Texas congressman threatening Obama with impeachment

[ColonelSteve]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-34222_162-57563967-10391739/texas-rep-stockman-threatens-to-impeach-obama-over-gun-control/

[CitizenBBN]

While I agree with his sentiment it's a stupid thing to have said, played right into Obama's hands. Now gun advocates come off as unable to be reasonable, reactionary and fringe. Makes us look like idiots.

He needed to just say he was deeply disturbed at the president constantly threatening to act against the will of congress and the voters and using the threat of such action to bully congress. Say that it's the action of an extremist gun control idealogue who is afraid to compromise with the legislative representatives of the people. Don't threaten anything, just characterize Obama's actions as reactionary.

Now for the bias of the story:

CBS News correspondent Major Garrett reports (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57563943/obama-to-congress-if-newtown-moved-you-act-on-guns/) the only area the president mentioned dealt with improved tracing at the federal level of guns sold to or stolen by criminals.

That "tracing" includes the gun registry, which is pretty much the end all be all of offenses to gun advocates. they do their best to make Obama sound reasonable, not saying he'll do much via executive order when he's threatened to do one of the things that is the most against the will of Congress (see Keith's thread comments elsewhere) and terrifying to those who oppose him. It's a VERY extremist action but they play it like some simple procedural improvements.

Same tired media bias crap, but this guy bit on the hook and swallowed it whole.

[KeithKSR]

There is very little Obama can really do within his role as POTUS through executive order. He can strengthen background checks, but there isn't going to be a lot to do in that area that would impact things.

Obama underestimates the fervor which those who believe in the Second Amendment will protect their rights, and the legal means available to protect those rights. Obama and his cronies on the left have yet to figure out that the NRA, National Association of Gun Rights (NAGR), Gun Owners of America (GOA), etc are extensions of their membership; and reflect their memberships.

[CitizenBBN]

Most gun groups have called for improving the NICS database, esp. regarding states reporting of mental competence issues.

The FBI system relies on the state and local governments to report the data so it has a fair amount of holes. Pushing to close those is a very pro-gun thing to do, one I listed when this happened. Like the security thing, a thing that can maybe help that was put there by pro gun groups and Obama will no doubt usurp it and claim a victory over people who thought it up in the first place. lol.

[KeithKSR]

While I agree with his sentiment it's a stupid thing to have said, played right into Obama's hands. Now gun advocates come off as unable to be reasonable, reactionary and fringe. Makes us look like idiots.

I don't think it played into Obama's hands at all. Stockman's announcement preceded Obama's presser, which is very important to note. Obama most certainly took the threat seriously, and backtracked on the executive orders that were bandied about by Biden and toned down the executive order rhetoric to include only things like enhancing traces on stolen guns and guns used in crimes, as well as improved background checks. In other words, now Obama is only talking about executive orders that he can legally employ.

Obama's rhetoric is only believed by the far left who aren't going to change their minds anyway. What the public believes is of little import in a off year. We are not a democracy, we are a representative republic, which prevents the wild shifts that a true democracy might have in giving away rights.

The threat of impeachment is a huge tool in this situation. The NRA has enough Democratic support to apply pressure to push the Senate into a position where Obama escaping impeachment proceedings would be remote. Keep in mind that should the House vote for impeachment, and given Obama's treatment of Republicans would surely pass, that the articles of impeachment could include numerous first term issues that Teflon Barry has managed to avoid, Fast and Furious, Benghazi and other dubious events would be investigated and there will be no claims of executive privilege to protect him. Faced with a sinking ship his protective media cronies would desert that sinking ship like rats to save themselves, and prevent the public from turning on them for not investigating events thoroughly.

Even guys like Harry Reid, who has been a staunch NRA supporter, has said there is little need to bring a ban up for vote in the Senate, his reasoning being that the ban had no chance to pass in the House. If it comes to impeachment Reid has enough political savvy to desert a sinking ship when the issue that steers the ship is gun bans, assuming he plans to run for re-election in Nevada. If not for an NRA A rating he would have a hard time garnering support in rural Nevada.

