Money Matters
Posted by Michelle Moquin on July 28th, 2014
Good morning!
These are the details to what I blogged last Friday.
From PoliticusUSA:
House Republicans Behave Like Criminals While Advancing Obama Lawsuit
Republicans on the House Rules Committee behaved like common criminals as they advanced the lawsuit against President Obama while voting down every amendment related to disclosing the cost of the lawsuit.
By a party line vote of 7-4, the House Rules Committee voted to move forward with John Boehner’s lawsuit against President Obama, but the committee voted down 11 Democratic amendments that would have required them to be transparent about the lawsuit.
Here is a list of all of the Democratic amendments that were voted down by the Republicans on the Rules Committee:
1. Every week, require the House’s General Counsel to disclose how much has been spent on the lawsuit.
2a. Prohibit the hiring of any law firms or consultants who lobby Congress, because if they lobby Congress for a living, Congress should not also be paying them.
2b. Prohibit the hiring of any law firm or consultants who lobby on Affordable Care Act implementation or who have any financial stake in implementation of the Affordable Care Act, because it would be a conflict of interest.
3. Require disclosure of all contracts with lawyers and consultants 10 days before they are approved.
4. Require disclosure of where the taxpayer money paying for the lawsuit is coming from, and which programs and offices’ budgets are being reduced to pay for it.
5. Require that the House’s lawyers explain to Members of the House the likelihood of success in this lawsuit, and how they think they will overcome the legal obstacles presented by Supreme Court precedent that says these sorts of cases can’t even be considered.
6. Ensure that this lawsuit does not seek to prevent implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s provisions relating to: (1) young adult coverage; (2) benefits for women; (3) protections for pre-existing conditions; (4) small business tax credits; or (5) prescription discounts for seniors that close the “donut hole” in Medicare.
7. Ensure that this lawsuit does not target people in the military, veterans, or civil servants, any one of whom would experience significant burdens and likely rack up large legal bills defending themselves in court.
9. Require the Speaker to pay for this lawsuit using money from the budget of the Benghazi Select Committee.
11. Require the House to bring up, debate, and vote on bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform
12. Delete the language allowing the suit to be about “any other provision of law” related to the Affordable Care Act, which was added at the last minute and makes the lawsuit authority much broader.
Ranking Member of the Rules Committee, Rep. Louise Slaughter said, “We’re trying to stop this political stunt. There is nothing to be gained here. Money will be spent. All we are trying to do – we know that you have the votes to pass this, and you’re going to go on with the dance – but what we’re trying to do is at least amend it so that we can give some modicum of belief to the people of the United States that we’re trying to protect their interests, that we are not up here playing a game.
House Democratic Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi said in a statement, “It is clear that Republicans will do anything to distract attention from their special-interest agenda of obstruction and dysfunction. While Democrats work to jumpstart the middle class, Republicans are wasting time and taxpayer dollars on another hypocritical, partisan and preposterous lawsuit against the President. This lawsuit is only the latest proof of House Republicans’ contempt and disregard for the priorities of the American people – an effort to pander to the most extreme, rightwing voters at taxpayer expense, the same as when they spent $2.3 million defending the unconstitutional and discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act in the courts.”
DCCC Chairman Rep. Steve Israel said, “Today couldn’t provide a more vivid contrast of priorities. While House Republicans are focused on suing the President in a partisan stunt to strengthen their base, House Democrats are fighting for solutions to strengthen the middle class. Instead of focusing on taxpayer-funded witch-hunts and lawsuits we should be passing the Middle Class Jumpstart agenda.”
The question is why are Republicans not being honest with taxpayers? Why are they hiding the cost of this lawsuit from the people who will be paying for it? House Republicans are acting like common criminals on the transparency issue as it relates to this lawsuit, because they are afraid of the political backlash that will come after taxpayers find out that millions of dollars are being wasted on this lawsuit.
This is the House Republican way. They voted to move forward with a lawsuit against President Obama while rejecting any attempt to keep taxpayers informed about the cost. The Boehner lawsuit is already turning into an anchor around the necks of House Republicans. What began as a cheap gimmick to get out the Republican vote has turned into a Democratic agenda setting multi-million dollar boondoggle for taxpayers.
