6000 years old and their personal prophet rode around the Middle East on the back of a vegetarian velociraptor. You’re trying to reason with people who are just plain fucking nuts.

Fox News Bill O’Reilly accused the president of “declaring war on Republicans.” Good! It’s about goddamned time somebody declared war on these silly sons of bitches.

It’s long past time for Obama to doff the professor’s robes and take direct action.

Somebody has to get congress moving again and it sure isn’t going to be John Boehner or Mitch McConnell.

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) said, “The president is the one who is acting provocatively, not the Congress. The last thing this Congress wants to do is have this kind of fight, but at some point the institution has to defend itself.” Defend itself? Defend itself from what? For what? More inaction? More gridlock? More obstructionism? What exactly are we supposed to be saving here? Seriously?

Representative Pat Tiberi (R-OH) blamed the White House for “playing politics.”  Yes, that’s correct, a Republican member of the House of Obstructionism, accused Obama of playing politics.  Yes, you may indeed go ahead and make the facepalm. In fact, double up on it, because you’re going to need it. Tiberi went on to complain, “What did the president do? He pulled the pin on the grenade two weeks after the election, as our leadership was trying to extend the olive branch of working together.”

Oh, is that what Republicans were doing? Extending the olive branch of cooperation?

Really?

I must have missed that, what with all the threats of impeachment and government shutdowns and violent overthrow of the US Presidency by force of arms.

Representative Mo Brooks (R-AL) declared everything from impeachment to putting President Obama in prison should be on the table. 

That’s right, Brooks thinks Congress should consider arresting the president and putting him in prison.

There it is. There’s that olive branch of cooperation. You’ll have to forgive me, I must have confused that stick with the kind of willow switch old white guys like Mo Brooks from Alabama used to whip their slaves with.

Representative Steve King (R-IA), the House’s most outspoken opponent of immigration reform and one of the GOP’s most vehement obstructionists, said that congress would censure the president or shut down the government rather than allow any immigration bill to proceed. That’s King’s solution to everything. Shut down. Obstruction.

Representative Michele Bachmann, who is today blundering randomly along the Texas border with Steve King in tow, offered up more of her bigotry and softheaded paranoia, “The social cost will be profound on the U.S. taxpayer. Millions of unskilled, illiterate, foreign nationals coming into the United States who can’t speak the English language. Even though the president says they won’t be able to vote, we all know that many, in all likelihood, will vote.”

Bachmann, who is never, ever, able to produce any shred of proof in support of her raving nonsense, went on to say illegal aliens vote “all the time.“ She has absolutely no proof whatsoever, she can’t substantiate her accusation in any fashion, but she says it’s something “we all know” about, because that’s how we do it in America, right?  When asked why she thinks undocumented immigrants are “illiterate,” Bachmann said that’s what she was told by, you know, random people at the U.S./Mexico border. “That’s what they told me. Those are not Michele Bachmann’s words, those words came from Hispanics who live on the border.” Ah, proof, you see, just like Bachmann was told by some random nut in Texas that the HPV vaccine makes girls retarded. And into filthy whores. Or something. Whatever, it’s all part of some vast conspiracy by Obama to something something illegal voters something liberals something Ebola! Oh hey, it’s not me, I’m just repeating what some random Texan said, because as a lawmaker, that’s what we should base policy on. Way to take responsibility for your bullshit, Bachmann.

Republicans have had years to do something about immigration. But they didn’t.

Congress could have put forward an immigration reform bill, they didn’t. They tried, sure, if that’s what you want to call it, but Republicans led by Ted Cruz killed the bill. And John Boehner let them. Say what you want about Nancy Pelosi, love her or hate her, when she was Speaker of the House she got shit done. John Boehner? The only thing he’s accomplished is … nothing. On purpose. He can’t even get his own quorum to agree on things they all agree on.

And he calls Obama a poor leader. Give me a break.

