Tag Archives: GOTP
An Open Letter
Forty-seven Republican Tea Party (GOTP) members of the United States Senate have written an open letter to the leadership of Iran.
Why?
To undermine the legitimacy of the President of the United States and his Constitutional authority to conduct foreign policy for, and in behalf of, the United States.
The 47 GOTP Senators – aka the Gang of 47 – are led by a very freshman senator from Arkansas, Senator Tom Cotton, who is so new to the Senate he probably has to still ask directions to the men’s room. Like other brash junior GOTP senators – think Cruz, Rubio and Paul – Cotton is walking around shooting from the political hip and shooting himself in the foot, and a whole lot of his associates in the majority party. He has not taken the time to learn what the Senate does, nor what its role and responsivities are under Article I of the Constitution. It appears doubtful the freshman senator has ever read the Constitution, and if he has he certainly does not understand it. The Senate, for example, does not have purview over foreign relations except when the Executive sends it a treaty – after it has been negotiated – to ratify. Utilizing its Constitutional power of “advice and consent” it may debate and wrangle with the President concerning the treaty, but it may not negotiate with foreign countries. In fact, it is against federal law for the Senate to contact foreign countries and discuss foreign policy in any way, shape of form.
In 1798, a state legislator – George Logan – from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania took it upon himself to privately negotiate with France during a period of United States history known as the “Quasi War.” The Federalist members of Congress were so angered by Logan’s self-appointed mission, they passed the Logan Act in January of 1799.
The Act simply states, “Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.”
Not only have the Gang of 47 committed a huge act of overreach of its authority, it is also clearly in violation of the Logan Act. The little group has committed one of the greatest political acts of stupidity possibly in the annals of the United States Senate.
Although it should be abundantly clear to anyone the Senators in question had no authority to send any kind of correspondence to the leaders of another country, just in case anyone still thinks the Congress has the right to interfere, let us remove all lingering doubt.
The Supreme Court in 1936 ruled in United States v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp. (1936), “[T]he President alone has the power to speak or listen as a representative of the nation. He makes treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate; but he alone negotiates. Into the field of negotiation the Senate cannot intrude, and Congress itself is powerless to invade it.” The Senate “cannot intrude” and the Congress “is powerless.”
Technically, the President could ask the Justice Department to investigate whether the Gang of 47 committed any crime with its letter and could seek prosecution. Probably not something the President will do. The real problem for these GOTP members of the Senate is they look like rank amateurs and fools and have made their country look foolish as well.
Additionally, there is a very real political problem will be for those members of the Gang of 47 who have Presidential aspirations. Senators Ted Cruz (who can never be president), Marco Rubio and Rand Paul have all just proven – beyond a shadow of a doubt – their foreign affairs experience is somewhere between pre-K and Second Grade. One day these very junior senators will have to debate some adults, and when they do this letter will come back and bite them very deservedly in their political buttocks.
One last bit of reality for the Gang of 47 – and its groupies. The ongoing negotiations with Iran are not bilateral – meaning between the United States and Iran – but are multilateral. The United States is one of half a dozen nations negotiating Iran’s nuclear future. Currently involved in the discussions – besides the United States – are Great Britain, China, Russia, France and Germany, under the auspices of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons or NPT, and as such any agreement could only be changed, or nullified, if all the signatories agreed to do so, not simply if the United States Congress, or some future GOTP President decided to so. The NPT became part of international law in 1970, being extended indefinitely in 1995. Any agreement reached through the negotiations would be a United Nations’ Security Council Resolution, and not something any future U.S. President or any member of the Congress has the authority to undo.
Maybe next time Senator Cotton thinks he needs to write a letter – along with his buddies – to another country’s leaders he’ll ask a responsible adult if it’s OK first.
Rand Paul begins top secret investigation into imaginary IRS memo
According to news reports, Republican Tea Party (GOTP) Senator Rand Paul (KY) has claimed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had a “written policy” saying agency officials were “targeting people who were opposed to the president.”
“And when that comes forward, we need to know who wrote the policy and who approved the policy,” the Senator told CNN.
When asked for details, the junior Kentucky senator revealed he actually had no evidence of this memo, and he’d only “heard” about it. Of course, I’m not sure the voices in your head actually count in Congressional hearings as evidence or even leads.
“Well, we keep hearing the reports and we have several specifically worded items saying who was being targeted. In fact, one of the bullet points says those who are critical of the president,” Paul said. “So I don’t know if that comes from a policy, but that’s what’s being reported in the press and reported orally. I haven’t seen a policy statement, but I think we need to see that.”
The Senator’s Brain Captain later confirmed Paul’s been conducting a very hush-hush “in depth” investigation with the White Rabbit and Godzilla, and that they’re going to get to the bottom of all this.
