Get Ready for Fake Scandals and Gov Shutdown If GOP Grabs Control of Congress

Posted by stevebenen at 9:42 am
July 18, 2010

Get Ready for Fake Scandals and Gov Shutdown If GOP Grabs Control of Congress
Posted by stevebenen on @ 9:42 am


This post first appeared on Washington Monthly.

It’s hard to say with confidence which party will hold the congressional majority next year, but Paul Krugman noted yesterday that “fake scandals” will be all the rage in the 112th Congress if there’s a Republican majority.



This may sound hyperbolic. It’s not. In the Clinton era, House Republicans held two weeks of hearings investigating the Clintons’ Christmas card list, and the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform fired a bullet into a “head-like object” — reportedly a melon — in his backyard to test his conspiracy theories about Vince Foster. All told, over the last six years of Bill Clinton’s presidency, that same committee unilaterally issued 1,052 subpoenas — that’s not a typo — to investigate baseless allegations of misconduct. That translates to an average of a politically-inspired subpoena every other day for six consecutive years, including weekends, holidays, and congressional recesses.

It would almost certainly be worse in 2011 and 2012. Indeed, the man positioned to lead the committee — reformed alleged car thief Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) — has already said he’s inclined to leave “corporate America” alone, so he can attack the White House relentlessly.

For that matter, let’s also not forget that some Republicans, including two members of Congress, have raised the specter of presidential impeachment once there’s a GOP majority.

But Krugman also flagged this item from John Quiggin, reflecting on another likely scenario in the event of a GOP House majority.



Agreed. John Boehner (R-Ohio) has already made some noises about refusing to fund health care programs, and given the party’s desperation to please its right-wing base, it stands to reason Republicans would gladly shut down the government as a means towards obstructing the agenda approved in 2009 and 2010.

If I were laying odds, I’d say the chances of a prolonged government shutdown next year are well over 50% — if there’s a Republican majority, that is.


http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/07/18/get-ready-for-fake-scandals-and-gov-shut-down-if-gop-grabs-control-of-congres/

MUST turn out Democratic voters in November 2010. If we do not, then we lose. If we lose...we will have a very hard time turning it around.

I see no options other than that.

that the only way "we" would lose would be for our fellow citizens, supposedly also Americans, to vote in large numbers to put these scoundrels back into power. After what they've done to us. In the name of "saving America".

God must be so totally cracking up right now.

bring Democratic voters to the polls. Everything else is secondary, unless you wish for the Republicans to regain power.

The actions of the Republicans do have consequences.

they could fuck up the country for decades to come, maybe forever.

The good news - I think they are all even more incompetent than Newt.

The Republicans will not impeach. They remember Bill clinton's Rose Garden "victory party" after Senate acquittal. This is also probably why impeachment was "off the table" in 2007-2008.

What would be the grounds for impeachment?

:shrug:

Count on it.

I'm guessing the GOP would back off rather quickly.

They are going to be even more shocked than 2008.