Congress could have acted on immigration at any time, in blunt point fact they could do it right now

But they won’t.

And now they’re mad that Obama called their bluff.

No matter how you slice it, the President’s actions are a direct result of Congress’ petulant refusal to do their job.

Reform by executive action is a direct result – a direct result – of republican obstructionism. Period. They tried to force the president into a corner, and he won’t go. And it’s really just that simple. And the really, really embarrassing part for conservatives is that part where they rail against “amnesty,” but it turns out that Obama didn’t actually offer any such thing … Ronald Reagan did.

Republicans are over a barrel with their bare asses pointed at the sky and they’ve got nobody to blame but themselves.

They can pursue impeachment and they’re welcome to try. Hell, last night Obama all but dared them to do it. Bring it on. Bring it on, go ahead, impeach me. Stop talking about it and do it. See where it gets you. File that one right next to John Boehner’s magic expanding lawsuit that never seems to get actually filed.  Boehner can tack on Obama’s executive action on Immigration, sure, why not.  The only problem with that is the court generally sides with the president. Executive Orders have been occasionally overturned by legal action in the past, mostly during the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration, but that’s typically not how it works out. And Boehner knows it.  The president is fully empowered to take executive action, it says so right there in the Constitution.

Of course, the Constitution also says that Congress could pass a bill making Obama’s Executive Order illegal, they’d just have to get him to sign it into law or come up with a super-majority to override his veto. Let’s call that one Plan B, shall we, Republicans?

They can shut down the government. Sure. Obama all but dared them to do it again. Go ahead, shut it down, Republicans, see where it gets you. Because it worked out so well for you the last time, right? Sure, you go right ahead and screw the entire country, fuck us all right in the ass, again, Republicans. Do it. See you in 2016 and say hi to President Hillary for me, will you?

Of course, the GOP’s leadership knows they’re looking at a no win scenario. They want to stick it to Obama so, so bad. Their dimwitted base is howling for blood and instant gratification and they don’t care about long term consequences, they just want the boy in the White House whipped for his audacity and for thinking he’s as good as they are. But saner heads in the GOP, if that term even applies here, know what will happen if they attempt either impeachment or a shutdown.

Don’t believe me? Go ask Newt Gingrich. Go on, ask him.

John Boehner doesn’t have to ask, he was Gingrich’s towel boy, he knows exactly what will happen.

So, speaking of KY Jelly, Representative Hal Rogers (R-KY), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, suggested that instead of shutting down the government, the House should pass a broad spending bill to fund the government by its Dec. 11 deadline – then rescind just the funds for the president's proposed executive actions. Because, that’ll show him, right?

Just one problem, Citizenship and Immigration Services, you know, the executive agency that will carry out the president’s orders? Yeah, they’re not funded through the appropriations process.  Instead they operate on the revenue gained through fees attached to immigration applications.

Republicans could always hold up Obama’s nominations as a form of leverage.  Only two problems there, they’re already holding up Obama’s nominations and have been for more than five years. Frankly that threat has pretty much lost most of its oomph.  And two, well, heh heh, if Republicans refuse to confirm, oh say, Loretta Lynch for Attorney General, well, then they get to keep living with Eric Holder. I’m good either way, just for the sour expression on Mitch McConnell’s face.

“Pass a bill,” President Obama bluntly told Republicans last night.

Pass a bill.

It’s really just that simple. Pass a bill. Do your job.

Congress has nobody to blame but themselves. They tried to play chicken with a president who has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

They can end their pain at any time, all they have to do is their job.

 

Q: What's the difference between the House GOP and the unemployed? A: The unemployed want to work.
- John Fugelsang, via Twitter

82 comments:

  1. Great, great stuff, as usual. One small correction, it seems that as of this morning, Boner actually filed his Obamacare suit against the President (and us), four months after the fact.

    but yeah, other than that, spot on, sir.

