Liberal Free Chat Zone

[basserdan]

GOP NOT PLAYING SHUTDOWN POLITICS?

POLITICO’s Alex Isenstadt and Kyle Cheney: “Outwardly, Republican rhetoric toward the president hasn’t softened much … What has changed is the underlying balance of power in the party and, perhaps, the terms of debate within the GOP over how to deal with the Democratic Party and its surprisingly aggressive leader. Obama might be behaving like a usurping monarch without a mandate, in the eyes of the newly powerful GOP, but no one is seriously threatening to impeach him — as Republicans have repeatedly done in past years.

“Nor, despite the angry rhetoric, does there seem to be a serious possibility of government shutdown. Yes, outliers are still threatening actions that could lead to a stalemate a la 2013 … And yet [Hal] Rogers and the House leadership, as well as a substantial portion of the Republican caucus, have made it clear they’re not ready to take that course again. … Call it thoughtfulness — or call it confusion. All in all, the mild, somewhat subdued response to Obama’s immigration move is evidence that the uncompromising GOP insurgency that so paralyzed Washington in 2013 has lost some potency.” http://politi.co/1vDrai4


REPUBLICANS STILL THREATEN TO BLOCK OBAMA

WSJ’s Stephanie Armour: “Republicans on Sunday vowed to stop … Obama ’s plan to shelter millions of illegal immigrants from deportation, calling it an abusive executive overreach.

‘It’s the power of a monarch or an emperor,’ Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) said on Fox. He said the Republican majority that takes control of the Senate should respond to Mr. Obama by refusing to confirm executive-branch or judicial nominees, except in cases of national emergency. … Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R., Va.), who leads the House Judiciary Committee, said Congress would fight Mr. Obama’s action. ‘This is a major assault on the constitutional authority of the Congress,’ said Mr. Goodlatte.

“In the House, the judiciary panel will hold a hearing on Dec. 2 to examine the constitutionality of Mr. Obama’s action. The hearing will feature constitutional scholars and law professors, Mr. Goodlatte said. Sen. Jeff Flake (R., Ariz.) said Congress should send legislation to the president to address border security and a guest-worker plan and to deal with illegal immigrants now in the country. ‘I think we want to put legislation on the president’s desk. That ought to be the response,’ said Mr. Flake on NBC. He added that ‘I do think that the president moved beyond his authority.’”
http://on.wsj.com/1qX96P5