House Republicans continue to set themselves up for major problems down the road. This lawsuit isn’t going to be forgotten by Democrats, and Republicans can expect the questions about how much all of this is costing to dog them through the fall. The best way to stop the pseudo criminal behavior of House Republicans is to vote them out this November.
Readers: Typical repubs. Let’s spend the taxpayers money (millions!) suing Obama, but let’s not be transparent about the costs of this lawsuit to the people who are going to be paying for it: We, the tax payers.
If this doesn’t inspire you to vote out the repubs this November, what will?
Blog me.
Tom: Racist remark. You wouldn’t be asking about the fondness I have for the president if he was a white man.
Prism Princess: My pleasure. :) I HOPE you enjoyed the weekend too.
Lucy: I couldn’t resist commenting since I enjoyed your story, and you and my beloved dog share the same name. :)
Howie: I agree with you but it’s got to start somewhere.
Peace out.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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July 28th, 2014 at 9:55 am
Michelle: The GOP are behaving like criminals because that’s exactly what they are. Now they are suing our president for failing to accomplish all that they have blocked him from doing. Between Congress and S.T.A.R.K. running interference on President Obama’s goals, it would be impossible for any Democratic president to do as well as our President is doing.
Allowing all those corporations to operate here and skate away to Europe, without paying any friggin’ tax, well I am still steaming over that one, now they are suing the president. WTF will they do next.
I find it hard to believe that racism and sexism in America is so strong as to result in this. The GOP, STARK, and corporate America are such greedy Fuckers, that they don’t even care that they are destroying not only this nation, but the entire planet will feel the repercussions of their criminal behaviors.
Bush wiped out a $5.6 trillion surplus in just two years and the national debt hit $10 trillion on his watch. Remember how right-wingers screamed and fussed about that? No? That’s because they didn’t.
July 28th, 2014 at 10:18 am
Loved your last line Al. So Very True!
July 28th, 2014 at 10:42 am
Not surprised, but it will be funny when this blows up in the Republican’s face….though the bad part is they have no shame, so they won’t even notice when this goes south for them.
July 28th, 2014 at 10:43 am
So democrat amendements are voted down and liberals get all up in arms whining and wailing, but when Democrats refuse to even debate, much less vote on, anything proposed by Republicans there’s nothing but deafening silence. If the left didn’t have double standards they’d have none at all.
July 28th, 2014 at 10:44 am
Ursula#3, I agree. I’ve been wondering whether this is more of a get-out-the-vote tactic than anything else, doesn’t make a lot of sense to me otherwise. Of course the D’s will also use it as a get-out-the-vote tactic!
July 28th, 2014 at 10:45 am
Ok, so going forward the new precedent is congress does nothing but now sues the other side. That’s great. Such a positive example for the world.
July 28th, 2014 at 10:46 am
Hal#4, Ok, so going forward the new precedent is congress does nothing but now sues the other side. That’s great. Such a positive example for the world.
July 28th, 2014 at 10:47 am
Hal#4, They are blazing new territory with a politically motivated taxpayer funded lawsuit against the president. Retaining politically connected law firms and lobbyists and then funding them on the taxpayers dime deserves scrutiny, maybe we could have a hearing?
July 28th, 2014 at 10:49 am
The constitution was the start of the US, not the end. It was a pretty decent start, and kudos to the founding fathers on it. But it was far from perfect and by itself totally incapable of providing for the government of a modern nation. All those laws you hate?
Those are the mortar of our nation. But you want to tear our house apart and replace it with a broken pile of bricks…because of a long outdated philosophical model you refuse to re-evaluate no matter what.
July 28th, 2014 at 10:50 am
Will house republicans do anything productive? Or will it be another 20 symbolic votes against obamacare with a government shutdown thrown in?
July 28th, 2014 at 10:53 am
Impeachment is the proper tool to use.
Anything else just further demeans a Congress which lacks the fortitude and/or will to fight to preserve its proper role as a co-equal branch of government.
If you can’t chop the head off the monster, chop off its hands and feet.
Impeach those in Justice, IRS, EPA, etc. who have over-stepped their constitutional bounds. Imprison those who have lied (which was Scooter Libby’s crime…remember?) and watch the others fold.
