Sen. Harry Reid: Obama’s 6 Year Pocket Veto
original article written by Net Advisor™
WASHINGTON DC. President Obama hasn’t had to do too much legislatively, when then Majority Whip Harry Reid (D-Nev.) effectively ruled the over the U.S. Senate from Jan. 3, 2007 to Jan. 3, 2015.
The fact that Reid had control over the U.S. Senate for six consecutive years under President Obama (and two years under Bush) did not sway many in the media including Bloomberg, CBS, the Hill, Huffington Post, Reuters, and the Washington Post, who together among others attempted to blame Republicans for a ‘do nothing Congress.’ Some Democrats have even tried to pin the Ebola Virus as caused by Republicans.
These theories are politically driven caused by massive repeating of a narrative without factual evidence. Since these ‘do nothing’ Congress issues were raised since President Obama took office in 2009 that is where we will begin our study. We included the last term of who controlled Congress before President Obama took office in case anyone was curious.
[1] Who Controlled Congress?
Here is a quick summary of which party had power in government.
- 110th Congress: Jan. 3, 2007 – Jan. 3, 2009 (D) House (D) Senate (R) Pres. (Bush)
- 111th Congress: Jan. 3, 2009 – Jan. 3, 2011 (D) House (D) Senate (D) Pres. (Obama)
- 112th Congress: Jan. 3, 2011 – Jan. 3, 2013 (R) House (D) Senate (D) Pres. (Obama)
- 113th Congress: Jan. 3, 2013 – Jan. 3, 2015 (R) House (D) Senate (D) Pres. (Obama)
- 114th Congress: Jan. 3, 2015 – Jan. 3, 2017 (R) House (R) Senate (D) Pres. (Obama)
Democrats had complete control of Congress from Jan. 3, 2007 to Jan. 3, 2011.
Democrats controlled the U.S. Senate consecutively from Jan. 7, 2009 to Jan. 3, 2015.
Republicans gained back the House beginning Jan 3, 2011 (Report). Republicans have a majority in the U.S. Senate (but not a 2/3rds. majority) as of Jan. 3, 2015 (Report).
So now we know who controlled Congress and when. Let’s take a look at who has really been blocking progress in the “do nothing” government.
332 bills #StuckInTheSenate pic.twitter.com/vxw93nFHfD
— Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) July 25, 2014
[2] Democrat Think Tank: Harry Reid & Dems. Source of DC Gridlock
In 2014, The Washington Examiner cited a Democratic think tank study that pointed to Harry Reid and Senate Dems as the source of Washington DC’s gridlock. By July 25, 2014 Reid had held up some 332 bills passed by the House (picture above). During his reign, Reid blocked some 350 bills passed by the Republican-controlled House. Reid also led in the 2013 (partial) government “shutdown.”
Obama could have seen a massive number of (legislative) bills on his desk to either pass or effect a veto if Reid did not block them in the Senate.
President Obama ADMITTED on camera in a December 17, 2014 interview with National Public Radio (NPR), that Obama had an effective Pocket Veto in Harry Reid.
“There are going to be some areas where we disagree and, you know, I haven’t used the veto pen very often since I’ve been in office, partly because legislation that I objected to was typically blocked in the Senate even after the House took over — Republicans took over the House.”
— Pres. Barack Obama, Dec. 17, 2014 NPR interview, video @ 7:03 to 7:19 (Released Dec. 29, 2014)[NPR transcript (PDF), highlight added].
And there you have it. Obama admits Reid was his pocket veto, and anything Obama didn’t like was blocked by Reid in the Senate. As a formality, the Majority Whip in the Senate determines what legislation is ever assigned to committee or even reaches the Senate floor for discussion, let a lone a vote. Reid effectively held the entire U.S. Senate hostage.
Despite public admission by the President, Reid blocking legislation, Republicans incorrectly got the blame by many in the media. The Republican problem is they don’t have a good media campaign to educate the facts to the voters.
