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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHeritage letter to Republicans on Capitol Hill: don’t legislate, just scandalize Obama
Heritage letter to Republicans on Capitol Hill: dont legislate, just scandalize Obamaby Joy-Ann Reid | May 16, 2013 at 6:34 PM
Joy Reid at The Grio reports that the Heritage Foundation, the uber-rightwing think tank that Jim DeMint left the Senate to head up, just sent this letter to Speaker Boehner and Eric Cantor:
For the first time, the activities of the Obama administration are receiving a sustained public vetting. Americans outrage over Benghazi is amplified by the Internal Revenue Services intimidation of conservative grassroots organizations and a cascade of negative headlines. There is the real sense the Obama administration has been less than forthright with the American people, the press and lawmakers.
Recent events have rightly focused the nations attention squarely on the actions of the Obama administration. It is incumbent upon the House of Representatives to conduct oversight hearings on those actions, but it would be imprudent to do anything that shifts the focus from the Obama administration to the ideological differences within the House Republican Conference.
To that end, we urge you to avoid bringing any legislation to the House Floor that could expose or highlight major schisms within the conference. Legislation such as the Internet sales tax or the FARRM Act which contains nearly $800 billion in food stamp spending, would give the press a reason to shift their attention away from the failures of the Obama administration to write another circular firing squad article.
Make no mistake, principled conservatives will still oppose bad policy if it comes to the floor. Rather than scheduling such legislation for consideration, we urge you to keep the attention focused squarely on the Obama administration. As the publics trust in their government continues to erode, it is incumbent upon those of us who support a smaller, less intrusive government to lead.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Needham
Chief Executive Officer
Heritage Action for America
http://thegrio.com/2013/05/16/heritage-to-republicans-dont-legislate-just-scandalize-obama/
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/348555/heritage-action-warns-boehner-dont-spoil-party-andrew-stiles
Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)blatantly looking to undermine the public trust?
They've been doing this since Reagan...and look what is has done to the nation and its citizens.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)Can they be charged with sedition and disbanded?
I'm serious!
Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)It certainly is needed.
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)What I don't know is whether it can be prosecuted as such. Or who would attempt to do so.
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)I have come to the sorry conclusion that there are few backbones among the Dems in congress and there seem to none anywhere else willing to call out this crap.
It's been going on since "Gov't is not the solution, gov't is the problem" ass wipe Reagan.
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)Kablooie
(18,632 posts)They are scared to death that any opposition to Republicans would harm them.
I don't know why they think this but they've shown this kind of fear over and over again.
Obama always try to pander to the Republicans to appease them instead of calling them out.
I don't expect that to change.
If he would hit back, hard, things might change but he's like the kid who's always bullied but never fights back.
The kid who tries to kiss up to the bully which only encourages the bully to hit him more often.
Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)Dems have been spineless since Johnson screwed up in Vietnam....As if he hadn't done so many other great things.
Gman
(24,780 posts)flamingdem
(39,313 posts)Why are they getting away with this?
Who can stop them?
landolfi
(234 posts)with my meager resources, I am going to need a lot of help. But the behavior of people like this and sentiments like this letter prove there is no invisible hand.
IthinkThereforeIAM
(3,076 posts)... I have said for over a decade that the GOP should be prosecuted using the RICO statutes. Look how Cheney ran all those no bid contracts to Halliburton, etc... places where he and other GOP "leaders", have/had vested interests.
Guy Whitey Corngood
(26,500 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,233 posts)can avoid actually doing their jobs, to appease a slither of the populace. It's sickening.
Jamaal510
(10,893 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,233 posts)very smart. Right after they took over state legislatures in 2010, they set out to ensure their futures, and that included redrawing districts to their benefit. Hopefully, a win in 2014 & 2016 will swing things back in our favor.
mountain grammy
(26,620 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)Anansi1171
(793 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)cui bono
(19,926 posts)Cha
(297,196 posts)legislate anyway.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Tea Party Victory of 2010:
The pestilence that keeps on killing Americans.
Next up: 2014. GOTV.
