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    CROmnibus: The $1 Trillion Betrayal

    December 11, 2014

    CROmnibus: The $1 Trillion Betrayal



    By James Simpson

    Flush from an unprecedented nationwide GOP victory in this November’s elections, House and Senate GOP leadership determined that their essential first course of action should be to snatch defeat from its jaws. They have brought forth a spending bill for 2015 that gives President Obama almost everything he wants, while disenfranchising the very voters who delivered the GOP victory.
    The $1.014 trillion Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, (HR 83), has been dubbed “CROmnibus” as it is a combined continuing resolution (CR)[1] and Omnibus spending bill. It will provide full funding for 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills to the end of FY 2015 (September 30th), and a short term continuing resolution to February 27 for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

    The 1,603 Page Cromnibus
    Speaker Boehner has said he would ensure members a minimum of 72 hours to read legislation. Instead, following former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s innovative “pass the bill so that you can find out what’s in it” policy, there will only be a tiny window of no more than 52 hours to read, analyze and vote on a trillion dollar spending bill that is 1,603 pages long. For reference, the Bible (NKJV) is only 1,200 pages. In 2010, incoming Speaker Boehner sang a different tune, “I do not believe that having 2,000-page bills on the House floor serves anyone’s best interests, not the House, not for the members and certainly not for the American people,” he said. But he also said he was going to cut spending…
    Well, since this monstrosity went public at around 8:30 Tuesday night, countless eyes have been poring over its provisions to make sure we don’t have to pass it to find out what’s in it. Following are some of the worst:
    1. Explanatory Statement
    Right from the start, the very first provision indicates this is a new animal:
    Sec. 4 Explanatory Statement (P 4.)
    The explanatory statement regarding this Act, printed in the House of Representatives section of the Congressional Record on or about December 11, 2014 by the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House, shall have the same effect with respect to the allocation of funds and implementation of divisions A through K of this Act as if it were a joint explanatory statement of a committee of conference.
    What it says in plain English is that the appropriations committee chairman will have authority to write in changes to any of the appropriations bills after the bill is passed. Usually this is done by a conference committee before the vote and indicates how and where they would like to see monies spent. This provision could allow the chairman to sneak in something or make other changes after the vote!
    2. Executive Amnesty Is Fully Funded
    The bill withholds funding for 451 separate activities, but none for executive amnesty. It provides at least $2.5 billion to handle this year’s influx of approximately 252,600 illegals. Most of the programs existed beforehand, but the legislation makes clear that increases have been provided to cover the additional costs:
    Health and Human Services: $948 million for HHS’s Unaccompanied Alien Children program, $80 million more than fiscal year 2014, specifically to accommodate the “more than 57,000 children” apprehended in 2014. According to the Democrats, “It will also support legal services for children as they seek safety in the United States from extreme violence and abuse in their home countries.” This mantra is part of the Democrats’ effort to reclassify illegal aliens as “refugees,” a classification they clearly do not warrant. See p. 34 of Democrat bill summary.
    Social Security: The following convoluted language actually gives illegals greater access to Social Security. By limiting denials to individuals whose actions have “formed the basis for a conviction…” implicitly everyone else is eligible, including those 4.5 million amnestied illegals:
    None of the funds appropriated in this Act shall be expended or obligated by the Commissioner of Social Security, for purposes of administering Social Security benefit payments under title II of the Social Security Act, to process any claim for credit for a quarter of coverage based on work performed under a social security account number that is not the claimant’s number and the performance of such work under such number has formed the basis for a conviction of the claimant of a violation of section 208(a)(6) or (7) of the Social Security Act. (PP. 958-959).
    Department of Education: “$14 million for grants to all State educational agencies within States with at least one county where 50 or more unaccompanied children have been released to sponsors since January 1, 2014…” (P. 910) Furthermore, local agencies will be given subgrants for “supplemental academic and non-academic services and supports to immigrant children and youth.”
    Department of State: $932 million. Includes a provision to assist Central American countries in improving their border security. (PP. 1303 -- 1306). No funds appear to be allocated specifically to this activity but the Democrats’ bill summary identifies $260 millionto respond to a surge of unaccompanied children from Central America coming to the U.S. The funds will be used to implement a prevention and response strategy focused on border security and the reintegration of migrants, as well as the causes of the migration, including programs to improve education and employment, support families, counter gangs, coyotes and drug cartels and professionalize police forces.” See p. 53.