July 28th, 2014 at 10:54 am
Sure there are times when a courageous dissent from popular opinion can be useful and necessary, but the right’s temper tantrum is growing very old very quickly. If you guys can’t govern get the &^%$ out of office and let others who can do so.
July 28th, 2014 at 10:57 am
Thomas#10, Productive like 100+ jobs bills passed, including about two dozen sponsored by Democrats that were deep-sixed by Dingy Harry in the Senate without votes.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:01 am
Athos#13, cutting taxes on the wealthy and screwing the poor is not a jobs bill no matter what you title it.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:07 am
Thomas#14, In what way/HOW … are the poor “screwed” by legislation that cuts taxes for the “rich”?
July 28th, 2014 at 11:08 am
Let’s about how much the lawsuit is gonna cost the US Citizens, especially since we all know Nothing will come out of other than some politicians are gonna get their name in the news more and some sheeple will believe that their Reps are actually accomplishing something.
I have a better idea, why doesn’t Congress get their arses back to work and start working on the many issues we are facing. They could start with a viable and well thought out Budget for the next 5 years so we could get out from under Sequester rules and the economy can truely begin improving.
Like that is going to happen before they can claim they did it all, ROTFLMAO watching the sheeple here buy into their tactics hook line and sinker. Rome is Burning Folks, it way past time to stop sitting on your heads and start paying attention to what is really happening.
Awww nevermind, you will learn your lesson the only way you know how, The Hard Way, enjoy.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:10 am
Sue him and get EVERYTHING out in the open, on both sides of the isle.
However, once this is settled, no matter who wins or loses….for f*cks sake….move on and start doing what you were elected to do…..DO YOUR F’ING JOB!
Congress has done nothing for 6 years, and then wants to sue somebody for have the audacity to do something…anything…get off your fat lazy useless a$$es and do your job and no one would have to overstep their authority to do it for you.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:11 am
Doing nothing is the best thing they can do for us.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:11 am
Bob#17, I want them to sue and lay everything out so that come 2014 and 2016 the American people will be so disgusted with the republican party that they actually vote them out.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:13 am
Reggie#18, Not really, there are things they need to do… but what they actually do is just cost us tax payers money and achieves nothing….
July 28th, 2014 at 11:13 am
Another incredible, senseless, futile waste of time and taxpayer money. Meanwhile we have crumbling infrastructure and the President’s jobs bill that Boehner refuses to bring up for a vote.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:14 am
So the Pres. should be able to sign bills and modify them as he see’s fit?
July 28th, 2014 at 11:15 am
Florida#21, You are not thinking this thing through. If Obama gets away with overstepping his authority, it sets precedence for future presidents, Republican and Democrat. Do you really want any president being allowed to do this?
July 28th, 2014 at 11:16 am
Mark#22, take a break from fox fake facts. Obama hasn’t DONE anything of the sort.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:17 am
Horace#23, This precedent was set decades ago. All presidents beginning with George Washington in 1789 have issued orders that in general terms can be described as executive orders/directives. Critics have always–always accused presidents of abusing their authority. Old news—new spin.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:18 am
@HoraceGreely#23, No. And please don’t mistake me for an Obama supporter, as I’m someone who sees both sides to be corrupt, and abusing their power, Republican and Democrat alike. But I didn’t want Bush overstepping his authority, or Clinton, or Bush Sr… and they all did. Where was congress then?
I’m not questioning the legitimacy of Boehners claims, I’m questioning his motivations, and why he said nothing when Bush was doing the same crap. It appears to be political bickering more than it does “a quest for truth and justice.”
July 28th, 2014 at 11:20 am
Reggie#18, Quote one unconstitutional thing potus has done.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:21 am
This a frivolous lawsuit and a waste of tax payer dollars. There have been no illegal executive orders, and House Republicans should be more concerned with moving the country forward rather than trying to embarrass the President.
