Republicans Demand Two-Month, Taxpayer-Funded Recess After Election

[Amerigo Vespucci]

(edited for copyright purposes-proud patriot Moderator Democratic Underground)

VACATION, ALL THEY EVER WANTED

Republicans Demand Two-Month, Taxpayer-Funded Recess After Election



First Posted: 08- 9-10 12:35 PM | Updated: 08- 9-10 12:35 PM

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/09/gop-to-introduce-lame-duc_n_675630.html

House Republicans are going forward with plans to introduce a resolution on Tuesday to prohibit the House of Representatives from assembling during the two-month period following the November elections.

A GOP leadership aide confirmed to the Huffington Post that the resolution, authored by Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) for the purposes of preventing Democrats from passing legislative items during the lame-duck session, would be introduced before the House passes additional Medicaid and teacher funding. The aide argued that comments on Sunday by Carol Browner, the White House's top energy and environmental adviser, suggesting that energy legislation could be considered during the so-called lame duck period, proved that the resolution was pertinent.

And yet, Price's resolution appears likely to produce nothing more than Kabuki theater -- which that Democrats aren't necessarily averse to enjoying. For starters, the procedural process by which the issue will play out appears pre-ordained. Because he is introducing a privileged resolution, Democrats can't table Price's gambit from the get-go. Rather, the chair is going to rule that it is "out of order." Price will appeal the ruling, after which members will vote on the chair's ruling (not the resolution itself).

The issue, at that point, will be resolved. The majority will side with the chair. The political drama around the lame-duck session will, undoubtedly, remain.

But even then it's not entirely clear what Price's resolution accomplishes. Certainly, it's a procedural maneuver that will please the conservative base. Freedom Works, the moneyed organization behind the Tea Party movement, has been pushing Price's resolution on its website. And former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has been touting the need to shut Congress down after the elections. (snip)

[lame54]

1. Let's give him a permanent vacation

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Kinda countin' their lame-ducks before they hatch, ain't they?

[gratuitous]

3. These are the same folks who impeached Clinton in a lame duck session, aren't they?

Yeah, it's kabuki theater, designed to throw some red meat to their base (Why don't Democrats ever feel the need to pander to the liberals, just a little?). But you can bet that the popular media will run with this, buying the Republican angle hook, line and stinker about just how horrible it is to contemplate that Congress will meet for the entirety of their session rather than knock off a couple of months early. They will, of course, not remember that Newtie cast his last vote before resigning in disgrace to impeach President Clinton. In fact, they'll invite Gingrich on all the talk shows to weigh in on just how horrible it would be for Congress to meet in a post-election session. And nary a word will be breathed about December 1998.

[trotsky]

4. This would seem to indicate they're pretty confident about taking the House this fall.

Sure as hell hope that doesn't happen.

[DJ13]

5. I would have thought they would love the chance

to vote on the recommendations of the cat food commission while the possible Dem (and several Repugs) lame ducks would vote for them since they wouldnt have to worry about reelection.

If they dont vote on that during the lame duck session it wont pass.

Hmm......

[leftofcool]

6. Ya'll need 2 months to spend our money in the bondage bars?

[derby378]

7. Fuck the poor, they're not worth us staying in session, anyway

Geez, I am so glad I escaped the GOP when I had the chance.

[MO_Dem]

8. They wanna shut down the government ALREADY?

Don't they know they have to win a BUNCH of elections first!

Edited punctuation