    Note that the above does not refer to U.S. border security but that of Central American countries -- an absurd gesture. The three Northern Triangle states of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador facilitated this year’s migration. Their borders are much tighter than ours. If they wanted to shut them down, they could. Flush $260 million.
    Providing a short-term CR for DHS was supposed to make it appear that the GOP was going to challenge Obama’s illegal executive amnesty next year, because DHS agencies are to process new applicants under the executive order. But there is no language in the DHS CR defunding amnesty. Bill writers claimed they could not insert defund language into the DHS CR because affected programs are self-funded with user fees. Yet the bill had language restricting other user-fee based programs in other agencies. And if they couldn’t defund it now, how could they next year when the CR expires?
    Between now and February 27, Obama’s executive action is fully funded, and the CR expires after the program kicks in. Meanwhile, DHS is rushing to hire new personnel to process the illegals expected to apply for the amnesty. There were so many lies and deceptions in this exercise it was almost impossible to keep up.
    The GOP House leadership wants amnesty. Rep. Pete Sessions has said publicly that Republicans did not intend to repatriate the illegals who overwhelmed the border in 2014. Regarding any immigration “reform,” Sessions emphasized that the plan, “even in our wildest dream, would not be to remove any person that might be here, unless they were dangerous to this country and had committed a crime.” They structured the CROmnibus specifically to give Obama what he wants, allowing him to take the heat for it while they pretend to oppose it. Their real goal is to pass comprehensive immigration “reform” in 2015 that will look much like George W. Bush’s failed effort in 2007.
    The Daily Caller’s Neil Munro quoted a GOP Hill aide: “GOP leaders want to block and complicate the anti-amnesty fight because the GOP might win the fight against Obama… That victory would derail their plans for an GOP-designed amnesty in 2015, and complicate their efforts to keep immigration out of the 2016 election...”
    The Leadership’s amnesty goals defy all logic. Those illegals brought with them a dictionary of new diseases, including most likely, the Enterovirus outbreak responsible for at least 8 deaths and numerous cases of serious paralysis. Illegals commit heinous crimes in disproportionate numbers. A major reason the GOP swept elections nationwide is that most Americans -- including Democrats and Hispanic Americans -- do not like Obama’s open borders policies and want illegals sent home, not to remain here stealing jobs and overburdening our welfare system -- already stressed to the max. Poll after poll indicates this.
    On Wednesday, an amendment was proposed that would block funding for Obama’s executive amnesty. One of the amendment’s co-sponsors was Dave Brat, the Virginia legislator who threw Eric Cantor out of office. The amendment probably won’t get a fair hearing but good on him for trying.
    3. Full Funding for Obamacare
    Clever language says “no new funding” for Obamacare. But Obamacare was fully funded in the CR passed in September to keep the government open until December 11, including the contentious abortion funding and other issues. Now funding will be provided for the full fiscal year. This means no Obamacare repeal this year, and as it gradually sinks its tentacles into our Nation’s heart, it will be increasingly difficult to rip out. If a Republican becomes president in 2016, by then it will be so entrenched they won’t dare risk political capital to remove it. Difficult to believe, but the GOP Leadership appears to want Obamacare almost as much as the Democrats.
    4. Millions More Muslim Refugees
    Syrian Refugees $3.06 billion has been provided, $1.01 billion above the President’s request for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. (P. 52 Democrat summary). Recall that in September Simon Henshaw, deputy assistant secretary of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, announced: “Next year, you will see thousands [of Syrians] entering the US. We are committed to a large program on a par with other large [refugee resettlement] programs in the past… Our commitment is to do thousands a year over many years,” he said. There are over 1 million Syrian refugees in Turkey who have fled Syria’s civil war. “Our resettlement program from Turkey is one of our largest in the world, and it will continue to grow,” he added. Refugees from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran will also benefit. So if you like Dearbornistan, prepare for many more towns like it.
    5. Aid to Syrian Rebels
    Half a Billion to Nice Terrorists “$500,000,000 … to provide assistance, including training, equipment, supplies, sustainment and stipends, to appropriately vetted elements of the Syrian opposition and other appropriately vetted Syrian groups or individuals for the following purposes: defending the Syrian people from attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and securing territory controlled by the Syrian opposition; protecting the United States, its friends and allies, and the Syrian people from the threats posed by terrorists in Syria; and promoting the conditions for a negotiated settlement to end the conflict in Syria.”. Weren’t our friends in Libya “appropriately vetted” too? The bill denies use of these funds for “procurement or transfer of man portable air defense systems.” But how does DoD plan to enforce that? (PP 426-427).
    6. A Bunch More Objectionable Provisions

    • EPA gets to keep on imposing “greenhouse gas” regulations that are strangling coal, while provisions reining in EPA were stripped from the bill.
    • Provisions supporting gun rights were removed.
    • $5.4 billion for Ebola efforts in Africa -- more than provided to fight ISIS.
    • The bill contains phony budget gimmicks, but still violates spending caps
    • Too many others to list