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    1. On the Friday before Thanksgiving break, which Congress decided to take early, I note...

      Ally "not really Anonymous" House

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  2. Awesome essay, as always. Just the sight of Boehner's face makes my blood pressure go up. The hypocrisy is mind-boggling.

    "I’ll remind you that this is the same John Boehner, acting for his party, who has repeated embraced a strategy of gridlock," should be "repeatedly."

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    1. and his face showed up in every newsite I went to...

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  3. who has repeated embraced - s/b repeatedly
    If you are going to capitalize Republican, shouldn't you also capitalize democrat?
    Defend itself for what? for s/b from
    the sour expression Mitch McConnell’s face. - seems to be missing a 'on'
    I did wait until your FB post to read...

    My feed was full of complaints last night about the lack of being able to watch the president's speech on ANY major network. Welcome to the plutocratic states of america.

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  4. Awesome. You somehow tapped into all my inarticulate rage about Republican asshattery and there it is, in blog form. Well done, sir!

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  5. The biggest problem is that after this election, even though the GOP had an easy time picking up seats due to the mix of Senate seats up, they now see shutdown as a no-consequence act. After all, they won, right? They think they have a mandate. Make no mistake, a big part of this was Democrats shooting themselves in the apathetic foot (I did my part, my Rep was reelected and Corbett is out), but they think they hit a home run instead of scoring on an error.

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    1. Republicans CAN get away with doing nothing for two solid years because older voters have been destroyed and frustrated financially, economic obstructionism being the necessary partner to legislative obstructionism.

      More troubling, young people are being increasingly attracted to idiocy such as libertarianism, or anarchy, or whatever cobbled concoction of the two.

      I don't look for another huge turnout for Democrats, bit I do expect the fascists to turn out in force. Look how well it worked for them in 2010 and 2014.

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    2. Joseph Milan, Democratic turnout is low...especially low among democrats because the democrats won't stand up and talk like liberals for fear of loosing their wealthy donors. They young voters are connected enough to see what is going on. They see a Republican and a Republican-lite on the ballot...and walk away.

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  6. Congressional Republicans make my dick itch. My god are they stupid.

    Peace
    Chris in South Jersey

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    1. They make mine itch too and I'm a girl :/

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    2. I could scratch that itch, and I am in NYC. /snark

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  7. 4th (or) paragraph down, should be repeatedly, not repeated.

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  8. Orange tears of woe! Love it. Perfect as usual.

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  9. Ted Cruz, being a senator, didn't have a vote in the HOR consideration (non-consideration) of immigration. He may have influence among that ilk, but his vote was against the senate bill, which passed something like 68-30 with bipartisan (what a concept!) support.

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  10. "Congress could have acted on immigration at any time, in blunt point fact they could do it right now.
    But they won’t.
    And now they’re mad that Obama called their bluff."

    BRILLIANT observation - this NAILS IT!

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  11. It's good to know that, unlike The Annoying Orange (and his odd followers), someone actually does his homework.

    "...it’s only absolutism when the black guy does it." sums things up just about right.

    Only one very small quibble here. I do believe "I’m all ears." was Ross Perot's line.

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    1. Alan, "I'm all ears" , meaning "I'm listening", is a very old and common saying, long before Perot. It was nice to hear a vintage line from the past.

      Cindy

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    2. Oh, I know. Just having a bit of electoral history fun.

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  12. When are the Repuglicans going to figure out that they have to run again and Obama doesn't?

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  13. Well written, Jim. As always.

    I say that the President gave the Republicans exactly what they wanted, an excuse to yell and scream and do nothing. What he was really daring them to do was: nothing. Because as much as they scream that he has poisoned a well (that they salted long ago), they would be fools to pass no reasonable immigration bill. The very poor turnout this year helped some Republicans gain seats they never would have managed in a Presidential year. 2016 will be different. When Hispanics come out in full force, voting for a President and remembering the absolute nothing that Republicans have done for them, there will be change.