With all due respect the very junior Senator from Kentucky is an idiot who’s trying to make a name for himself with the uber-right to position himself for 2016; please run Senator Rand, please run.
Congress to cut SNAP?
According to the Associated Press (AP), the Republican Tea Party (GOTP) controlled House Agriculture Committee’s beginning to throw together a farm bill cutting $2.5 billion in food aid, because feeding the poor has become “too expensive”.
The proposed legislation would cut roughly 3 percent from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), achieving the cuts by eliminating “broad-based categorical eligibility,” or automatic food stamp benefits when people sign up for other programs, which more than 47 million people used last year, or about 1 in 7 Americans; because of the additional numbers needing help the cost has more than doubled since 2008 due in a large part to the economic downturn caused by the disastrous economic policies of the Bush/Cheney presidency.
God fearing Christian Conservative members of Congress have repeatedly attacked the President for daring to care for the poor by expanding SNAP, and many of those same white bread House members are refusing to consider a farm bill without cuts to food stamps. Clearly they don’t read the parts of the Bible where Christ said things like, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
“I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
“Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
“Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”
Funny how conservatives repeatedly thump their Bibles when opposing same-sex marriage, which by-the-way isn’t mentioned anywhere in all of scripture, but then conveniently forget about their Bibles when making cuts to programs helping the poor.
GOTP House’s refusal to fix budget stops funding for tuition assistance for troops
According to the Army News Service funding for tuition assistance has fallen as a casualty of the ongoing budget sequester battle between the Republican Tea Party (GOTP) controlled House and the President; as a result, soldiers cannot submit new requests for tuition assistance, according to LTG Howard B. Bromberg, deputy chief of staff, G-1.
Approval for the tuition assistance (TA), stoppage came from Secretary of the Army John McHugh, and affects Soldiers from both the active and reserve components.
While it’s reported that soldiers currently enrolled in courses approved for TA are not impacted, and will be allowed to complete their funded coursework, there will be no further expenditures until the current impasse has been breached.
According to LTG Bromberg, the suspension in funding “is necessary given the significant budget execution challenges caused by the combined effects of a possible year-long continuing resolution and sequestration, and will remain in effect until the fiscal situation matures.”
Bromberg also said, “The Army understands the impacts of this action and will re-evaluate should the budgetary situation improve.”
While the TA funding, which is funded from the Army’s budget, soldiers can continue their education using alternate methods; those methods include GI Bill funding, which is derived from the Department of Veterans Affairs, is available and Soldiers can continue their education using this benefit. The GI Bill includes the Montgomery GI Bill, Post 9/11 GI Bill and several other education programs.
So, basically the GOTP has once again stuck it to the soldiers. When everyone stepped up after 9-11 there were crowds of conservative Americans waving flags and proclaiming how they supported the troops. If you still support the troops, step up and tell Congress to fix this now, if you’re unwilling to do that, well, then it’s time to take your patriotic ribbon magnet off your car, and stop being a hypocrite.
Benghazigate? Really?
90,000 Americans die each year in hospitals due to medical error or lethal infection – one every six minutes
54,500 Americans die each year from accidents in the home – one every 10 minutes
46,800 Americans die each year from motor vehicle accident – one every 11 minutes
40,000 Americans die each year from accidental poisoning – one every 13 minutes
22,600 Americans die every year from falls – one every 23 minutes
18,300 Americans are murdered each year – one every 29 minutes
10,300 Americans die each year in drunk driving accidents – one every 28 minutes
3,400 Americans die each year from drowning – nine every day
4 Americans killed by terrorists in Libya warrants a Congressional investigation?
The Republican Tea Party (GOTP) has determined since it can’t beat the President in an election it’ll impeach him and drive him out of office. Presumably the new impeachable offense is the terrorist attack against our Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Of course the biggest problem with this latest nefarious plan in a long list of nefarious plans by the uber-right is first, the President would have to commit a crime, and second while the House may impeach a President, it’s the United States Senate which would actually try him and which has the power to thus remove him from office. Good luck with that plan.
It’s time for the GOTP to quit whining, grow up and get down to business fixing the nation’s economy and getting Americans back to work.
Perry invites nation’s governors to Texas style prayer day?
So, Texas Republican/Tea Party (GOTP) Governor Rick Perry has invited the nation’s governors to join him in a prayer day to seek God’s guidance to deal with the problems facing America. But, wait a minute, I thought he just wanted to secede and be president of the Second Republic of Texas? Or is this one of those stunts to get the far right wing faction of the party to think he’s one of them?