Because right now they’re doing neither, as an attorney I can honestly say this case wouldn’t have merit in any court room.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:22 am
A President can be charged criminally but not civilly for actions he performed while in office. I doubt a lawsuit based on his use of executive action will go anywhere.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:22 am
Spend some more taxpayer dollars, Boehner. Go ahead. We have plenty to spend. It’s not like we need it anyway.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:23 am
Hello “boner”… I don’t care who sues Obama, unless my tax dollars are paying their salary to solve problems and legislate action, not make some symbolic legal move to defame your political opponents. I’d say the same crap if Obama was suing Boehner.
DO YOUR JOB! We have an immigration crisis… both the right and the left are furious with immigration policy, and the best solutions appease both sides.. FIX IT. You Hate Obamacare Soooo much, I think it’s lame too, but all you do is whine and stall legislative processes with your attempts to halt it, not offer better suggestions and reforms to improve it, not even to a conservative capitalist liking.
Joe Biden is probably the most useless man in Washington, and you sir, are the most counter productive. Only 7% of America likes you sir, and If the people who paid me only liked me 7% of the time, I’d be fired. Go breath some carbon monoxide.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:24 am
More republican grandstanding. With all the problems this country has the GOP continues to waste tax payer money on bullshit like this.
This is what you get when you vote (R).
July 28th, 2014 at 11:25 am
HoraceGreely#23 Obama has done less of this than pretty much any of his predecessors particularly than GW Bush. Let’s face it the republicans had absolutely no problem at all when Bush did the same thing and the democrats didn’t act like a bunch of whiny babies.
This is just another cheap and costly stunt by Whiskey John Boehner and the tea party republicans to fire up their base.
Hey here’s an idea – if you want to rule try winning the elections.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:26 am
White folks…white folks. Please STOP showing the world how silly the American White race is.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:27 am
Indeed, This Obama is an utter failure…He and his minions have thrashed this country.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:31 am
Vance#35, You are correct if an improved economy and reduced joblessness is “thrashing this country”.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:32 am
@Daryl#36;
Lowest Jobs participation rate in our History….You must be asleep!!!
July 28th, 2014 at 11:36 am
Vance#37, Bull!
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states…
note that the highest is 10% where as the current is about 6%.(goes back as far as 1948).
July 28th, 2014 at 12:32 pm
Anonz is active as the “Angel of Death or Angel of Mercy, depending on which side of his mighty sword you are on.
He relented and moved from helping the citizens digging out from air strikes in the Blue Nile area to help the more than 25,000 civilians mostly women and children that were forced from their homes in South Kordofan.
He had been sighted carrying wounded women in the mountainous northeastern El Abassyia until he appeared in my area to lead a counter assault against a Sudanese ground attack against an encampment of women and children following their air attack around Umm Cham Chaka, in Rashad county.
I would not want to be on the business end of that sword. He was merciless! The dead were everywhere. I have never seen so many armed men turn and run the other way. He was relentless. He pursued them to their border protection of heavy artillery support.
He was dripping in blood when he emerged from the glades. Some rushed to give him aid. But he brushed them aside and began barking orders to them to assist the women and to the women to assist the children and get ready to leave.
They wouldn’t budge from his side until he showed them that all that blood, and he was drenched in blood, was from dispatched enemy soldiers. Cheers rang up as the women ululated with delight and pride in their Invincible Malaika wa Huruma, ملاك الرحمة, “Angle of Mercy”.
I saw a disguised limp and approached him to ask if I could be of some aid in treating his wound. I told him I was a medic from “Doctors without Borders”. He asked if I had any quinine antibiotics and pushed me towards the injured villagers.
His men seem oblivious to fear in his presence. And he has the ability to garner support from the frailest of male bodies in these pitiful villages. They gather to march beside him. When he sat to eat, I approached to ask again if I could dress his wound, he winced when he exposed the bit of shrapnel extending from his thigh. So I immediately sat down quickly so as not to alert others to his injury.
I cut through tough skin (he is extremely muscular) and pulled about 50mm of cold steel from his thigh. He never made a sound. He thanked me, did the wrapping himself and got up immediately as if he was about to dance a gig, smiling hugging children and barking orders to his men.
Briefly though when I was treating him, I thought I noticed the tiredness I have seen in the eyes of men resting their heads against the bombed out remains of their homes as they stared out at the bits and pieces of the remains of their loved ones.