    Club for Growth is urging all members of Congress to vote "NO” on the Cromnibus (HR 83), as is Heritage Action for America, the political action arm of the Heritage Foundation. Conservatives may have an unlikely ally in Senator Elizabeth Warren. Warren has become the Democrat’s latest folk hero following the ignoble flameout of Wendy “Abortion Barbie” Davis. Warren has called on Democrats to deny support until one objectionable provision regarding the Dodd-Frank law is removed. The Teamsters have weighed in as well, asking members not to support Cromnibus because of changes to multi-employer pension legislation. Both sides may be willing to consider a short term 90 day CR should the CROmnibus fail to pass, but the White House understandably prefers the monster.
    This bill sets horrible precedents; most importantly it blatantly dismisses overwhelming popular opposition to both executive amnesty and Obamacare. The GOP majority was elected to take action, and not the action preferred by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Obama and the Democrats, but that demanded by taxpaying voters. If allowed to stand, these two policies will rip our country apart and ensure that the GOP majority, as usual, is very short-lived.
    James Simpson is an economist, former White House budget analyst, businessman and investigative journalist. His articles have been published at American Thinker, Accuracy in Media, Breitbart, Washington Times, WorldNetDaily, and others. His regular column is DC Independent Examiner. Follow Jim on Twitter & Facebook

    [1] A continuing resolution simply funds the government at current levels for a certain specified period without making any programmatic changes.


    http://conservativebyte.com/2014/12/...lion-betrayal/




    Congress Passes $1.1 Trillion Spending Bill, President Promises to Sign







    Now we didn't really think anything would be different did we???


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    These 67 Republicans Patriots Voted “No” On RINO Boehner’s Omnibus Spending Bill | GOP The Daily Dose
    gopthedailydose.com



    These 67 Republicans Patriots Voted “No” On RINO Boehner’s Omnibus Spending Bill

    12 Dec 2014 Rick Wells

    0 3k 0


    The Good Guys, the list of names of those who voted against the “Sellout of the Sovereignty and Rights of the American People Act” or as the traitorous John Boehner mislabeled it, the Omnibus Spending package, reads like a who’s who of the House Conservative Caucus.
    No such conservative caucus exists at this time but the behavior of the now hopefully doomed Speaker Boehner has clearly demonstrated that one is desperately needed, or perhaps a viable third party.
    For those who value the Constitution and liberty, traditional values and the sovereignty of our nation, the names and faces of the patriotic Representatives are familiar.
    Rep Boehner (It sounds much more appropriate than calling him Speaker) made a deal with the devil and did his bidding, enlisting the help of Pelosi, Hoyer and other Democrat operatives to get the covenant passed. He may well rue the day he decided to engage in this treachery against his nation.
    We have been misled into thinking that we had Republican representation in the House. We have a trio of RINOs in Boehner, McCarthy and Scalise and all three must be held to account for ignoring the Constitution, the will of the American people and the rule of law in pursuit of their own self-serving deal making. Hal Rogers and Pete (not Jeff) Sessions are also complicit enemies of the people. Their careers should now be over and will be if we the people do our part as engaged and angry citizens.

    Our government has been hijacked by socialist radicals. The actions of the treasonous scum who have deliberately and blatantly violated the demands of the American citizens cannot be tolerated. They are subversive terrorists, violating not only their oaths but knowingly their responsibility to represent the citizens.
    On terrorist is particularly disgusting and vile. The low-life cry baby from Ohio, who’s fond of tanning booths and pink ties. He’s the biggest villain in all of this.
    List source @jamiedupree on Twitter
    Rick Wells is a conservative writer who recognizes that our nation, our Constitution and our traditions are under a full scale assault from multiple threats. Please “Like” him on Facebook, “Follow” him on Twitter or visit www.rickwells.us
    Share this:


    http://gopthedailydose.com/these-67-republicans-patriots-voted-no-on-rino-boehners-omnibus-spending-bill/





    Congress Votes at 3pm ET. Call NOW & Share Widely!

    Here's a script: "Hello. I am a constituent, and I'm asking you to vote NO on the Cromnibus.

    My biggest concern with the Cromnibus is Section 630, which is language written by Citigroup. It lowers costs for Wall Street at the expense of taxpayers.

    Don't side with Wall Street against Main Street. Please vote AGAINST the omnibus."





    Now is there any doubt on who they work for America????
    Last edited by kathyet2; 12-12-2014 at 11:52 AM.

