“I know some will call this amnesty, but don’t worry, there is plenty of turkey to go around."Barack Obama, on his executive action pardoning two turkeys.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Quote of the Week
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Why Will This Never Happen?
Because it would be too freaking awesome:
But the best part would be that Obama could give the speech elsewhere (e.g., the White House lawn, the steps of the Lincoln Memorial). I'm not aware of anything in Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution that requires the speech to be delivered on Capitol Hill. And he could attack the GOP viciously because he won't feel the need to restrain himself like he would if the speech was delivered in front of Congress.
That's why Boehner and McConnell would never go along with banning Obama from the Capitol Building for the State of the Union. But who knows -- maybe cooler heads will not prevail on this one. I remain hopeful.
UPDATE: More on this from Steve Benen.
Congressional Republicans have found themselves completely stymied by President Obama’s executive action on immigration. There’s no bill for them to vote down, they lack the votes for impeachment, and shutting down the government never works.I would love this. Can you imagine the blow back the GOP-led Congress would experience if it banned America's first Black president from giving the State of the Union Address in the Capitol Building?
National Review editor Rich Lowry has suggested an innovative new way for Republicans to express their displeasure: ban President Obama from delivering the State of the Union Address: “If I were John Boehner,” he said, referring to the House speaker, “I’d say to the president: ‘Send us your State of the Union in writing. You’re not welcome in our chamber.’”
But the best part would be that Obama could give the speech elsewhere (e.g., the White House lawn, the steps of the Lincoln Memorial). I'm not aware of anything in Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution that requires the speech to be delivered on Capitol Hill. And he could attack the GOP viciously because he won't feel the need to restrain himself like he would if the speech was delivered in front of Congress.
That's why Boehner and McConnell would never go along with banning Obama from the Capitol Building for the State of the Union. But who knows -- maybe cooler heads will not prevail on this one. I remain hopeful.
UPDATE: More on this from Steve Benen.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Lindsey Graham Struggles To Keep Fading Benghazi "Scandal" on Life Support
Last week was a tough one for Republicans -- and for folks like me who really love Benghazi!!, the greatest fake scandal in history.
The "scandal" suffered a huge setback when the House Intelligence Committee -- which is of course controlled by Republicans -- wrapped up its two-year investigation by concluding what everyone already knew, namely, that the CIA and the military acted properly in responding to the 2012 Benghazi attack and that there was no wrongdoing by the Obama administration.
But thanks to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), it appears that Benghazi!! will not go quietly into that good night:
And that's why it's my favorite fake scandal of all time. Long live Benghazi!!
The "scandal" suffered a huge setback when the House Intelligence Committee -- which is of course controlled by Republicans -- wrapped up its two-year investigation by concluding what everyone already knew, namely, that the CIA and the military acted properly in responding to the 2012 Benghazi attack and that there was no wrongdoing by the Obama administration.
But thanks to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), it appears that Benghazi!! will not go quietly into that good night:
"I think the report is full of crap," Graham said on CNN's "State of the Union." The senator insisted that members of the administration altered the Benghazi talking points after the attack.You go girl! What I love the best about this is that even if the delusional Lindsey Graham is right and the talking points were changed, then the "scandal" some Republicans believe is the biggest since Watergate is all about . . . changing the fucking talking points. That's it.
"I'm saying that anybody who has followed Benghazi at all knows that the CIA deputy director did not come forward to tell Congress what role he played in changing the talking points," he said. "And the only way we knew he was involved is when he told a representative at the White House, I'm going to do a hard review of this, a hard rewrite."
CNN host Gloria Borger then told Graham that the House report concludes that the administration received bad information at first and did not lie. "That's a bunch of garbage," Graham shot back. "That's a complete bunch of garbage."
And that's why it's my favorite fake scandal of all time. Long live Benghazi!!
Saturday, November 15, 2014
The GOP Is Completely Hosed On Immigration
Obama is standing his ground on his threat to take executive action on immigration, and Republicans are beside themselves in rage. Needless to say, I can't get enough.
Mitch McConnell recently stated that such a unilateral act by Obama would be akin to "waiving a red flag in front of a bull" and it would "poison the well' with regard to any chance of bipartisanship in the future. And radicalized right wingers like Charles Krauthammer described such potential action by the President as "an impeachable offense." But Obama is going to do it anyway.
The most hilarious part is that Republicans apparently think that Obama has a choice. He clearly does not. If Obama fails to act on immigration before the end of the year, then the Democrats will take a huge political hit insofar as Hispanic support is concerned. Latinos are mad enough that Obama put the promised reforms on hold until after the election.
But if Obama acts -- which he must do -- then really good things happen for the Democrats:
Just think about how that would look. Here is a guy trying to do something while the least productive Congress in modern history refuses to do anything, and the lazy GOP-led House of Representatives responds . . . by impeaching the one guy actually trying to solve the problem. Mitch McConnell knows how awful the optics would be for the GOP on something like that, so much so that he's even ruled out merely shutting down the government if Obama acts unilaterally on immigration reform.
And what about McConnell's statement that Obama will "poison the well" with regard to future cooperation from the GOP? Well, that's all horseshit, of course. The GOP got crushed in the 2008 and 2012 elections, and how did they respond? They veered even more to the right and cooperated with Obama and the Democrats even less.
