The other day, the House GOP decided it would “streamline” the process for 169 political appointees and say the Senate does not need to hold confirmation hearings for them. Ignore the relative importance of each of those 169 positions. This “streamlining” is just plain unconstitutional. The Constitution is SUCH a pain, right? The thing about that little document is it gives powers to different branches of government for different reasons, and those branches have a duty to uphold and maintain those powers.
What the House GOP did was damaging and reckless. The abandoned their constitutional duties for what? Not having a political fight with Obama? What liberals would be so generous if they happen to hold Congress and a Republican is President? Newsflash: the liberals want power. They fight for every inch of it on every issue, whether it is judicial nominees under President Bush or trying to ban the use of baby formula in NYC hospitals. They don’t care what the issue is; they don’t care the cabinet post, the agency post . . . they will extract every political point out of it like drawing water from a rock. This is what our side doesn’t get. I retweeted this story when it came out from @trscoop and very little on our side took notice. And we wonder why we lose.
Now you may think I am nuts for harping on this, but if we don’t take the small hills like this, how do we think we are going to take the bigger ones like Obamacare, turning back spending, fixing the SCOTUS, etc? The war for this country, what is left of it, is about turning back and defending these small powers like approving political appointees. Democrats would never, EVER do this if the roles were reversed with Romney. They would plot and scheme and try to extract something from Romney in return for getting these appointees passed, and that is exactly what the GOP should have done to Obama and Reid. This is how you keep tax rates the same, this is how you get the Keystone Pipeline approved; you get it by playing hardball.
I know it’s tough to get your neighbor worked up about Congress giving up constitutional powers, because you can’t say it in two sentences. But if you don’t, then what the hell have we been fighting for? We all claim at events and rallies that we are fighting to restore the Constitution. Great. Then when the House abdicates its constitutional powers, we need to pitch a giant hissy fit. We ought to be furious when Obama appoints NLRB appointees when the Senate is not in recess. If we mean anything that we have been blogging about, rallying about, and tweeting about, then get upset about this issue.
Get mad about the small slashes at the Constitution, or there won’t be one left to defend when it’s all shredded on the floor.
First they came for small sections of the Constitution,
and I didn’t speak out because I thought it wasn’t a big deal.
Then they took all of it,
and there was nothing left to speak out for.
I am sorely disappointed at this. If the Tea Party is paying attention, then they need to make an issue of this and see whether or not some in their caucus were for this, then ask them what were they thinking?
So was I too many people let these issues pass without much fanfare where they should.
Hey, cut us some slack. I know as a member of Congress with one of, if not the, lowest approval ratings, generally labeled as “do nothing,” I often find myself asking, “What other responsibilities of governance can we just take a pass on?” I mean we already have to get up out of our seat and walk clear across the room to vote! Well, not ALL of the time, but, you know, sometimes. And those C-SPAN cameras? They are always on! Seriously, it’s like working in the Big Brother House only without the booze and floozies. Ok, so, yes, I admit it, some of us have shown up a little blitzed sometimes, but, hey, who hasn’t? Still, no young women with ambiguous at best morals lounging around in swimwear, so, my point remains valid. Anyway, I seem to have lost my train of thought there… ah yes, I remember! Low blow. Charles, low blow. You don’t see me telling me how to do your job, do you? No! There are countless un-elected federal bureaus to do that for me. Hmm… that may not have been constructive to my defense. Oh well. I really shouldn’t be writing this anyway, there’s an important piece of legislation being debated right now and I should be listening so as to make an informed vote. Fortunately for me, it doesn’t really matter how I vote; it’s not like those bums in the Senate will ever pass anything anyway.
IT WAS ALWAYS TIME TO SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF FOR THOSE
OF US THAT KNEW RESPONSIBILITY!
OH AND BY THE WAY, THE SAYING CONTINUED TO SAY FOR THOSE
TOO YOUNG OR LACK THE MENTAL ABILITY FOR THOSETHAT DON’T REMEMBER, AND EVERYTHING IS SMALL STUFF. HEY TODAY IT’S SH*T HAPPENS DOESN’T IT ALWAYS.
WHEN YOU LET SH*T HAPPEN, IT COSTS AND PEOPLE EVEN DIE.
FROM THOSE OF US THAT DID THE THINGS THAT EVERYONE ELSE
THINKS ABOUT TO STAY UNINVOLVED AND STILL BE ABLE TO WAVE
THEIR LITTLE FLAG AND SAY, I’M A PROUD AMERICAN…
DRSANGLE
LET ME JUST GIVE A LITTLE OLD INSIGHT, THE “LEAVE A MESSAGE, I’LL
GET BACK WITH YOU, THE TWEETS, THE FACE BOOK AND EVEN THE
EMAILS EVERYONE WANTS YOU TO WRITE DOES NOT WORK AND
IT IS NOT COMMUNICATING.
I EVEN SEE ON HERE, THERE IS NO EMAIL OR OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION.
OH, I FORGOT, IT’S DIFFERENT NOW.
HOW’S THAT WORKING FOR YOU?
DRSANGLE
I’ll immediately grab your rss as I can’t find your e-mail subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.