The Rude Pundit - The Next Step in Budget Blackmail: Forced Resignation?

[meegbear]

Let us say, and why not, that back sometime in mid-2007, when President George W. Bush's approval rating was consistently below 35%, heading to sporadically below 30% in 2008, the Democratic-led House of Representatives decided that, since they couldn't get enough votes to impeach and convict Bush on, let's say, war crimes, they would allow the government to continue operating with a continuing resolution only if Bush and Cheney resigned from office. Indeed, at nearly the same time as the continuing resolution was passed, so was a hike in the debt ceiling, which was expected to be hit in October 2007. So, yes, they could have even said they'd allow the U.S. to default if Bush and Cheney didn't step down.

And let us say, and, indeed, why not, that Democrats said that it would be Bush and Cheney's fault if the government shutdown or defaulted. After all, what was more important? The last year of their term or the full faith and credit of the United States of America? What if Nancy Pelosi said, "The people don't want a shutdown and they don't want to be led by George Bush and Dick Cheney anymore"? (A side question: how many of us in Left Blogsylvania would have supported such a move? How many would have written posts about how brave this was?)

It's ludicrous, no? Obviously, the Constitution sets out how to get rid of a president. Obviously, a Congress that wished to do so should follow that route. Obviously, the idea of blackmailing the president and vice-president, with a gun at the head of the economy, would be outrageous.

But, honestly, how far are we from that now? The House of Representatives has voted for a continuing budget resolution that defunds the Affordable Care Act instead of using a regular legislative process and elections to overturn the Supreme Court-approved ACA. In their fantasy world, if they get what they want, if President Obama were to even delay the law (yes, law) from being fully implemented, where does it end? What happens in December, when another continuing resolution would be needed? What laws or programs need to be done away with in order to appease the mad GOP?

In 2010, he gave in and extended the Bush tax cuts when the GOP was willing to let benefits run out for the unemployed. In 2011, we had the debt ceiling fight that led to the awful sequester.

There's a reason leaders say that they do not negotiate with terrorists. It's because that when the terrorists win, they think they can get more next time, and, yeah, there will be a next time. You take down terrorists, arresting them if you can, shooting them in the head if you have to, and defuse the bomb.

The Republican Party is run by the terrorists. You think they're stopping here? If they get to kill Obamacare, they're gonna go after Obama's head next.

http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/

[The Magistrate]

1. Cold Truth From The Rude One, Sir

He is a national treasure.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

15. He is our generation's Will Rogers. n/t

[gopiscrap]

2. +1000

[Skittles]

3. "There's a reason leaders say that they do not negotiate with terrorists."

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

[krispos42]

4. That's it, right there.

Beautiful, Rude Pundit!

[russspeakeasy]

5. So well said.

[hue]

6. This hits the nail on the head!! K&R!!

[Pakid]

7. Please let me negotiate with the GOP

I would love the chance to shove some republican heads up their ass's where they belong!!!!

[WillyT]

8. K & R !!!

[lapislzi]

9. Christ, don't give them any ideas.

All the crazy in the world distilled down to a singularity.

[DonCoquixote]

10. You know

I would hate to give the GOP any victory, but the idea of Obama resigning and handing the keys to Biden would have a silver lining, namely that Joe would be on the warpath.

[nomorenomore08]

11. And all through the Bush years they accused Dems of being a "disloyal opposition" or some bullshit.

But when in American history, besides now, has the opposition Party been such a blatant threat to the well-being of the nation?

[Boomerproud]

17. Never.

n/t

[Bolo Boffin]

12. Perhaps the President could then borrow a line from Breaking Bad.

"My name is President Obama and you can go fuck yourselves."

[demwing]

16. Baracking Bad? /nt

[world wide wally]

13. Imagine for a minute, a country which always refused to raise the debt ceiling when

the current President wasn,t a member of the correct party.

Can you say "third world country"?

[Aldo Leopold]

14. Awesome, as usual. Love the Rude One; so

much better than that Will Pitt lad!

[Hulk]

18. Been saying this all along....SEDITIOUS TEA-JADISTS....ANARCHISTS

What is so hard to understand about those labels? They ARE fighting against the United States government; not just "the black man in the White House", but against everything this country stands for. The rule of law, protecting the weakest among us, and providing for all of it's citizens.

These anarchists are interested ONLY in tearing this government to shreds. Role back laws. Repealing Roe vs. Wade. Do away with public education; public postal system; public prison system; and the list goes on and on and on.

They ARE SEDITIOUS ANIMALS....and their methods are simple anarchy within the US government. They will try to destroy us from with-in...and we sit by and allow them to do it by NOT CALLING THEM OUT for what they are. Anarchists....seditious tea-jadists.

[maxrandb]

19. The problem with this scenario is that the Dems

didn't have enough crazy ass ideologues in Congress at the time to do something equivalent to blackmail and extortion. While a great many internet "left-wing" wingnuts would have applauded that idiocy (just as right-wing nutjobs are doing so now), there were simply too many reasonable and Constitution-loving Democrats in Congress to allow something so extreme to sniff the light of day.

Problem with the Repubs is that they have allowed their "Crazy Aunts" to run the show. It's all fucking "scorched earth" with the current crop of GOPers.

Sure, there have always been flame-throwers in both parties, and historically the saner heads in positions of leadership have ensured they had nothing but water in the tank. Today, you've got John Boehner and Eric Cantor loading the flamethrowers with NAPALM.

It's almost as if the nutbags are convinced that the only way to get what they want is through another Civil War...and they won't stop until they take us there.