So anyone out there who actually believes Republicans will finally start negotiating in good faith -- now that they've won a big mid-term victory over the hated President Blackenstein -- just hasn't been paying attention.
Mitch McConnell recently stated that such a unilateral act by Obama would be akin to "waiving a red flag in front of a bull" and it would "poison the well' with regard to any chance of bipartisanship in the future. And radicalized right wingers like Charles Krauthammer described such potential action by the President as "an impeachable offense." But Obama is going to do it anyway.
The most hilarious part is that Republicans apparently think that Obama has a choice. He clearly does not. If Obama fails to act on immigration before the end of the year, then the Democrats will take a huge political hit insofar as Hispanic support is concerned. Latinos are mad enough that Obama put the promised reforms on hold until after the election.
But if Obama acts -- which he must do -- then really good things happen for the Democrats:
Not only does the President, and the party, get credit with Latinos for attempting to move forward on immigration reform, but at the same time he puts Republicans in an impossible position. The GOP base is apoplectic about the potential of any reform. Yet, saner party leaders know that Republicans are in danger of losing Latinos forever (other than Cubans, Latinos tend to vote Democratic). So the President effectively puts Republicans in a box — dog-fight style — two years before a presidential.What about the impeachment threat, you say? Well, that's the best part. Obama wants to be impeached.
Just think about how that would look. Here is a guy trying to do something while the least productive Congress in modern history refuses to do anything, and the lazy GOP-led House of Representatives responds . . . by impeaching the one guy actually trying to solve the problem. Mitch McConnell knows how awful the optics would be for the GOP on something like that, so much so that he's even ruled out merely shutting down the government if Obama acts unilaterally on immigration reform.
And what about McConnell's statement that Obama will "poison the well" with regard to future cooperation from the GOP? Well, that's all horseshit, of course. The GOP got crushed in the 2008 and 2012 elections, and how did they respond? They veered even more to the right and cooperated with Obama and the Democrats even less.
So anyone out there who actually believes Republicans will finally start negotiating in good faith -- now that they've won a big mid-term victory over the hated President Blackenstein -- just hasn't been paying attention.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Quote of the Week
"[T]he worst foreign-policy decision in U.S. history. . . ."-- George Will. describing the decision to invade Iraq in 2003 (from his recent National Review piece).
It's good to see a prominent Republican thinker finally coming to grips with that colossal clusterfuck.
Friday, November 07, 2014
Wednesday, November 05, 2014
Be Careful What You Wish For . . .
The conservative National Review published an editorial today wherein it stated that Republicans should not even try to govern -- even though they now control the entire legislative branch -- because that would "maximize the incentive for the Democrats to filibuster everything they can — and for President Obama to veto the remainder" The Editorial concludes this idea by stating: "Then the Democrats will explain that the Republicans are too extreme to get anything done."
In other words, according to the conservatives at the National Review, the GOP shouldn't give the Democrats a chance to do what the Republicans have been doing to Obama and the Democrats since the first days of Obama's presidency. I think a strong undercurrent in the editorial is that obstructionism worked for the GOP in the last election cycle so Republicans should continue obstructing for as long as they can, despite the fact that they are now looked upon to actually do some governing themselves.
Of course, if the GOP refuses to govern and continues to be the party of "no," that's going to hurt the 2016 GOP presidential candidates who have run on the notion that Republicans can in fact govern. I think the bottom line is that the GOP will be forced to at least pretend to govern now, and the only things they are going to be able to get through Congress are bills that the Baggers can get behind (e.g., the repeal of Obamacare) and that Obama will therefore certainly veto.
What's that old saying again? I think it goes: "Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it." Well Republicans, you got what you wished for -- you now control both the Senate and the House.
Good luck with that. And have fun trying to pass a bill that the President will sign, because I think you will have lots of folks in the Bagger Caucus who will have a very hard time handing President Blackenstein a legislative victory, even a minor one.
In other words, according to the conservatives at the National Review, the GOP shouldn't give the Democrats a chance to do what the Republicans have been doing to Obama and the Democrats since the first days of Obama's presidency. I think a strong undercurrent in the editorial is that obstructionism worked for the GOP in the last election cycle so Republicans should continue obstructing for as long as they can, despite the fact that they are now looked upon to actually do some governing themselves.
Of course, if the GOP refuses to govern and continues to be the party of "no," that's going to hurt the 2016 GOP presidential candidates who have run on the notion that Republicans can in fact govern. I think the bottom line is that the GOP will be forced to at least pretend to govern now, and the only things they are going to be able to get through Congress are bills that the Baggers can get behind (e.g., the repeal of Obamacare) and that Obama will therefore certainly veto.
What's that old saying again? I think it goes: "Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it." Well Republicans, you got what you wished for -- you now control both the Senate and the House.
Good luck with that. And have fun trying to pass a bill that the President will sign, because I think you will have lots of folks in the Bagger Caucus who will have a very hard time handing President Blackenstein a legislative victory, even a minor one.
Tuesday, November 04, 2014
Quote of the Week
"Take a look at this: gas under $3 a gallon -- under $3 a gallon. Unemployment under 6%, whoever thought? Stock market breaking records every day. No wonder [Obama] is so unpopular."- David Letterman.
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