    President Obama is daring the GOP to do nothing. Because then they lose. Epically.

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  14. "They can end their pain at any time, all they have to do is their job."

    I get the distinct impression that the GOP would sooner engage in a murder-suicide pact than even consider doing their elected job/duty of marginally competent governance.

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    1. Absolutely true. The repubes are perennial back-benchers, constantly criticizing and whining, but never offering any reasonable alternative. They have an agenda, which is to do everything they can to destroy the black guy who had the effrontery to whip their lily-white candidates twice, but they're incapable of developing any kind of serious policy. It isn't that they don't want to govern, it's that they can't

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    2. The GOP has made a virtue of not governing - what with their idolized 'small government' , 'cut the red tape', 'too much regulation', 'get the government out of our way' campaign rhetoric.
      V. Shriver

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  15. Interesting how the CONservatives are fighting this Immigration Bill and yet in the past and today they support the WET FEET, DRY FEET policy established for Cuban refugees. which has been in effect for years.

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    1. Ah, but remember that to Republicans, Cubans (with the exception of some Marielitos) are righteous (and conservative) anti-Communist refugees, not subversives sneaking over the Mexican border. *sigh*

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  16. You did hit the nail on the head with all the "Mics" making a point against immigration. There are people in my family that have been here since the 1600's that aren't really down with the "Papists" and their funny "Mc" names and think that if they wanted to be assimilated and accepted they should have tried harder to get along and change their names and, well, assimilate. It's always going to be "our country" for certain WASP immigrants that came here very early and there are places and clubs and golf courses that "those people" will never gain access to, given their Irish immigrant status, yet they deign to try to keep "others" from becoming the same Americans that they were allowed to become?

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  17. Congress, more specifically the Republican portion of it, is like the dog in the manger. (1)They keep insisting that something needs to be done about immigration, but never do anything about it, and then get pissy that someone else starts to do something about it.

    1. cf. Greek fables and also: "Woe to the Pharisees, for they are like a dog sleeping in the manger of oxen, for neither does he eat nor does he let the oxen eat". Gospel of Thomas.

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  18. Jim, I know you don't mind the free grammar/spelling police. You've said before that you welcome their "help".....but I am not so generous.........RUDE!

    I read the words like a starving person eats a meal. I don't mind if the bread is a day old, or if the entree' didn't get heated all the way through in the middle. My God! it's the "content" that matters and the "content" is perfect. A perfectly balanced meal of the prime choice cuts of "reality roast" with ample sides of humor and irony and finished off with a delicious "double-dog-dare" of "Pass a goddamned bill".

    Love it!

    Way to knock it out of the park once again Jim. And I apologize to the grammar and spelling nazis too. I know you can't help it. (and I know that "nazis" wasn't capitalized)

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    1. I feel the same way! The grammar nazis annoy the shit outta me! Personally, the few errors show me that the piece was written the way I read it - in anger and fury and with intensity.
      I wish they would knock it off.

      April

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    2. A "grammar nazi" is someone who corrects in order to criticize, often (in my opinion) because it's the only factual dissent they can concoct. They're easily identified by their snotty syntax i.e. "Um, I assume you meant 'repel'?"

      Those who suggest corrections to Jim (as I've done) invariably do so in the most courteous terms possible, many with apologies or disclaimers to ensure our motives are clear. On several occasions he's voiced his gratitude.

      On a grander scale, it's an attempt to preserve standardized English which is currently facing its most serious threat in the form of uneducated texters ... bcuz itz gettin hardr n hardr 2 no wut ppl r sayin u no?

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    3. And if Jim wrote that way you'd have a point. (Of course, if he DID write that way, most of us wouldn't be here.) It's just so annoying to be reading comments that are usually very insightful about a post that is full of fire and fury and just plain awesome and then come across "you misspelled that word there". I mean, really, dude?? However politely you present the error, and however politely Jim accepts it, it's still a jarring intrusion.