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)they'll be doing harm whatever they do.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)giftedgirl77
(4,713 posts)This is a perfect example of 1. why groups need to be scrutinized by the IRS 2. a group that probably has tax exemption status & is blatantly politically motivated & 3. is clearly not working as a public service organization.
magellan
(13,257 posts)I've just been reading IRS the rules on this, and they're so broad that just about anyone calling themselves a political think tank, with some chutzpah and a halfway decent lawyer to guide them around the legal obstacle course, can do it.
It's DISGUSTING that the Heritage Foundation is tax exempt for the amount of damage they inflict on our government.
giftedgirl77
(4,713 posts)I hate most federal laws because as with any interpretation always comes into play. However, there is a very very fine line for tax exempt status & last I checked writing letters to Congress telling them to not act on anything should catapult them into another bracket.
The IRS has a tip line to call in suspected fraud. I guess I will have to do some legal research, see if the evidence backs it up & see what sticks.
magellan
(13,257 posts)...from within and without. The HF has been around since the 70s. It's one of many leeches firmly attached to the corpus of our government.
giftedgirl77
(4,713 posts)That damn Citizens United bs just opened up the flood gates. Unfortunately it seems other than OWS we don't really do loud vocal protest or anything so the only people that ever get coverage are the nut balls.
If the only thing I can do one my own is dig up case law, document my findings, & be really annoying then that's what I'll do.
raouldukelives
(5,178 posts)The only real voice we have left is the one we choose not to use. Or as I'm fond of saying, if you want to stand against something, not standing with it is a good start.
giftedgirl77
(4,713 posts)I have a solid background in federal law so I figure between using that to pish back where I can & try to get people where I live to wake up is all i can do.
I find it sad that my 15yr old son has a better grasp of what's going on then the people in our community.
magellan
(13,257 posts)But definitely, rattle some cages. It can't hurt to try.
giftedgirl77
(4,713 posts)I live in a very red district in SC. So between my kids rattling cages @ school about teachers preaching or the fact that I told a bank manager that I was afraid of the mental well being of his employees & customers for having Fox News on the tv it at least gives us good entertainment.
magellan
(13,257 posts)Your handle ought to be moxiegirl. The people in your town don't even see you coming I bet!
Thanks for picking up my spirits and giving me a laugh tonight. You've got a great attitude, and it's good to know you're passing it on to your kids.
flpoljunkie
(26,184 posts)The scandal is that 501 (c) (4) groups are allowed to describe themselves for tax purposes as 'primarily social welfare' organizations when they are anything but! Has the IRS investigated Heritage Action or the 'elephant' in the room, Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS?
magellan
(13,257 posts)I thought we were still talking about the Heritage Foundation.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)meow2u3
(24,761 posts)Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)Mr. Evil
(2,841 posts)HughBeaumont
(24,461 posts)DOUBLE WHAT?!!
They need to explain 2001-2008, then.
tiny elvis
(979 posts)that is Heritage Action for America, which calls itself the sister org of HF
http://heritageaction.com/about-heritage-action/
calimary
(81,238 posts)What the fuck do they want? The Dis-United States of Somalia?
mountain grammy
(26,620 posts)but, really, what the fuck do they want? Number one: to redistribute as much of their wealth as they want to and where they want to. No government to tell them they have to pay for programs they don't like. They have all the money in the world to buy the government they want. They have already bought the hearts and minds of nearly half of American voters who consistantly vote against their own interests.
One of the robber barons once said he could pay half the workers to kill the other half. The billionaires today have managed to do it.
NYtoBush-Drop Dead
(490 posts)and if that gets under the skin of the DU mods who feel I'm being mean or inappropriate....
libodem
(19,288 posts)It is inappropriate to advocate violence even casually. I'll help you hate them but don't make the site look like we advocate violence or your post may be hidden by a jury.
Just sayin'.
Rex
(65,616 posts)These domestic terrorist, hate groups should be the ones getting investigated by the IRS AND AP AND DOJ. It is groups like the Heritage Foundation that helped GWB steal the election. They are writing policy for the GOP along with idiotic morans that work for the Weekly Standard and the AFA.