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    Breaking Down the ‘Cromnibus’ Vote

    By Matt Fuller and Emma Dumain Posted at 11:48 p.m. on Dec. 11

    13
    ©Reprints

    Clyburn and 56 other Democrats backed the “cromnibus.” (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

    The House passed the cromnibus Thursday night 219-206, with 162 Republicans and 57 Democrats voting for the bill, and 67 Republicans and 139 Democrats voting against it. While the vote was close, the breakdown split along familiar lines. But there were some interesting trends and deviations in the vote.
    Leadership
    Republican leadership all voted for the bill, with Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana, GOP Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, and chief deputy whip Patrick T. McHenry of North Carolina all voting for the bill. Democrats, however, split. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra of California opposed the legislation, but Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, and James E. Clyburn of South Carolina voted for it.
    Appropriators
    Each Republican on the Appropriations Committee voted in favor of the cromnibus, but nine of the panel’s 22 Democrats voted “no.” Many of them are counted among the staunchest progressives in the caucus: Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and Barbara Lee of California. The committee’s top Democrat, Nita M. Lowey of New York, voted in favor of the measure despite her disappointment with many of the policy riders. Perhaps the biggest surprise “yes” vote from Appropriations Democrats came from Homeland Security subcommittee ranking member David E. Price of North Carolina, who told reporters the day before that he would be voting “no” because the cromnibus contained a short-term extension of DHS funding.
    Texas GOP
    While more than 70 percent of the GOP members who voted Thursday supported the legislation, only seven Texas Republicans endorsed the legislation. John Culberson, John Carter and Kay Granger, who are all appropriations cardinals, voted for the bill, as did Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, Rules Chairman Pete Sessions, incoming-Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry, and Kevin Brady.
    Louie Gohmert, Ted Poe, Sam Johnson, Joe L. Barton, Randy Weber, incoming-Republican Study Committee Chairman Bill Flores, Randy Neugebauer, Pete Olson, Kenny Marchant, Roger Williams, Michael Burgess, Blake Farenthold and Science, Space and Technology Chairman Lamar Smith all voted against it.
    Outgoing-Reps. Ralph Hall and Steve Stockman did not vote, nor did Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling.
    Miscellaneous
    Rep. Nick J. Rahall II, D-W.Va. Departing members of Congress have little to lose if they aren’t gunning for other jobs in politics or some political comeback, but many of the fiscally conservative House Democrats who lost re-election in November didn’t feel compelled to change their voting behaviors now that they were no longer fighting to keep their seats. In one of the biggest surprises of the night, Rahall joined with more liberal factions of the caucus and voted against the cromnibus, a position he might not have taken had the bill come up earlier in the election cycle.
    Rep. George Miller, D-Calif. While Pelosi was railing against the cromnibus and trying to use her leverage for a better deal — bucking the White House, with whom she has typically had a good relationship, in the process — she had plenty of allies by her side. But Miller, Pelosi’s closest confidante and counselor, ultimately voted “yes.” It likely had to do with the fact that the underlying spending package included an amendment related to pensions, which he had helped facilitate. But it was a striking moment for Miller to break away from Pelosi: It was the retiring congressman’s second-to-last vote as a member of the House.
    Reps. Linda T. Sánchez, D-Calif., and G. K. Butterfield, D-N.C. The incoming chairs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus, respectively, had to prove their progressive bonafides in this vote, which quickly escalated into an “us” versus “them” paradigm. They each voted “no.”
    Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn. Progressive outside groups worked themselves up into a frenzy when it looked like Himes was on the short-list to be the next chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. A former Goldman Sachs investment banker, he’s been scrutinized for having close ties with Wall Street and taking substantial campaign contributions from the financial sector. His vote in favor of the cromnibus might be put into liberal activists’ files, as it was perceived by those on the left as a cave to big banks, given the policy rider to roll back portions of “Dodd-Frank.” Jamie Dimon, the CEO of J.P. Morgan Chase, was even making calls to House Democrats to shore up support for the bill.
    Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla. It was Yoho’s bill that would block the executive action on immigration that was passed last week by the House, and perhaps that was the key to his support of the cromnibus overall. Yoho has consistently been one of the more conservative voices in the House. But leadership giving him a vote on his bill might have placated his desires.
    Reps. Kerry Bentivolio, R-Mich., and Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind. These two lawmakers were responsible for helping GOP leadership clear the procedural hurdle on Thursday morning that was necessary to bring the cromnibus up for full consideration later in the day. Bentivolio, who lost his re-election bid, changed his vote on the rule at the very last minute despite boos from his peers, telling CQ Roll Call later that he wanted a chance to vote “no” on the cromnibus later. Stutzman, meanwhile, released a statement saying he agreed to vote against the rule because leadership promised him the cromnibus was dead and a short-term continuing resolution would be brought to the floor in its place. Both voted “no” in the end.
    Bridget Bowman contributed to this report.