I watched, from as close as I could get considering all those attempting to touch their savior and not protector, while he changed clothes with his eyes darting from one corner of the compound to the next.
If he doesn’t have PTSD, he is certainly tired of death, or the evil man does to others. I would recommend that he leave, but without him here, at this moment, all will be lost when the Devil returns tomorrow. And he will return.
July 28th, 2014 at 1:56 pm
I see even the bad ass Anonz can suffer from shell shock and the horrors of war.
July 28th, 2014 at 2:02 pm
TC#39, if Anonz didn’t want the people in the village to know that he was injured, why are you telling them on Michelle’s blog.
July 28th, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Beck#40, and that’s supposed to mean what?
July 28th, 2014 at 2:15 pm
Anonz should be thankful that he is not near Guinea. the area is full of Ebola infections. Even doctors are getting it. The ignorant people are blaming the doctors for spreading it so they don’t see medical attention.
It is out of control. Many will die.
July 28th, 2014 at 2:17 pm
The entire country of Sierra Leone is infected.
July 28th, 2014 at 2:20 pm
Joan#41, I doubt that any of those people have access to equipment that could access the internet. If they did Michelle’s blog would not be a priority.
I want to thank the Medic for keeping us informed about the health of our Hero. You don’t hear Zen Lill complaining. That should tell you that TC’s blog did not endanger Anonz.
July 28th, 2014 at 2:22 pm
Almost the entire Atlantic shore line from Guinea-Bissau to the Ivory Coast has some element of infection.
Stay out of the area if you want to live.
July 28th, 2014 at 7:35 pm
#39 TC, glad to hear you helped Anonz though you are very correct, no one doing what he does escaped PTSD it’s clear when you experience this much trauma regardless of all the good deeds that it occurs, his heroism is unparelleled and he pays a steep personal price for it. I have treated people with PTSD and I obviously he would be offered my professional services should he want need and request it.
I believe that any woman wanting to lay in with this hero should, he could probably use more human contact and there’s really nothing like the scent of a woman for assisting in the healing of the soul, now is there? I say if he ever starts writing in again that anyone who’s ever admired him (& that’s almost everyone) start tossing in those dreamy panties…he deserves the respite from the torture of his dealings…
I don’t say that frivolously, he’s a hero and should have whatever he wants in life, I always wish him the best. We all know I’ve made stupid mistakes and my one wish is that he would accept my apologies.
Luv, Zen Lill
July 29th, 2014 at 7:56 am
Zen Lill, as envious of you as I am with Anonz, I sincerely believe you have nothing to apologize for to him. He is, if nothing else, a perfect gentleman when it comes to supporting the angsts of women. I wept when I read TC’s accounting.
He must be tired. I can understand TC’s wish for him to stay. But honestly, someone should call the man home. He cannot be expected to save all the women and children in Africa. I have been reading about this heroic man from the beginning. I was silently in awe. Was he real? Could a male actually be as committed to the safety of women and children without political aims?
The ensuing years have answered all my questions. I have fallen in love with this Paladin. He is a treasure that should be brought home to rest. I fear if he is not, one day on this blog we will be called to participate in the mourning of his departure from this earth.
He deserves to be at home when that day comes. He has payed his dues toward whatever accounting is out there, for us to show compassion and love towards our fellows. He has more than honored that accounting, he has made a deposit for those of us unable or unwilling to do so.
Whoever is in charge of this man’s itinerary in his service to his country, PLEASE bring him home.
Pamela
July 29th, 2014 at 8:35 am
Pamela,
I hear you loud and clear though this is his path in his life and there is no one that could call him home he has to call himself home. That is the issue with when someone is on their own path they don’t get CallHome for love or anything else they have to follow their path and in this case everyone here, we have to watch unfortunately. I feel the same way you do, in his case it may take death and morning.
There’s much in his past I think he’s atoning for/teaching lessons to others, etc… and only he knows when he’ll be done.
- ZL
July 29th, 2014 at 8:50 am
Brilliantly said Zen Lill.
July 29th, 2014 at 8:51 am
Ditto Brittany.
July 29th, 2014 at 8:51 am
I agree Zen Lill, but let’s pray it doesn’t happen. I ask God every night to bring him home.