Boehner To Sue Obama
House Speaker John Boehner announced his plan to sue President Obama for taking executive actions without consulting Congress. Never mind that every president has done this. John Boehner has decided to add to the toxic atmosphere in Washington and, rather than move his party forward with ideas to help solve our problems, has decided to pursue an unnecessarily confrontational course that will not serve him, his party or our country well.
“I am,” the Speaker said when asked if he was planning to initiate a lawsuit.
“You know the constitution makes it clear that the president’s job is to faithfully execute the laws and in my view the President has not faithfully executed the laws,” Boehner added at a news conference on Capitol Hill.
The Speaker denied that the move was about energizing Republicans ahead the midterm elections.
“This is about defending the institution in which we serve. If you look back over the past 235 years of our history there’s been movement between the inherent powers of the executive branch vs the inherent powers of the legislative branch and what we’ve seen clearly over the past 5 years is an effort to erode the power of the legislative branch,” the Speaker said in response to a question from CNN.
Obewon June 25th, 2014 at 1:08 pm
Repubs say they’l sue the Obama Admin over EPA regulation of coal & power plant CO2 & other toxic air pollutants migrating across state lines.
GOP’s Koch bros oil & coal polluters were told by SCOTUS Monday to find another line of work. The Supreme Court 6/23/14 mostly validated the Environmental Protection Agency’s plans to regulate major sources of greenhouse-gas emissions such as power plants and factories. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-limits-epas-ability-to-regulate-greenhouse-gas-emissions/2014/06/23/c56fc194-f1b1-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html Meanwhile Boehner “denied that the move was about energizing Republicans ahead the midterm elections.”-said Speaker of the least productive & lowest rated congress in U.S. History!
Judy Mccracken June 26th, 2014 at 1:40 am
I hope to God that the voting public, both Dem & Rep, realize and appreciate the dangerous situation we are in?.. Time to forget Party & begin to LISTEN to our politicians… Is this how we want to live?
We have a SCOTUS that will back up ANYTHING the right wing requests them to change….. we have invasion into our private reproduction rights, settled w/ROE V WADE years ago, our voting rights are challenged daily, our safety nets are being damaged one by one…. what else do they have in store for us? Sad part, is our own countryment cheering on the patriotic sounding groups that are stealing the American Dream right from under us…….
txthinker June 25th, 2014 at 1:09 pm
The only thing I see eroding are Oompa Loompa Boehner’s brain cells. They’ve been soaked in alcohol for far too long…
labman57 June 25th, 2014 at 5:51 pm
The Executive Order has been around since the dawn of our nation, and the constitutionality of this process was validated by the SCOTUS in the 1950’s. Every President in the past century has used executive orders with greater frequency that the current POTUS.
Using the powers granted to the Executive Branch to enact certain programs and policies is just as legal and part of the democratic process as is the Senate Republican minority’s use of the filibuster to obstruct said programs and policies.
Had the GOP not blatantly abused the latter, Obama would not feel compelled to implement the former.
So why the current right wing uproar over Obama’s plan to “get things done” via Executive Order? What is substantively different this time?
I suspect that it’s largely a matter of some complexion.
And so House Republicans once again resort to voting on wholly partisan, politically-loaded, yet fundamentally meaningless, totally symbolic proclamations as a means of avoiding any discussion of useful, substantive, productive legislation that meets the needs and concerns of the American people at large.
In short, the GOP — addicted to tepid tea — has resigned itself to serve as little more than a speed-bump on the road to progress.
Shades June 25th, 2014 at 6:44 pm
Well I’ll be. I honestly didn’t think he’d follow through Not that anything will come of it. I’m sure Boehner knows that, but he’s got to throw chum to the sharks so they’ll follow the boat.
Judy Mccracken June 26th, 2014 at 7:21 pm
When the FOXholes lke Cavuto see thru the hog wash, then is really apparent what fools we are dealing with….. what is happening at FOX? Kelly took Cheney & cheney, jr. apart…. Did Ailes die & turn the company over to thinking folks… doubt it… but good while it lasts, eh?
abbyjo2001 June 25th, 2014 at 8:15 pm
We the People should be able to sue the house, I don’t know how to do that but why not?
Judy Mccracken June 26th, 2014 at 1:29 am
We the people, need a LAWYER….. see this is what UNIONS do….. they fight for us, the working man…… but in lieu of a UNION REP…. we should have a LAWYER fighting for us….. why not?… let us start suing congress, senate, individual or as a whole….. if boehner can show his ass, we can do the same, eh?
Obewon June 26th, 2014 at 2:21 am
We need to hire the bipartisan equal marriage duo of David Boies and Ted Olson to defeat Ted Cruz’ evil empire of dysfunctional ingrates.
The legal firm of Vulcan David Boiess lives long and prospers here. http://www.bsfllp.com/lawyers/data/0001
Judy Mccracken June 26th, 2014 at 7:27 pm
Right, I agree. So how to get started? A Petition? Retaining a lawyer? Do we as citizens, a group, have the right to SUE the Congress for NOT DOING THEIR JOB?
Obewon June 26th, 2014 at 9:01 pm
I think the ACLU and or Donors via kickstarter & WH.gov petition on behalf of ‘We the voting majority electing POTUS Obama’ should file a class action lawsuit alleging Republicans have & continue to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO)
-Against the unconstitutional & corrupt actions by defendants GOP, RNC, RGA, TP, Koch Oil, Doe’s 1-100 inclusive, et al. for $1 Trillion+ in annual actual plus punitive damages due to unprecedented unilateral obstructionism, etc. based upon actual Evidence of already admitted by GOP of their corruption, GOP voter ID disenfranchisement, etc (RICO conspiracies likely don’t violate double jeopardy of already adjudicated legal maters.)