    Related:
    Obama, Hoyer Split With Pelosi on ‘Cromnibus’ (Video)
    Nail-Biting Vote Moves ‘Cromnibus’ Closer to House Passage (Video)
    ‘Cromnibus’ Strains GOP Principles on Open Process
    Democrats’ Discontent on ‘Cromnibus’ Bubbles to Surface
    Lawmakers Release Massive ‘Cromnibus’ 2 Days Ahead of Shutdown
    Hensarling Looks to Claim New Role: Deal-Maker
    Pelosi Warns GOP: Tread Carefully With ‘Cromnibus’
    House GOP Votes to Undermine Obama Executive Immigration Orders
    Boehner Suggests He Won’t Cave to Conservatives on ‘Cromnibus’
    Labrador: Shutdown Didn’t Hurt GOP, Why Take It Off Table?
    GOP Still Fuzzy on Strategy to Block Obama’s Immigration Move
    Roll Call Results Map: Results and District Profiles for Every Seat
    The 114th: CQ Roll Call’s Guide to the New Congress
    Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call in your inbox or on your iPhone.

    http://launch.newsinc.com/share.html?trackingGroup=91805&siteSection=rollcal l_nws_non_sty_dynamic&videoId=28251598



    http://blogs.rollcall.com/218/cromni...ats-voted-yes/


    Oh the were so heartbroken....I bet!!!! They passed another big bill against the American people, me thinks it is another bill you have to pass to read!!!!

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    #THISISWHYWELOSE: With Cromnibus Passed, Boehner Surrenders All Leverage Thru 2015






    Posted on December 12, 2014

    In effect, Speaker Boehner essentially surrendered the majority which the American people gave the House GOP and with it, the greatest leverage — the power of the purse.
    Well, the “cromnibus” monster spending bill passed last night, and President Obama and Vice President Biden worked hard to get Democrat support — which they did not receive.
    The funding measure passed and in doing so, the new incoming GOP majority will have little to no say in funding measures through the entire year — basically half of the new GOP majority Congress. A better approach would have been to execute a continuing resolution (CR) that went into February and then do appropriations by agency, funding what is essential by priority. Instead Obamacare is funded through October next year and funding to President Obama’s illegal immigration executive action — $2.5 billion. However, Speaker Boehner has declared that next February Congress will take up the illegal immigration fight, since the DHS is only funded through February. Whoopee.
    In effect Speaker Boehner essentially surrendered the majority which the American people gave the House GOP and with it, the greatest leverage — the power of the purse. Some 1,800 pages, no doubt including pork, has passed which most did not read.
    And what if the gambit Speaker Boehner has doesn’t work out next February? That’s the question The Hill asks, writing, “Even if Republicans shut down the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) next year, President Obama could still carry out his executive actions giving legal status to up to 5 million undocumented immigrants. Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other GOP leaders have punted the funding fight over Obama’s immigration action to February, arguing their new majority will have more leverage to stop the plan dead in its tracks.”
    Read more: Allen B West



    http://clashdaily.com/2014/12/thisis...age-thru-2015/

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    With Cromnibus passed, Boehner surrenders all leverage through 2015

    Written by Allen West on December 12, 2014







    Well, the “cromnibus” monster spending bill passed last night, and President Obama and Vice President Biden worked hard to get Democrat support — which they did not receive.

    The funding measure passed and in doing so, the new incoming GOP majority will have little to no say in funding measures through the entire year — basically half of the new GOP majority Congress. A better approach would have been to execute a continuing resolution (CR) that went into February and then do appropriations by agency, funding what is essential by priority. Instead Obamacare is funded through October next year and funding to President Obama’s illegal immigration executive action — $2.5 billion. However, Speaker Boehner has declared that next February Congress will take up the illegal immigration fight, since the DHS is only funded through February. Whoopee.

    In effect Speaker Boehner essentially surrendered the majority which the American people gave the House GOP and with it, the greatest leverage — the power of the purse. Some 1,800 pages, no doubt including pork, has passed which most did not read.

    And what if the gambit Speaker Boehner has doesn’t work out next February? That’s the question The Hill asks, writing, “Even if Republicans shut down the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) next year, President Obama could still carry out his executive actions giving legal status to up to 5 million undocumented immigrants. Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other GOP leaders have punted the funding fight over Obama’s immigration action to February, arguing their new majority will have more leverage to stop the plan dead in its tracks.”