The day for prayer and fasting is planned for 6 August 11 in Houston and is sponsored by the American Family Association, a Christian advocacy group which describes its mission to “inform, equip, and activate individuals to strengthen the moral foundations of American culture, and give aid to the church here and abroad in its task of fulfilling the Great Commission”. The organization’s website says the event is intended to be a non-denominational, apolitical, Christian prayer service.
Since Perry’s invitation comes on the heels of his announcement that he is considering a run for president should Americans see issues here regarding the constitutional separation of Church and State?
Perry is a strong advocate of the far right Christian conservative wing of the GOTP, and has attended numerous Christian events as governor, and was one of the earliest politicians to embrace the Tea Party’s sometimes questionable rhetoric.
“Given the trials that beset our nation and world, from the global economic downturn to natural disasters, the lingering danger of terrorism and continued debasement of our culture, I believe it is time to convene the leaders from each of our United States in a day of prayer and fasting, like that described in the book of Joel,” Perry said in a statement.
Titled, “The Response,” the event is scheduled to take place at Reliant Stadium. On the website dedicated to the event, organizers said “America is in the midst of a historic crisis.”
OK, “response” to what, or to who?
In his invitation to the other 49 governors, Perry has urged them to also proclaim Aug. 6 a day to pray for “unity and righteousness.”
“We simply want to humbly ask our creator to intervene on behalf of our people and nation, and ask for His blessing and healing power to transform our lives,” he said in the letter.
The AFA said Perry had come up with the idea for the event back in December, way before he had said he was considering a bid for the White House.
“This is not a political event,” said Eric Bearse, a spokesman for the AFA. “This is about gathering people together—men and women of faith—to simply pray for the country.”
Yeah it’s not in any way a political event, it’s just the brain child of a GOTP Governor who is being recruited by the likes of Rush Limbaugh to run for the presidency, but it’s not a political event. OK, sure it isn’t.
Romney doesn’t just flip flop he lies?
Ever since entering the race for the Republican Tea Party (GOTP) nomination, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (aka Flopsy Mopsy) has said on occasions too numerous to count that while the economy was bad when President Barack Obama went into the White House he has made it worse, and this of course implies somehow that he, Flopsy Mopsy, is the candidate who can magically make it all better. It’s tag line he’s used almost every time his pie hole has popped open, but earlier this week, while campaigning ago in Pennsylvania, Flopsy claimed he had never said it.
When NBC producer Sue Kroll asked the former Massachusetts governor why he believes the President’s policies have made the economy worse, in spite of the fact the economy is now growing instead of shrinking as it was when he took office in 2009; when the Dow is climbing, and is no longer in a free-fall it was in when George Bush left office, and when the unemployment rate is beginning to turn around, now down nearly a full percentage point from where it was in the fall of 2009, Mopsy looked straight at her and said, “I didn’t say that things are worse…. What I said was that economy hasn’t turned around.”
Excuse me? It was just Monday, during Romney’s 4th of July campaigning in New Hampshire where he said, “The people of New Hampshire have waited long enough. They want to see good jobs. They want to see rising incomes. They want to see an economy that’s growing again, and the president’s failed. He did not cause this recession, but he made it worse.”
Romney has now proven himself to be what many – including me – have suspected for some time; he’s a liar. He’s just one more GOTP candidate willing to say whatever it takes to get the nomination and then to move on to the White House.
How exactly does bald faced lying mix with his religious faith? Well, Latter-day Saints (Mormons) take honesty very seriously, in fact one of the Church’s Articles of Faith says, “We believe in being honest …” How does that square Flopsy? Either the economy has gotten worse, or it hasn’t (it hasn’t); either you said it, or you didn’t (he did). So, basically you’ve lied (in this particular instance) twice. You said the economy is worse (it’s not) and that you never said that (you did). You’re a liar.
Flopsy seems to think he can say whatever he likes and that no one will notice, yes, he seems to believe American voters are that thick. In late April – while trying to attack the President on the economy – Flopsy claimed America wasn’t at war, and that the country was in the midst of a “peacetime” economy.
“Barack Obama is facing a financial emergency on a grander scale,” Romney said. “Yet his approach has been to engage in one of the biggest peacetime spending binges in American history.”
Yes, the would-be king of the GOTP actually said we’re currently in peacetime economy? Where has he been for the past ten years? Hello Mitt? 9-11? Afghanistan? Iraq? Any of these ring a bell? Anyone? Bueller? Anyone? You’re not only a pathetic liar who assumes you’ll never get got, you’re so out of touch you actually claimed we’re in a peacetime economy while we continue to spend more than $2 billion dollars per week in Afghanistan and Iraq.
You – Romney – are a liar, and yes, everyone knows it.
The Liberty Tree 