I would also assume that Obama has enough political savvy to realize that forcing the hands of a pro-gun Senate that has a slight Democratic majority could endanger enough senate seats to flip the Senate in the 2014 midterm elections. This would put him at a distinct disadvantage as a lame duck president during his final two years in the White House.

[CitizenBBN]

I'm not against using it as a tool or even as threat at some point, and you make a good case, but right now publicly I want him overplaying his hand and sounding as extreme as possible b/c it's drawing people to my side in the swing districts.

Make the statement but word it more open ended so he can walk into it. say you will use any and all means at your disposal to make sure no President subverts the legislative will of the People and the Congress that represents them. OK to add that Congress made it clear with the sunset of the ban that such a thing was both the purview of Congress and the will of Congress that there not be one, and for the President to try to implement one around the laws of the land would trigger an across the board response.

Privately of course you make it abundantly clear the votes are there for everything up to and including impeachment, that he'll face an open bare knuckles fight with the House on everything from the debt ceiling to his clothing allowance if he tries to use executive orders to get his way on gun control. make it cost him too many chips to pursue, which is what happened in his first term.

I know the NRA et al are doing that very clearly with guys like Reid, who have wavered in public statements. No doubt he's trying to walk that fence b/c he needs the NRA but he's also the Senate majority leader for Obama so I don't put too much stock in his comments. We'll see what he does with the legislative schedule and if the whip is active on feinstein's bill.

Maybe I'm wrong though too and we're already at the point of slinging fists b/c theoretically Obama could try to issue orders this week. I hope we are making these statements privately, though Obama's hubris is at an all time high so I don't know what effect it may have.

I know the court battles will ensue if he tries. I also know the red staters are closing ranks. NRA membership is growing fast and they're hoping to top 5 million, and actions like this one from Ruger are pretty unprecedented.

[badrose]

Texas Proposal: JAIL Any Federal Officials Trying to Enforce New Gun Restrictions in the State
measure would make any federal firearms legislation passed by Congress or approved by Presidential order unenforceable in Texas


Read more: http://radio.woai.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=119078&article=10700507#ixzz2I4hIYh7h

[suncat05]

I do not believe there are enough votes in the House for this to even be brought out of the Judicial Committee, much less get into the Senate. I just don't see much happening with this at all.
That said..........if Obama insists that this somehow come to a vote, or tries to go around Congress via Exexcutive Order he will find this to be a much more troublesome problem than evev the healthcare bill was.
Of course, this guy is a snake oil salesman of the lowest order, so nothing he may attempt would really surprise me at all.

[KeithKSR]

I do not believe there are enough votes in the House for this to even be brought out of the Judicial Committee, much less get into the Senate. I just don't see much happening with this at all.
That said..........if Obama insists that this somehow come to a vote, or tries to go around Congress via Exexcutive Order he will find this to be a much more troublesome problem than evev the healthcare bill was.
Of course, this guy is a snake oil salesman of the lowest order, so nothing he may attempt would really surprise me at all.

The judicial committee chair can refuse to present the legislation to the committee to consider.

[KeithKSR]

BTW, Texas representative Pete Sessions will serve as chairman of the House Rules Committee, he has authority over which legislation gets to the House floor for a final vote. Very pro-gun and very pro-NRA.

[CitizenBBN]

The NRA and every other gun group is digging in like the commies were coming over the hill. which is good b/c a few of these wingnuts like feinstein would more than qualify.

It's getting intense out here, and not just among core gun guys who have assault weapons (still think that's an inaccurate term).

I'd say it'll be a war but I'm not sure the House even brings it out of committee, as has been said. the best move for the House GOP is to just not hear it at all. you'd get the media outrage but it will die down much quicker than if you draw it out with hearings and votes. Kill it quick, like ripping off a band aid.