These domestic terrorist, hate groups are writing policy out of whole cloth for the GOP. No wonder the GOP always reminds me of the Taliban. They listen to fringe extremists that want to control what we do in the bedroom. They also want a caste system to keep us permanently divided between rich and poor.
They are necrotic soothsayers, always causing damage where ever they go. Cloaked as a Think Tank or research foundation. Once again they have found a way to pervert science to push their agenda of social purity.
peoli
(3,111 posts)n/t
DallasNE
(7,403 posts)To keep Obama in whack-a-mole mode. Nobody remembers what finally comes out as the truth.
Just today is the latest. The NYT is reporting that one of Secy. Clinton's top aides failed to report a 2nd source of income as required by disclosure laws. Twofer's are good. Not sure I trust the NYT but who knows now. Meanwhile the Heritage recommendation is being implemented. You can be sure they have a backlog of similar items that will be trickling out.
ZRT2209
(1,357 posts)kentuck
(111,089 posts)kick and rec
instructions from "The Top"
peace, kp
Hekate
(90,674 posts)Every single time a GOP congresscritter opens their mouth in public, they are spewing talking points from sources like Heritage Foundation. It gets into the "news" media. It gets repeated here. It gets denied by the White House. It still gets repeated here.
Gothmog
(145,176 posts)The GOP and the conservatives can not help themselves. They are going to overplay their hand and there will be a backlash against these idiots
AnnieK401
(541 posts)spedtr90
(719 posts)The letter seems awfully political and promoting quite the opposite of social welfare....
It does serve as a great example of what a farce these tax-exempt organizations are.
Blue Owl
(50,356 posts)Go Fuck Yourselves
kimbutgar
(21,137 posts)When are people going to get sick of this $hit?When are they going to fight back? There are so many problems American's face yet all these cretins want to do is smear the President instead of doing the job of legislating for the American people.
spanone
(135,830 posts)Moostache
(9,895 posts)I don't know why you don't"
- from "The Newsroom" season 1 when Right Wing hack is describing his dislike for the staff on the fictional staff...sadly, I can relate to that quote quite nicely when I see anything with "Heritage Foundation" on it.
K&R for sure...
indepat
(20,899 posts)or maybe going for the full enchilada by advocating all four.
Mr. X
(72 posts)Will be able to keep attention on the scandals. They are getting shot to hell and back.
Benghazi? The emails were released and surprise surprise, the leaked emails that the Republicans released? They were edited. Heavily. The only reason this has yet to backfire on Republicans is because of the media attention on other scandals.
The AP scandal? Not really one. The records were subpoenaed , in accordance to the law. In relation to a investigation about leaked classified information. Oh yeah, and Republicans were the ones who shot down a law that would have prevented the DoJ from getting these records as easily as they did. While it does reflect badly, it was all - in accordance to the laws - legal, and those who are raising the most hell about it were the ones who made it possible to occur.
The IRS scandal? This one will go on for a while, but most people are ignoring one thing about it. Obama didn't appoint the people in charge of the IRS. Both the director during the time the events occured, and the acting director who took over when the first stepped down back in 2012, were appointed by Republicans.
Still... Most people ignore these things. Logic and truth, kinda hard for people - Mostly Republicans and their supporters - to understand.
That said, Obama needs to grow a pair of balls already and make some Republican heads roll over this shit. He's apologizing for things that he had no part in. All he's doing is digging himself a grave, hoping that no one decides to push him in it.
Obama isn't the man that campaigned for office... Twice. He continues to disappoint.
*Capital letters are called for here.
Myrina
(12,296 posts)K&R
Beartracks
(12,809 posts)It's actually kind of incredible, to me, about the Heritage Foundation connection, because I already had the impression this was the case. Not necessarily that Heritage was explicitly involved, but still.... it seemed that when the GOP and the media began huing and crying about one or two scandals per week for the last month, well -- the jig was fairly obvious: distract America from conservatives' role as the Party of No and make people think the administration is "scandal-plagued" by yelling "Scandal!" over and over so fast that most people won't ever hear the truth when and if it comes out. This is how the right wing tries to further its agenda in nearly every case: distribute lies aggressively until everyone thinks they're true.
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