    “But it’s unclear how much weight the threat of withholding funding would carry. Eighty-five percent of DHS employees continued to work during last year’s 16-day shutdown because they were funded with mandatory funds or deemed “essential” to national security or public safety, according to figures the Congressional Research Service (CRS) tracked down for GOP lawmakers. Only 15 percent of DHS employees were furloughed in last year’s shutdown, the CRS found. On top of that, some 90 percent of the department’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency key to implementing Obama’s executive action, continued operating.”

    “Some rank-and-file Republicans are worried that Obama could declare all DHS workers “essential” and keep them on the job — then simply pay them once a funding deal is reached. “People will vote for [the funding package] and feel that they may have some real advantage in February, but it may not happen that way,” one House Republican who has studied the CRS figures told The Hill.”

    So it seems funding DHS only to next February with the “promise” to take on President Obama’s executive action appears to be a ruse. And if that ends up being the case, then the GOP has completely lost any leverage for an entire year — a critical year because we all know nothing will be done in 2016, a presidential election year.

    Once again, the game of politics has defeated sound fiscal policy, and who knows what dirty little secrets are hidden in those nearly 1,800 pages — which was just dropped Tuesday and voted upon Thursday evening. Does anyone believe every single Member of the US House of Representatives read that spending measure? If you do, well, there is some prime farmland just west of me here in Palm Beach Gardens.
    But why? Why in a lame duck session would Speaker Boehner sacrifice the best leverage point the GOP majority in the House would have? Why would he surrender the electoral mandate he was given, which included the power of the purse? Whose side is he really on? That question must be answered.

    And as The Hill pointed out if the administration deems the USCIS as “essential” for national security, it can’t be defunded anyway, and that’s the basis for implementation of the unlawful executive order on immigration by Obama in the first place. If this ends up being the case, then Speaker Boehner will either look like someone who has been politically outmaneuvered — or worse, someone complicit in Obama’s scheme. Neither is good but the latter is worse.

    Of course the Speaker Boehner cheering squad is hard at work, “If you’re gonna start a bar fight, start it when you’ve got as many friends in the bar as you can possibly have. Why would you start it now?” Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a close Boehner ally, told The Hill on Wednesday. A GOP leadership aide rejected the concerns from rank-and-file Republicans, insisting that the party has an “array of legislative and legal options” they will pursue next year to stop the president. The aide declined to specify what those options are.”

    This is not about starting a bar fight but rather what we call in the military setting the conditions — shaping operations — in preparation for the decisive operation.

    “Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas), a top House appropriator, expressed confidence Republicans could take up legislation to target and defund Obama’s executive action in the new year. He cast aside concerns from some fellow Republicans that the USCIS is funded through fees rather than congressional appropriations, saying all of the agency’s money “has to come through Congress, has to come through the Appropriations Committee.” “With reinforcements coming over the hill in January, I’m really optimistic we’ll be able to stop [Obama],” Culberson, an incoming Appropriations subcommittee chairman, said in an interview.”

    “But there’s one catch: any bills Republicans pass to block Obama’s immigration action are sure to meet a presidential veto. And if Republicans refuse to fund the DHS at the end of February, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson would have wide discretion in deciding which of his nearly quarter million employees should be deemed “essential.” That’s called, check and checkmate!

    Not even one month past the midterm election, the GOP wrote up a massive spending measure and passed it in the House they controlled. It seems Republicans didn’t get the memo from the voters — and right now, they seem no different from the big government progressive socialists.




    http://allenbwest.com/2014/12/cromni...leverage-2015/

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    Hey America were bi-partisan!! It is called getting along. aren't you pleased?

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    Our latest is on Upworthy! The budget bill, which is packed with new political money loopholes and special interest giveaways, is headed to the Senate NOW. There's still time to take action — Share to help spread the word!



    The House Just Passed A 1,603-Page Bill. Here Are Some Of The Awful Things They Hid In It.
    Upworthy


    As Congress scrambles to pass a last-minute budget deal, let's take a look at a few things they probably won't be bragging about.


    The House Just Passed A 1,603-Page Bill. Here Are Some Of The Awful Things They Hid In It.

    Curator: Mansur Gidfar


    Fact Checked

    FACTS!

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    If we discover that something less-than-facty slipped through the cracks, we’ll always be up front with you. Check our corrections page for more information.


    As Congress scrambles to pass a last-minute budget deal, let's take a look at a few things they probably won't be bragging about.


    • Like Upworthy on Facebook


    Earlier this week, congressional leaders struck a deal to avert another government shutdown and put off our next completely avoidable, 100% self-imposed budget crisis until next September. The deal has the backing of the White House, passed the House of Representatives on Thursday night, and appears to be well on its way to becoming law.


