Another Blank In The GOP's Legislative Gun

by JASmius



It sure sounds good, until you delve into the details and see how toothless this gambit is as well:

Republican lawmakers are aiming to use the Congressional Review Act as their weapon to tackle regulations President Barack Obama has enacted.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte told the Hill that using the CRA wasn't "possible ... in a divided Congress, but now that it is, we certainly are interested in review regulations to make sure they meet with congressional intent."

The CRA allows for Congress to review and disapprove rules submitted by federal agencies before they go into effect.

And now for the other shoe:

However, in order to disapprove a rule, Congress has to pass a joint resolution in both the House and Senate.

Even though the CRA has been in effect since 1996, Congress has only disapproved of one rule, even though 43 resolutions in total have been introduced by lawmakers.

So as a direct tactic to counter Barack Obama's rampaging lawlessness, the CRA isn't going anywhere.  And did I mention that a congressional resolution on any Executive Branch regulation has to be enacted within sixty days of its imposition, and that enactment requires a presidential signature?

So what's the point of invoking the CRA?  More 2016 table-setting:

GOP lawmakers still believe it could be an effective strategy to highlight what they think are Obama's "job-killing" regulations as well as show they are trying to do something about them. And they argue it will at least force the Democrats in Congress to go on the record either supporting or opposing Obama administration rules.

"The desire of Democrats to distance themselves from the president is only beginning to grow," the senior Inhofe aide said.

Of course, if the latter were true, there would be the votes to override an Obama veto of a CRA resolution.

Our options are simply limited, folks.  Congress, as a practical political matter, can't impeach Obama, and they can't stop his despotism.  And tonight he's going to be doing some 2016 table-setting of his own, whether for his own third term re-election or Elizabeth Warren's first.  We are in free fall, we are in the time of maximum hazard, and the only thing our congressional majorities can do is make the best 2016 case they can for a complete reversal of national direction, and hope and pray that the Final Collapse doesn't happen before help can finally arrive.