White House Extends Backbone

[bigtree]

BuzzFeed News ‏@BuzzFeedNews 15m

White House releases new statement saying the President will reject House's 'piecemail' funding measures pic.twitter.com/twTye6O8iG

[Skraxx]

1. UP OR DOWN VOTE!!

[BlueCaliDem]

2. Nip Teapublican tyranny in the bud. Have an UP OR DOWN VOTE NOW!

[lonestarnot]

3. Thank you Mr. President!

[bigwillq]

4. Exactly

UP OR DOWN VOTE.

NOW!

[Raffi Ella]

5. Straight Up or Down Vote.

NOW.

[Blue Owl]

6. Grumpy Cat sez:

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[Hugin]

20. +1 n/t

[SunSeeker]

21. +2

[mindwalker_i]

7. This is a transparent way to defund what the GOP decides should be defunded

They will approve all the millitary stuff for the contractors that fill their campaign coffers, and other Republican-friendly things, while denying funding to things they don't like, such as the ACA or oher programs that actually help people. This is their way of snatching rule even though they're in the deep minority and dictating what government does.

That's the real danger of this tactic: it bypasses democracy and allows a minority to become a dictator (even though it's a small group as opposed to one person). I'm kind of afraid that the whole shutdown thing is actually what the Republicans want, mostly, and doing piecemeal funding would make it perfect for them.

Then you get Republican operatives masquerading as news making arguments like, "but if allowing this piece to go through, you might save a person's life," to try to force Democrats to give up any leverage they have. Of course, it will cause a lot more people to die, but it's easier to get people worked up over the one child with cancer than a group of hundreds of "people."

[Chico Man]

9. Not so sure it bypasses democracy

The House does hold the power of the purse, and does have the ability to attach legislation to appropriations funding measures, however frowned upon and against the "rules" it is.

[mindwalker_i]

11. They do NOT have the unilateral power of the purse

Using it to, in effect, kill legislation they don't like is way beyond the power they should have. Possibly, the definition of "power of the purse" needs to be defined in more detail.

[Chico Man]

13. It's an appropriations rider

Been done many times before.

[Chico Man]

29. How's this?

The House of Representatives cannot only refuse, but they alone can propose, the supplies requisite for the support of government. They, in a word, hold the purse that powerful instrument by which we behold, in the history of the British Constitution, an infant and humble representation of the people gradually enlarging the sphere of its activity and importance, and finally reducing, as far as it seems to have wished, all the overgrown prerogatives of the other branches of the government.

This power over the purse may, in fact, be regarded as the most complete and effectual weapon with which any constitution can arm the immediate representatives of the people, for obtaining a redress of every grievance, and for carrying into effect every just and salutary measure.

James Madison, Federalist #58

[daleanime]

14. So the fact that a CR would pass the house....

if a vote were allowed means nothing?

[Chico Man]

15. It's politics.

Amplified with media.

The CR is temporary; would still eventually need appropriations passed.

[daleanime]

17. sigh.....

1-show me any work of mankind's that's not 'temporary'.

2-if this is 'politics', then every kidnapping is a diplomatic mission.

[Chico Man]

24. The good news

something's got to give.

I sometimes marvel at our legislative process - when it looks very broken it might actually be working as it was intended to!

[JDPriestly]

8. Something wrong with this pecture:

Watch the Republicans' gimmicks:

The Senate cannot vote on a bill unless 60 members allow the bill to come to the floor: That's called the filibuster, and it means that at least some Republicans have to support a bill in order for the majority of democratic senators to pass it.

The House cannot vote on a bill unless a majority of the members of the majority party are willing to vote for it: That's called the Hastert Rule. And it means that a majority of Republicans have to support a bill in order for a majority of all members of the House to pass it.

Either way, a minority of Republicans in each house controls whether a bill comes to the floor.

This is how the Republicans, overall a minority of Americans, are dictating what can or cannot become law.

It's win/win for Republicans no matter how the people vote.

The Hastert rule is undemocratic. So is the filibuster if used as often as the Republicans use it.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. The Hastert Rule was never a rule, says ex-Speaker Hastert. Boehner can bring a clean CR anytime. nt

[JDPriestly]

25. The Hastert Rule is an excuse. So is the filibuster.

And what do they excuse? Complete dominance of our government by a small minority of angry, stupid (there I used that word) people called Tea-Baggers.

[think_critically]

12. WTF doesn't he address the nation

Why can't he address the nation tonight or this weekend and lay out his case. He can't keep letting the senate dictate this.People are getting tired of this and want some sense of direction. Every story needs a hero and an antagonist and he has to take the initiative and become the hero. Sometimes I don't get him.

[riqster]

27. He's made a number of addresses over the past week

Just not on prime time from the Oval Office.

[think_critically]

31. That's my point

He can't make addresses during the day and expect people to get the message. He needs to do this in prime time from the oval office.

[libdem4life]

16. Each day that passes, each figure of loss, each day of non-income or threat to income

for a sufficient amount of people is a geometric increase of fear...of everyday (non TP) people regardless of political persuasion...fear that the status quo is not in their favor.

I predict that Boehner is holding his wet finger up in the air and when the wind changes...which it definitely will...he will change course. It is at that point I believe is coming...that the threat of just the Tea Party riff raff will be less than the threat of public humiliation and loss of his job/ego. Their popularity, which also means their radical threat, is waning. That can only continue.

[Hugin]

18. k&r

Very good.

[deutsey]

19. K&R

[Justice]

22. Essential to get people to understand SHORT TERM funding CR - not permanent

All of this effort just to get a lousy 6 weeks. Ridiculous.

[Chico Man]

26. The other thing to understand is the concept of a rider

A rider attached to appropriations is one of the most powerful tools the House has.. but it's no perversion of the legislative process. Has there ever been a "clean" appropriations bill?

[SunSeeker]

23. Just let the House vote on the clean CR passed by the Senate, Boner!!! nt

[albino65]

28. No Backing Down

The White House must not back down and allow the Repubs to appease certain constituencies by cherry picking the funding to reinstate. We also have to quit preaching to the choir. We all need to become more active in our disapproval of this group of terrorists...the tea party. There needs to be consequences for supporting these assholes. There needs to be a movement to boycott their funding sources and out them to the general public. Example: Many employers' are very explicit in their intent to thwart the ACA by cutting hours so that employees would be under the threshold for hours worked that would require providing health care coverage. Every instance of this should be noted and their product boycotted. It needs to be organized and a large enough number to adversely affect their image.

[budkin]

30. THIS is the Obama we all voted for!!! Yes!

I love it!