    There's just one problem: The bill is absolutely packed with riders that have nothing to do with the budget and everything to do with paying back special interests and opening more channels for political money to flow directly to the two major political parties.

    Since this 1,600-page bill was released on Tuesday night and I'm not a sorcerer, I can't list every single one of those things just yet. But I can highlight the five most awful ones I've come across so far.

    It's all mapped out in this video, and again in the transcript below in case you prefer your budget analysis in article form and/or don't want to get busted watching YouTube videos at work. (Just click "show transcript.")


    5 Awful Things Congress Snuck Into the Omnibus Budget Deal


    Represent.Us" height="48" width="48"> Represent.Us
    Published on Dec 11, 2014
    As Congress scrambles to pass a last minute budget deal, we took a look at a few things they probably won't be bragging about.

    A full transcript of this video, complete with linked sources, is available at http://bulletin.represent.us/5-awful-...


    http://www.upworthy.com/the-house-ju...d-in-it?c=rpu1





    Last edited by kathyet2; 12-12-2014 at 05:13 PM.

  8. #8
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    Thanks for Nothing, Congress




    Thanks for Nothing, Congress

    NextNewsNetwork


    Published on Dec 12, 2014
    “Thank you and Merry Christmas.” That’s the way House Speaker John Boehner ended his speech Thursday night, as the House cast their TRILLION dollar spending bill to narrowly avoided government shutdown. Thanks for nothing, is more like it.

    Politicians who had all year to sit down and hash out a spending compromise, put that crucial task off until the last minute. Then, a handful of them went into a back room and came out with a 16 hundred page doorstop loaded with all sorts of junk. And they expected members, almost none of whom had the chance to read the bill, to vote up or down. All year, and with less than three hours left before shutdown, they pull this out of their hats, an inferior plan, loaded with unmistakable poison pills and extremely controversial law reversals. No wonder the latest AP poll shows only 13 percent of the public thinks the TWO parties can find a way to work together.

    Now, that’s not to say there aren’t good people in politics. There are several people who show signs of good will and intelligence in DC, from BOTH parties. But, it seems there aren’t enough of them to get anything serious done. By themselves, they cannot overcome all the years of inertia, imposed by sellout politicians, chained by corporate lobbyists and dark money. And their knee-jerk reaction constituencies - all whipped up by their respective media enablers.

    The rest of us are left to wonder how this pathetic gridlock will be fixed. The voters have been turning over partisan control of Congress every few years for awhile now, but still - business as usual. Nothing seems to change. Putting one party in charge of both legislative and executive branches just never seems like a good idea. It may be, we have to look elsewhere for real political leadership. Maybe closer to home. We’re starving for something. But Washington DC keeps lurching along, our national albatross. A nice place to visit, but a terrible place to make your bed.

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    Last edited by kathyet2; 12-12-2014 at 05:12 PM.

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  10. #10
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    Random Thoughts

    Perhaps you will find something interesting here.

    Sunday, December 14, 2014

    An Open Apology to Speaker Boehner and the Republican Party



    Over the past couple of days I have been highly critical of the Republican Party, especially Speaker Boehner and the Missouri delegation in the US House. I have been doing a lot of thinking about that, and it is time for me to apologize.
    Before I do that, let me remind readers of this blog of two things I have been saying for quite some time. The first is that I have been on something of a learning curve regarding politics, especially local politics and the Republican Party. The second is that I have been on a mission to reform the Republican Party, back to what I consider its ideological roots of limited government and individual liberty and fiscal responsibility.
    I will always continue learning but this phase of my education is pretty much complete. I have a good idea about a great many things that I did not fully understand before. As for my mission to reform the Republican Party, that mission has now come to a close.
    Our government has now passed a massive $1 trillion Omnibus Spending Bill championed by Speaker Boehner, who had to call on President Obama to help him get it passed. The bill includes an incredible amount of pork and goodies for people on Wall Street and K-Street. It provides money for a tourism business in Las Vegas to promote gambling. It provides protection for Wall Street for investments in risky derivatives trading. It provides relief for ex-pat health insurance providers from the devastating effects of Obamacare (but no relief for you or me).



    It does not stop Obamacare or stop the President from acting unilaterally on Immigration.
    This Omnibus Bill funds the government through next September, and avoids a shutdown. It also continues spending at levels that far outpace revenues. It does nothing to address the $18 trillion in federal debt, and will not even cut the deficit.




    There were no town hall meetings for voters to carefully consider this bill. Even lawmakers had less than 48 hours to consider it, despite the fact that everyone knew this deadline was coming for many months and there was plenty of time to work something out that could be more carefully considered. All of that was done on purpose, specifically so voters and lawmakers would not have time to consider the bill or voice objections, and so lawmakers would be pressured to pass the bill or shut down the government.