If you hear many in the live media blaming Republicans 20 times a day, every day, and then the House Speaker makes a brief press Conference where virtually no one covers it (live) in the national press, what do you think will be public opinion? Voters attempted to solve this false perception problem for Republicans in 2014.
With the loss of political control of the House and Senate in the 2014 Mid-term Elections, Obama has threatened to use his veto power himself to block any legislation that does not fit his own personal narrative.
[3] Obama: Record Veto Threats
In January 2015, USA Today reported that Obama now holds the most veto threats before a new Congress since 1985.
[4] Despite Bipartisan Support, Obama Veto’s Keystone XL
On February 24, 2015, Obama used his first Veto of the year blocking the House-Senate bipartisan passed legislation for the Keystone XL pipeline.
[5] Obama’s Veto Threat Overturning Obamacare
Obama threatened to block (veto) any bill that will attempt to overturn Obamacare.
Federal Appeals Court Rules Against the U.S. Government (Obama Admin.)
That’s interesting that Obama will fight to block overturning Obamacare because a federal appeals court have already said federal subsidies for Obamacare are illegal.
It was reported on July 22, 2014, where the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that federal healthcare subsidies are illegal (DC Appeals Court Ruling, 72 pps PDF).
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear the Obamacare case regarding the legality of federal (taxpayer funded) healthcare subsidies as early as June 2015.
If the U.S. Supreme Court follows the 2010 healthcare law (“Affordable Care Act”) aka “Obamacare,” those federal subsidies should cease as the 2009 law has no provisions for the federal government to provide subsidies.
“The four words that threaten disaster for the ACA say the subsidies shall be available to persons who purchase health insurance in an exchange “established by the state.” But 34 states have chosen not to establish exchanges.”
— Forbes, Jan 30, 2014
A Supreme Court ruling against the Obama Administration could topple Obamacare as millions of people will have to actually see and pay the true costs of healthcare.
[6] Obama’s Veto Threat Overturning Immigration Action
Obama threatened to block any bill that will attempt to overturn his Immigration Action.
The Republican-led House passed a $694 million border security bill on Aug. 1, 2015. The border security bill received ZERO democratic support in the House.
Here is the irony. Obama said on Feb. 23, 2014 that a partial shutdown of DHS would hurt the economy and domestic security. One day later Obama said that he would “fight any attempt to turn back” his immigration action.
Clearly Obama is less concerned about the economy or domestic security, as he is more concerned about granting amnesty and massive welfare programs to millions of illegal aliens in order to gain future voters.
Federal Court Rules Against the U.S. Government (Obama Admin.)
Last week, a Texas U.S. District Judge temporarily blocked Obama’s immigration action. This case goes forward to trial. It is not inconceivable that a case involving 26 states and the federal government could take more than two years to decide.
This case could be tied up in the Texas District Court then the 5th Circuit Court (map above) for longer than Obama is in office. Since Obama never issued an Executive Order, and Congress didn’t pass any law on this immigration action, the court may find it easier to strike Obama’s immigration action down.
If the U.S. Supreme Court gets this case and follows Constitutional law under Article I, Section 8, Obama’s immigration action should be overturned as it was not authorized by Congress.
Despite Harry Reid’s grid-lock obstruction blocking several hundred House passed bills since 2010, and Obama’s threats to block (veto) any bill that would seek to overturn his major political programs, it looks like the High Courts might act as they should – as an independent judiciary; and put the checks and balances back into government.
When it comes to governing, so far it seems that Republicans are so afraid of left media perception that they continue to allow Reid to run the Senate as he sees fit.
____________________________________________________________________________
Original images by may be copyright by their respective owner as noted and where known.
Original article content, Copyright © 2015 NetAdvisor.org® All Rights Reserved.
NetAdvisor.org® is a non-profit organization providing public education and analysis primarily on the U.S. financial markets, personal finance and analysis with a transparent look into U.S. public policy. We also perform and report on financial investigations to help protect the public interest. Read More.
___________________________________________________________________________