However, technically the Obama Admin appointed Solicitor General represents “We the people” in court & advocating before SCOTUS on behalf of the administration. I’l bet the Solicitor General will defend any Boehner suit.
Obewon June 26th, 2014 at 10:21 pm
Update: -Boehner Will Sue Obama For Stuff He Thought Was Totally Fine Under George W. Bush http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/06/25/3453244/boehner-executive-order-suit/
Jake June 25th, 2014 at 8:41 pm
Is there a competition between Republicans to see who can waste the most tax-payers’ money?
Judy Mccracken June 26th, 2014 at 7:18 pm
We can start with Cruz, wasting my tax dollars shutting down my government at the cost of 25 BILLION… but hey, just a drop in the repub propaganda toilet. Wasted money but not a dime to feed the elderly, kids & military families. That’s where the repub austerity comes into play. “we’re broke”????
granpa.usthai June 25th, 2014 at 10:04 pm
this is just dorky! –
butt-
if Boehner insists
as a US Taxpayer
I request Congress to appropriate sufficient funds for
POTUS Obama be decked out with the Frosdick of London
Million Dollar Dandy (including fittings) and six pairs of Berluti Rapie’ce’s Reprise’s.
Don’t want the POTUS to have to appear in court like some drunken cheap dressed Republican… do you?
Judy Mccracken June 26th, 2014 at 1:26 am
Could we, the citizens of this country, SUE this Asswipe for sheer incompetence … for wasting our hard earned tax monies on more repub BS & hog wash…. He’s going to SUE the POTUS….. WHY? Being black & a democrat is not a crime, SO FAR……
How stupid are WE?… How much more from these part time, over paid, morons are we gong to stand for?…. What else can they wast time on?…..
We want & need JOBS, but these no good, do nothing half wits spend their time worrying about a women uterus, repealing the ACA…& 100 more ways to obstruct this Pres…..
We need to MARCH….. a 60’s SIT IN…. SOMETHING…..
Spirit of America June 26th, 2014 at 12:17 pm
To me, this is a lot more dangerous than what some here are posting, it being a racist thing, or a democrat thing…a lot more dangerous.
Let me explain, and then the people who only think on the surface by yelling racism or ‘the other side is always wrong, my side is always right’ can have their go… 🙂
This has nothing to do with race or party. This has to do with what over 95% of all congress/senate politicians now view ‘public service’ as… a career on the dole of your tax money. Period.
The Speaker is worried about his job first and foremost, period. This action is all about catering to the far right. And he’s doing so with a show rather than substance.
If the Speaker truly felt the Pres over-stepped his bounds, it’s his DUTY to go about correcting it via the purse strings. The checks and balances are built into the Constitution for just such things.
You see, the SCOTUS is NOT there to fix political squabbles, it’s SOLE function is to protect the people from excess of power from the Pres or congress.
Not only that, the Speaker knows it’ll be years before it even reaches SCOTUS; ergo, he knows this won’t ‘fix’ what he claims is a constitutional problem of the Pres over-stepping his bounds. This action is SOLELY so he can go around at speeches saying what a great thing he’s doing and addressing the problem, etc etc etc. and keep his job all the while knowing this can go no where.
So it boils down to it can only be 1 of 3 things:
1. he truly believes there’s a wrong being done, and then:
a. he is awful stupid for going this route, it solves nothing even if SCOTUS ‘confirms’ his view. SCOTUS can’t do anything about it, they have no enforcement tools.
or
b. he’s a coward for not doing the right thing and using the purse, or at least trying to, and cut off the executive power.
or
2. It’s a dog and pony show in which case it confirms my belief that they must keep their jobs come hell or high water, regardless of what’s right or wrong or what it does to this nation.
Personally, I think any of the 3 options don’t bode well.
Every 2 years, do NOT vote for the incumbent, in my view.
arc99 June 26th, 2014 at 12:47 pm
I am not at all saying they were justified or that it was even beneficial for the country but I do give credit to the Tom DeLay/Newt Gingrich leadership in the House. They put their money where their mouths were and allowed impeachment proceedings to be brought to the floor against President Clinton.
I am convinced that the resulting political blowback has prevented current House leadership from trying it again, especially when they know that they have zero chance of conviction in the Senate.
I think you and I both know that very few people will be motivated to pull the voting lever in November for a candidate who is against everything they stand for. I live in one of the few conservative California districts ( the California 4th Congressional district represented by Republican Tom McClintock). So I will be happy to vote against the incumbent.
But in my case, voting out the incumbent fits perfectly with my ideological bent. So I suppose my personal example does not really count. For example, Nancy Pelosi’s district is largely comprised of the area in the city limits of San Francisco. Even if the GOP did put up a candidate, the number of people in that district who would vote for a Republican would probably need only one vehicle to vanpool to the polling place.
I have no idea what Boehner’s end game might be. I don’t think it is necessarily to keep his seat since it is considered safe and I do not think that Eric Cantor lightening is going to strike twice. I see it as more of an effort to provide campaign material for his caucus. But I do agree that it is nothing more than a dog and pony show.
Either Mr. Boehner should file articles of impeachment and let the chips fall where they may, or shut up, in my view.