      And I don't like it. Just my POV.

      April

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    4. Seriously? sew, ewe wood rather halve words that are wrong and can actually change the meaning of the sentence if red correctly...? Jim has specifically asked people to do that from the start... as a sort of "editorial committee"... these are words that are every bit as inspiring and patriotic as our founding documents and should be preserved. We ALL want to make sure that everything about these words is unambiguous and worthy,

      As for the "jarring" effect in the comments? First off, Jim does not write those. Second, if those are "jarring" imagine how you would feel if the "trolls" were not regulated as well as they are... Finally, the commenters are not writing so that you have a "smooth and relaxed" reading experience. They are expressing their thoughts and viewpoints and are just as likely to be contentious as agreeable... well sometimes. Either way buck up and get a thicker bit of skin (and maybe read the Rules of posting). Many of us are Veterans and that sort of thing barely affects us... but then again, we also do it with respect given to each other.

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    5. My skin is plenty thick, thank you. Obviously, I know Jim doesn't write the comments. And one of the great pleasures of this site, aside from Jim's great essays, is that trolls AREN'T allowed, and most of the commenters ARE insightful, and interesting and contribute positively to the original essay. I've learned a lot from the comments and commentators here. Which is why, when someone - HOWEVER POLITELY - writes (usually after making an intelligent and thoughtful point) "oh, and you misspelled that word." I think "you're kind of a prat, there, writer. With all of that great content, how did you even NOTICE that tiny error?"
      Secondly, reading Jim's essays is NEVER a "smooth and relaxed" experience, nor would I want it to be. I read his writings like the anonymous writer who started this thread; "I read the words like a starving person eats a meal. I don't mind if the bread is a day old, or if the entree' didn't get heated all the way through in the middle. My God! it's the "content" that matters and the "content" is perfect."
      And finally, do you really believe that if every "i" isn't dotted and every word isn't perfectly spelled the the essay isn't "worthy"?
      Oh, one more thing....it's an EXTREMELY RARE person who can write like Jim does. About anything. Now it may be that all you people who spot his tiny errors can actually write better than he, but I doubt it. This is probably the main reason I really dislike these corrections. It's similar to when one watches a lot of oh, say, gymnastics at the Olympics. After a while, these armchair commenters will start saying things like "Well, you know, she was a little off balance on that fourteen-point double triple back forward aerial high bar beam flip..." when none of those commentators could stand for 5 seconds on a 6 inch wide plank one foot off the floor. That Jim accepts these corrections graciously is a great testament to his character; that you people correct him is a testament to yours.

      April

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    6. April, all publishing houses and all great writers have editors. It does not diminish their writing as our little helps don't diminish Jim's. We all bow to his wordsmithery par excellence. Jim would put us properly in our place and we would willingly go there if it really bothered him.

      RAinNC

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    7. I know. I still think it's rude and intrusive.

      And, as I said, I kind of like the errors. They show the fury and passion with which he writes.

      April

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  19. Here is the problem with US politics. I was reading a US news site; can't remember which, but it seemed fairly even handed in the wake of the mid-terms. It stated that US politics was becoming "more polarised with left and right becoming more extreme."

    I laughed. From a British point of view you have a Right wing party, and an extreme right wing party.

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    1. It's nice to know someone else noticed this. To me the republicans are right wing extremists not conservatives.

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  20. Thanks again for another great posting. Man, these Republican nutheads make me want to spit fire...at them!
    M from MD

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  21. Boehner has consistently failed to deliver the House Republican votes after reaching an agreement with the President. Boehner couldn't deliver a pizza.

    Obama has finally realized that he has nothing to lose by utilizing executive action as Boehner cannot deliver on his agreements. He may realize that he legacy is at stake and now the public may see how obstructive the Republican Congress is.

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  22. "Or course, I’m not the first to bring up the comparison" -- Of course...