    Like many others I have been furious at lawmakers but especially Speaker Boehner for pushing through such a monstrous bill in this manner, and have taken them to task on social media for not passing a short term CR to continue the status quo until the new Congress that was just voted in could convene. They could have properly funded the government one piece at a time with 12 or more bills to fund each section of the government one at a time without pork and secrecy and the pressure of last minute deadlines.



    Instead people like Mary Landrieu and others who were just rejected by voters got to make the decision instead. How convenient.
    Speaker Boehner said yesterday that he didn’t want to do it this way, either. He said that he would have preferred to do it the right way but his hands were tied. The Speaker of the House said he had no control over the bill that has been labeled the Boehner Omnibus Spending Bill, the one that he lobbied for and had to bring in the president to help sell, since there was so much opposition.



    Speaker Boehner, I apologize. I am sorry for assuming that you wanted your own Omnibus Bill. More importantly Mr. Speaker, I want to apologize for trying to change you and your party. I realize that people like me have been more or less unwanted guests in the Republican Party, and for that I apologize. The stupid libertarians and Tea Partiers have been trying to change a Party that was just fine being what it was. You are the head of the Republican Party and you are not interested in changing.
    My apologies as well to Mitch and Reince and all of the leaders of a party that have no interest in smaller government or cutting spending or fiscal responsibility. I am sorry for not understanding that these Omnibus Bills are just the way you work to get the things you want. I am sorry for trying to change people who do not want to be changed.



    My apologies to Congresswoman Ann Wagner for not understanding the value of the PORK that this bill brings home to your district. After watching you crow about bringing jobs to your area and business to your constituent Boeing I now realize this is exactly what you wanted and you could care less about any small government or national debt concerns of mine. Oink, Oink.
    I want to apologize to my Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer for not realizing that you represent John Boehner in the House of Representatives. I am also sorry for not realizing that the 1% or 2% cuts in the projected growth of a couple of programs is actually fiscal conservatism. My bad. I am sorry for not realizing that you are pro-business, not pro-free markets. I did not understand that you had no intention of cutting spending, just cutting deals for cronies.
    I want to apologize to Jason Smith for being surprised that he did not vote against this Omnibus Bill. I am sorry for not realizing that you also did not like this bill but that you had very limited choices and all you could do was vote for this lessor of evils. Like Speaker Boehner, your hands were tied and you could not join 67 other Republicans in the House by voting NO.



    I want to apologize to all of the Republicans in Washington for not believing you when you say that kicking the can down the road is the best way to solve the problem. I am sorry for thinking that the best time to do the right thing is now, not in September. Forgive me for cynically thinking that next September will come and you will produce another Omnibus monstrosity right before the deadline with little time for it to be fully considered.



    I want to apologize to my grandchildren and great grandchildren for sitting here like Speaker Boehner and Congressman Smith, claiming that my hands are tied and there is nothing I can do. I apologize for the debt that was just handed to you to pay. I am sorry that we are leaving you with a country that is worse than the one that we inherited.
    I am sorry for trying to change a Republican Party that does not want to change. This party is quite comfortable being the party of rich crony businessmen. The Republicans in Washington do not want to balance the budget or reduce the debt, and I am sorry for thinking I could change that.



    I am sorry for trying to bring my ideas of limited government and fiscal conservatism and free market competition and individual liberty to the party of big business and big government and authoritarianism. Republicans don’t favor individual liberty or free markets or any of the other libertarian ideas of Justin Amash or Rand Paul. John Boehner hates the Tea Party with their idea of limited taxation.
    Republicans need to be left to themselves, to be funded by their big donors, just like the Democrats. I will now stop being a thorn in their side, and I will stop trying to change the party from the inside or the outside. Instead, they can have their party. It does not represent me and they are not going to change. Anyone who believes that they are going to suddenly address tough issues somewhere down the road is mistaken. It won’t happen in January or September or in 2016, because it is not going to happen.




    I don’t really know where I will go from here. It may be time for a new third party. It may be time to look at the Libertarian Party. Obviously I am no Democrat. It may be that my learning curve will just continue down a different path. I am not done; I am just done with trying to change people that do not wish to be changed.
    I have met some great people in the last couple of years. If you are one of my new liberty-minded friends please know that you are still my friend and I will still support those good people and ideas that I have been supporting. There are a lot of good people and important things going on here at the local level. But changing the Republican Party has just been scratched off my list of goals.
    Sorry.


    http://rakestrawjeff.blogspot.com/20...r-and.html?m=1

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