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cynatnite

(31,011 posts)
Wed Jun 27, 2012, 03:41 PM Jun 2012

Top 10 Reasons Republicans Want To Impeach President Obama

For more than two years, Republicans in Congress have wanted to impeach President Obama.

Every few months, they come up with creative new rationales to justify their desire to prematurely remove Obama from office, ranging from his immigration policies to birther hysteria to conspiracy theories about Arctic islands.

ThinkProgress has compiled the top ten reasons why Republicans have proposed impeaching President Obama:

1. To get Obama’s birth certificate. Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) suggested that Congress use the threat of impeachment to force Obama to show his birth certificate.

2. “Giving away” seven Arctic islands. Wes Riddle, a Texas congressional candidate, is peddling a bizarre conspiracy theory that Obama gave away seven Arctic islands to Russia. Despite the fact that the treaty ceding these islands was ratified by the Senate in 1991, Riddle said he will push to impeach Obama over the matter. [6/22/12]

3. Obama’s new immigration policy for undocumented students. Allen Quist, a former state representative running in Minnesota’s 1st congressional district, said that he would lead the impeachment charge against Obama for the president’s new immigration policy that would prevent one million undocumented students from being deported. [6/26/12]

4. “Refusing to secure the borders.” Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) told radio host Lou Dobbs that Obama is refusing to secure the border and it “comes awfully close to a violation of [his] oath of office.” [7/19/10]

5. Failing to extended the Bush tax cuts. Grover Norquist, author of the anti-tax pledge that nearly every Republican in Congress has signed, told National Journal that if Obama allows the Bush tax cuts to expire, “Republicans will have enough votes in the Senate in 2014 to impeach.” [1/29/12]

6. Not defending DOMA in court. Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) said he “absolutely” supports impeaching Obama after the administration announced it would not defend a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act in court. [3/2/11]

7. To stop Obama from passing new laws. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) told a Tea Party group that he would push for impeachment just to block Obama’s legislative agenda. “It needs to happen, and I agree with you it would tie things up,” Burgess said. “No question about that.” [8/9/11]

8. “Shenanigans” in Obama’s immigration policies. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), second-in-command among Senate Republicans, told radio host Bill Bennett that, because of Obama’s immigration policies, “impeachment is always a possibility” if there are “shenanigans involved.” [6/26/12]

9. If Obama used the 14th Amendment to declare the debt ceiling unconstitutional. During the debt ceiling showdown, Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC) and other Republicans have floated the possibility of impeaching Obama if he declared the debt ceiling unconstitutional rather than allow the country to default. [7/7/11]

10. If the government defaults. When Republicans forced the debt ceiling crisis, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) announced on Twitter that if Congress doesn’t increase the debt ceiling and the federal government is forced to default, “Obama would be impeached.” [7/25/11]

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/06/27/506910/republicans-impeach-obama/#more-506910

If President Obama wins a second term, you can bet they will be pushing harder for it more than ever.
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Top 10 Reasons Republicans Want To Impeach President Obama (Original Post) cynatnite Jun 2012 OP
fuk the gop spanone Jun 2012 #1
Gee...I thought it was "Because he's black" X 10!!! nt MADem Jun 2012 #2
Nah, that's the #1 cause for our lingering dixiecrats, though Scootaloo Jun 2012 #3
It's actually none of those - they're just sore fucking losers - that's all. Initech Jun 2012 #4
and the most number 1 reason is PWB demtenjeep Jun 2012 #5
I have to just laugh at these "reasons" for impeachment...... Swede Atlanta Jun 2012 #6
 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
3. Nah, that's the #1 cause for our lingering dixiecrats, though
Wed Jun 27, 2012, 03:54 PM
Jun 2012

You know, the ones who blame him for every pothole in the road they see, and who advocated electing teabaggers to "teach Obama a lesson," and of course, "they're just criticizing policy" don'cha know.

Initech

(100,100 posts)
4. It's actually none of those - they're just sore fucking losers - that's all.
Wed Jun 27, 2012, 03:59 PM
Jun 2012

No one should dig that deep into this. The only way the GOP has been able to win in the last three decades is when they don't get their way - they just whine, berate and complain about it until they do. Darrell Issa (R-POS) lost - what did he do? Recall Grey Davis. Again these dipshits are just sore losers. That is all.

 

Swede Atlanta

(3,596 posts)
6. I have to just laugh at these "reasons" for impeachment......
Wed Jun 27, 2012, 04:15 PM
Jun 2012

1. To see his birth certificate - there is nothing in the Constitution that requires a Presidential candidate to submit his or her birth certificate. The only requirement is they are a natural born citizen. There is no burden of proof on the candidate. That leaves open what to do if there were indeed an impostor. But this would not be a high crime or misdemeanor. While there is no precedent for this, I believe there is a legal argument that the Supreme Court would have to decide if the action of the Congress, by characterizing a refusal to provide a birth certificate according to Congress' wishes would constitute a High Crime or Misdemeanor.

2. Giving away 7 Islands. If the facts are as stated, this is a ha-ha-ha. Good luck with that. If this agreement was the result of an agreement/treaty that was adopted in accordance with the Constitution, the fact Obama is President at the time of the hand-over is irrelevant.

3. Not deporting young people brought into the country by their parents. In the Arizona decision, the Court stated as much that the federal government has broad discretion in this area. Further the Executive Branch has long had significant discretion in enforcing federal laws. This is a non-starter.

4. Refusing to secure the borders. They should have impeached Bush. The facts are that more illegals have been deported under Obama than under previous Presidents. Another non-starter.

5. Failing to extend the Bush taxcuts. This is perhaps the most laughable of all. The law has an expiry date. In order for the law to be extended, the Congress has to pass an extension and the President has to sign it. The President is under no obligation to sign or not sign any law. The Congress can override if they have the required votes.

6. Not defending DOMA. The administration has a valid viewpoint which is that the law is, on its face, unconstitutional. This is an interesting question but I doubt this rises to the level of a high crime or misdemeanor.

7. To stop Obama from passing laws. Let's see...Obama doesn't pass laws. Congress passes laws and Obama either signs it into law or he doesn't. This is equally stupid as not extending the Bush tax cuts.

8. Shenanigans in Immigration. Let's see, I don't see "shenanigans" arising to the level of a high crime or misdemeanor.

9. Declaring the debt under the 14th Amendment. This would be a matter for the Court to decide, i.e. what the 14th Amendment grants in terms of rights and powers. This would have to be a lawsuit but not an impeachment offense.

10. If the government defaults. Another belly laugh. Obama is not responsible for the government defaulting. The fault is that Congress did not pass a law that was duly signed by the President or overridden by the Congress. If anyone would be at fault it would be that Congress did not override.

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