    Otherwise brilliant essay. I have been waiting all day for this.

    Dr. Phil

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  23. Jim, do you have any idea why Democrats are NOT bringing the AG appointment up for a vote while they are still in the majority?

    Do you think there may be a deal between Reid and McConnell?

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    1. I'd guess it's purely a matter of time and practicality. She has to be prepped and go through the hearings which usually take place about 2 months after the announcement. Any vote by the full Senate does not happen until after that time. And Holder has promised to stay until his successor is confirmed so President Obama is covered. The GOP hates Holder so much I can't see them failing to confirm her if they can get rid of him:-)

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  24. As I've said for a long while: the reason McConnell has that look on his face is because he's done a load in his pants. He just isn't sure if he's done.

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  25. Totally agree the GOP nut-jobs are wrong about Presidential over-reach. Reagan granted amnesty, but Obama explicitly does not. I read Jim's righteous rant after an article over on 538, which pointed out that, while President Obama's EO covers more people, Bush senior's EO on immigration covered a higher *percentage* of undocumented immigrants. The GOP's claims about wanting to make deals, presidential legal authority, amnesty, and "over-reach" all fail. I am always relieved to see my own thoughts, that these GOP babblings are all lies, expressed so much better than I can write. (I'd say "pleased" rather than "relieved", but I cannot feel pleased that a major political party governing my country is composed of semi-literate insane fools and inveterate liars.)

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  26. Speaking of insane fools, the House "Intelligence" committee finally, quietly released what I hope is their last investigation's report on the State and CIA's people's deaths in Benghazi, Libya. Short version: The Administration, State Dept. and CIA did nothing wrong. They did their best to get their people out. Some Administration statements were rushed, based on flawed intel, and so were wrong, but based on the best info available at the time (not lies). In short, the GOP wasted millions investigating that the Administration was doing their best and telling the truth (unlike the GOP). Will this get covered at all on Fox "News", or other corporate media? I laugh.

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  27. I'm looking at the next two years as the rope with which the GOPTP will finally, publicly and completely hang themselves.

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  28. I am glad I had put my soda down before I read "Speaking of KY Jelly".

    I do believe that you've nailed it. How, exactly, can you expect to reason with someone who falls into the nut job category above, who only responds with "but I don't believe it."

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  29. Excellent post, though I though the KY comment was a low blow, akin to teasing someone about their name. Give 'em hell for the facts, excellent. But a joke about Kentucky's state abbreviation is beneath the excellent writing in the rest of the article.

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    1. Oh, come on now, when has Jim ever claimed political correctness or commentary suitable for reading at the family dinner table?

      Now, if you are talking about low blows, the image of bare asses over a barrel made me want to wash my brain out with soapy water.

      I don't think even Rolling Stone would have printed that line. Your wife did not read this blog post, did she, Jim?

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    2. I don't know if she did or didn't, I don't need her permission to write what I write. If she has an objection, she'll tell me. I do know that my 18 year old son who's currently studying political science in college read it and wasn't bothered by the line.

      As to the KY comment. Kentucky is a geographic region, not a person, it has no feelings to be hurt. The KY comment is a play on words within the context of the preceding paragraphs used as a lead-in for the sentence in question. I use the images I use to paint pictures, to get your attention, to set the tone and the mood of the piece. Would you have used a different image? I don't know, write your own stuff if you don't like how I say things. If you want to bitch about something, then fucking bitch about my overused of goddamned profanity like everybody else.

      You're welcome to point out actual typos and grammatical errors, however, you don't get to tell me what to write or how to write it. If you don't like the turn of phrase I use, go somewhere else. The internet is a big place, if you look hard enough eventually you'll find a blog more respectful of Kentucky.

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    3. I actually read it as a metaphor for the screwing the GOP is doing to the country... it was fitting that the following statement was attributed to one of those people, trying to screw the country, who happened to be from Kentucky. If you do not like it, or happen to be from there, then change your politics...

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    4. I'm from Ky. and thought it was spot on.

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  30. Good. This:

    "Just one problem, Citizenship and Immigration Services, you know, the executive agency that will carry out the president’s orders? Yeah, they’re not funded through the appropriations process. Instead they operate on the revenue gained through fees attached to immigration applications. "

    means that every time I visit the US (mostly for Fortran Committee meetings in ... Las Vegas), I pay for these Executive Actions.

    Good, very good :-)

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  31. John Boehner and his flying monkeys have done nothing but object, filibuster, detract, deny, delay, decry, and denounce the President. What number is the vote to repeal the ACA? It stretches to infinity. And, of course there is the occasional house investigation into Benghazi (!!!), along with threats of impeachment, which no big-deal law firm in Washington will touch.

    It's about time someone threw some water on the whole bunch of them. Unfortunately, there's no hope that they, their political intractability, or their impervious-to-reason brains, and cold, stone-like hearts, will melt. House Republicans have had six years (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and a closing 2014) to pass legislation or do anything productive. They really are forcing the whole country to hold its collective breath and turn blue.

    President Obama is exercising powers given to him as chief executive by the Constitution of the United State.

    Oh wouldn't it be lovely if John Boehner and company applied their Constitutional powers, you know, wrote laws and passed legislation, sent it to the Senate, and then to the President for his signature? But, I doubt they will stir anything but their mouths on Fox News until spring.

    What a sad state of affairs for the country, and the world.

    As an aside:

    You think President Obama has it bad from the conservative right wing? Thank Smedley Butler that FDR was not made a ceremonial President.

    Holland: What was the Bankers Putsch?

    Denton: The Bankers Putsch was an ill-fated plot, sometimes called the Business Plot or the Wall Street Putsch. There was a famous, heroic marine general named Smedley Butler, who was kind of the soldier’s soldier, the veteran’s veteran. He had great influence with the veterans, and this was at a moment when there were a half million veterans who were trying to get their bonuses from World War I. The bonuses weren’t supposed to be released until 1945, but because so many of the veterans were starving, there was a great movement afoot in 1932 to get those bonuses released early.

    And Smedley Butler claimed that he was approached by a couple of veterans who had connections to Wall Street financiers who were planning a nonviolent coup, a takeover of the Roosevelt Administration. They claimed to have $3 million that they were willing to spend toward this end, and they said that they had some armaments ready. And their theory was that Roosevelt was in over his head — again, we see a lot of the same rhetoric that we hear with Obama. And they thought FDR would welcome somebody coming in and taking charge because he didn’t know what to do. That was the theory, that they would go in and, because these men who were supplying the money were of Roosevelt’s class, Roosevelt would agree to their demands and become kind of a ceremonial figurehead. He would let these stronger, more military types control the White House.

    Butler blew the whistle on it, so it never got very far at all. There were congressional investigations and there was an FBI investigation, and the media reported various aspects of it. But both the plot and the investigation were stopped before they got very far. So it’s unclear how much of it was a form of insanity on the part of the plotters and how much they really had any legitimate financial and military support. But it’s a fascinating story of that year.

    http://bit.ly/1gGTtQv

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  32. Nice reference to Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Anyone else get it?

    And, as usual a great essay. The gauntlet has be thrown, finally. Our President is not going down without a fight and I admire him for it.

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  33. And now they’re mad that Obama called their bluff.

    Oh, they're mad about a whole lot more than that. Kevin Drum yesterday:

    "In addition, it's quite possibly wrecked the Republican agenda for the next year, which is obviously just fine with Obama. And it's likely to turn next year's primary season into an anti-Hispanic free-for-all that does permanent damage to the GOP brand."

    He links and quotes an L.A. Times piece that says some of the same things, including:

    "To many, stark warnings from Boehner and McConnell sound more like pleas to the president to avoid reenergizing the GOP's conservative wing, whose leaders are already threatening to link the president's immigration plan to upcoming budget talks."

    [Whips out World's Smallest Violin, plays lacrimoso]
    Le Bland Orange, and Turtle Boy, I weep for you. And as Ash the Decapitated Android once said, "I can't lie to you about your chances, but...........you have my sympathy"

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  34. Nailed it, Jim. It's funny 'cause its true!

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  35. Just playing with words:

    Maybe it's a color of law thing with the Republicans? They don't like President Obama because of 1/2 of his color, so they won't pass any laws?

    I am so glad that the President has finally decided to exercise his lawful and constitutional powers.

    See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_%28law%29

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  36. "There it is ... " Surely I've located all my relatives from whom I was separated at birth, I thought.

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  37. Goddamnit Jim, aren't there any teatard asshats replys you can post for our entertainment? Stan Binns posting as Gunner.

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  38. I think it's time to add a laugh track whenever the media quotes a Republican on camera. They cannot possibly be serious with all the stupid, inane crap that comes out of their mouths.

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  39. Well said sir, I've been ruminating on this but you beat me to the punch. You stole my blog but at least you wrote the shit out of it :).

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  40. I think it is rich that the (R)'s huffed and puffed about the action, then quickly left town early for Thanksgiving. Couldn't stick around to do anything, 'cause they are stuck in the mode of doing nothing. I think that is what they'll do - lots of nothing, with plenty of face time on Sunday TV complaining about the President.

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  41. Awesome as usual You write what i think and feel and it's to the point Thanks

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  42. Great piece! I totally agree. Today's GOP is a white collar lynch mob.

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  43. Thank You..... one more time.
    Outstanding!

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  44. "If in doubt run in circles scream and shout." This is all the current crop of republican bozos can do together. No other plan and absolutely nothing for the future. Thanks Jim for voicing my thoughts for me again.

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    1. "If in doubt, run in circles and scream and shout."

      I've never heard it put so succinctly. Thank you.

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  45. I still can't decide if the Republicans are so blinded by seething hatred of the uppity black man in the White House that they truly believe they're telling the truth OR if they're blatantly lying out of both side of their mouths because they have no conscience.

    I also haven't decided which is worse.

    Thanks, Jim. Insightful and passionate writing, as usual.

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  46. The GOP is the party of open sedition. Thanks again for the unkind (and well-directed) words, Jim.

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  47. Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family and readers, Mr. Wright!

    Today I am thankful for your blog and all the commenters, who remind me that not everyone in this country has lost their fucking minds and that while I may be a small blue dot in a sea of red, I am not alone. I am thankful for our President, who gave millions of our legal residents extra reason to be thankful that their family will not be torn apart by a broken immigration system. I am thankful for the *peaceful* protesters all across the country who have taken to the streets to demand justice for Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, Renisha MeBride, and all the others who are needlessly gunned down by a society consumed by fear and a police culture of us vs. them in "the war on crime". And I am thankful for this country, with all it's warts and struggles. For at it's core, we are founded on the most liberating, ennobling, and sometimes terrifying principle of all-- that we are all created equal. And that is reason enough to be thankful.

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  48. I will always remember the little girl in my class, 6 years old, who came to me crying one day because her father had been "taken to jail" ---- he was taken in the middle of the night to a detention center to be deported. Her mother had died the year before. The children were taken in by an aunt. By the end of the year, she had still never seen her father again. I don't know what happened to her and her little brother.

    Thank goodness the president is standing up to the people who always seem to put power and politics before actual human people. And thank you, Jim, for writing so forcefully about what is going on.

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  49. Boehner just proves the axiom, whatever conservatives accuse you of, they are actually guilty of it themselves.

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  50. "All you need are looks and a whole lot of money!"

    Seriously, look how far she's gotten on looks, meanness, and money.

    This really ought to concern us more.

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