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Rep. Steve Stockman (R) of Texas served one term in the 1990s, during which he ran into a little trouble in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing, when his "links to anti-government militia groups" became problematic.
Sixteen years later, the right-wing lawmaker is back on Capitol Hill, and this time, he's prepared to impeach President Obama if the White House uses executive orders to shape gun policy.
"The White House's recent announcement they will use executive orders and executive actions to infringe on our constitutionally-protected right to keep and bear arms is an unconstitutional and unconscionable attack on the very founding principles of this republic," Stockman said in a statement. "I will seek to thwart this action by any means necessary, including but not limited to eliminating funding for implementation, defunding the White House, and even filing articles of impeachment." [...]
Stockman on Monday called potential executive action by the president "an existential threat to this nation."
The Texas congressman added that "the president's actions" -- which, remember, have not happened -- are "a direct attack on Americans that place all of us in danger." Stockman added, "If the president is allowed to suspend constitutional rights on his own personal whims, our free republic has effectively ceased to exist."
Let's look at this from a few different angles. First, I'd recommend Rep. Stockman consider decaf.
Second, using executive orders on gun policy is not an impeachable offense. On the contrary, Republican presidents have acted on gun policy through executive orders, too, and there are plenty of legal options available to the president that are entirely consistent with constitutional limits and powers. No sane person is talking about "suspending constitutional rights."
And third, impeachment is not a partisan toy.
If it seems like this is an issue that keeps coming up, that's because this is an issue that keeps coming up. As we talked about in June, then-Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl's (R-Ariz.) appeared on a conservative talk-radio show to argue that presidential impeachment "is always a possibility" if the Obama administration fails to "cooperate" with state immigration efforts.
What's more, former Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) said in April he wants to impeach Obama because of "all of the czars," while Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) talked in March about impeaching Obama for no apparent reason. What's more, Fox News' Neil Cavuto suggested a year ago that Obama might be liable to impeachment over recess appointments; Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) has raised the prospect of impeaching Obama over DOMA; and Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) talked up the idea of presidential impeachment because "it would tie things up" in Washington for a while, making governing impossible. Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) even introduced an impeachment resolution, just in case Obama sends U.S. troops to Syria.
What's more, in 2010, both Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) also raised the specter of impeaching Obama, for reasons that still don't make any sense.
To be sure, no one is seriously pursuing this just yet, but the frequent use of the "i" word is disconcerting.
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Impeachment is for sissies!
Real Men- aka Texans- know how to deal with "his" kind. Google "James Byrd jr." (of course the killer was executed, but that is beside the point.)
Get mental health
Here we go again. Keep it up GOP... it might take a few years... but, you will be OUT!
So... what about all of those who have died in mass shootings? Or, just everyday events? Here in Maryland, a little girl, on New Year's Eve was hit by a bullet after midnight. Someone had shot it in the air, when it came back down, she was hit. She later died.
Mention anything in regards to guns... that is where the emotion is? Sad. This garbage should be ashamed. Loser.
Megalomania seems to be a fitting label for these overreaching anarchists. They are the biggest threat to the function of the American government. It would be funny if it was not so sad.
They have to come up with something he's done to blame since their main reason for Obama's impeachment is 'Being President while being a Democrat.'
At least I hope that's the reason because I fear it's really 'Being President while black.' And I really would hate to think the absolute worst of these people (more than I already do, anyway)
Door number two.
They have to do something is right -
If a socialist Kenyan anti colonialist can preside over a recovering economy destroyed by a Harvard MBA , with more panache than serious persons choice of candidate , and a respectable pillar of capitalist society ...
They have to do something is right -
Well, with their effort to make Obama a one term president a failed strategy, they feel that in the second term they have no other choice but to pursue impeachment, just like Clinton, over ANY reason.
Ah the soothing sound of blame being apportioned to a sentimental favorite
but ,,, but
Clinton !
I am just waiting for the Representative from crazytown to announce that since impeachment isn't an option he is opting for secession...
I fully realize it's not an option but it's just so tempting to tell them "GO!".
Actually, with a Republican lockstep majority in the House, impeachment might well be their next toy. Last Congress, it was repealing PPACA but they finally got tired of that one. This time, once they get tired of screaming NO! at the debt ceiling they'll have to find something else to amuse themselves, and especially something to vent their frustration at the Administration for not giving them whatever it is they want in return for not destroying the world economy (or for whatever the Administration does to mitigate the damage if they do.)
Since all it takes is a simple majority in the House, which they can get any time they feel like it, we could have thirty or more purely symbolic Bills of Impeachment before the 114th Congress convenes.
You're right, D.C. There probably will be a bunch of pointless impeachment bills that will go nowhere for numerous reasons. But I say let them be crazy, and continue to not get anything productive done, and continue to lose more seats.
Dup.
Let's see, six years and millions of dollars to investigate Whitewater and the only thing they could come up with was impeachment of Clinton for lying about an affair. A whole administration lied and lied and lied about sending this country to war and not a peep.
If a teapub told me it was raining, I'd have to open the door to look myself, they lie that much. It has become the party of lies and cheats and stealing elections and I don't think they will ever change. It isn't anything new, they've put Grover's pledge over their oath of office for years and that is something I wish the teapubs could be impeached for.
I just hope that the people of this country smarten up and stop listening to Lumpbrains and Faux Fake and BS Gnewz and learn to think for themselves. I definitely don't like everything Obama and the dems do, but I actually fear for this country if the teapubs ever get in charge again.
I think about 140 million was spent on Clinton's impeachment and about 14 million on investigateing 9/11. And that 14 million was fought "tooth and nail" by the Bush administration.
Buy "9/11 Press for Truth" at Amazon.
An arrogant, ignorant, loudmouth, representing Texans and spouting off about things he doesn't understand, . That's true representative government
Go ahead numbskull, impeach, it worked out just fine for Newt.
C'mon folks, this gassbag is just feeding his half-wit, Texas educated, morons, some "daaaaangerous" sounding "lynch the ni@@er " bluster. Believe me, it sells big down there
Sharpton had a clip of some gun-guy who was screaming if "the gov passes any gun laws he was going to start shooting people"(not exact quote). Put that clip on the air some more and/or talk to Ted Nugent..
A really sad parody of the joke, "I've told you a million times to not exagerate!"
And the next day Tennessee revoked his gun license.
Right up until these morons read the Patriot Act, you know that thing Bush brought about; you know in that speech were he famously said "in order to protect your freedoms, I have to take some of those freedoms away", and the entire GOP/Republican Party gave a standing ovation for? Oh yeah that thing, yeah it pretty much takes the entire unconstitutional argument, and throws it right out the window.
Ever since Nixon, the Republicans have wanted to be able to force a Democratic President out of office.
And the Democrats not only let it happen, whenever Republican Presidents do something that IS impeachable, they don't do anything. Anyone remember Nancy "Impeachment is off the table" Pelosi?
What part of "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" do they not understand? Isn't the House reading the Constitution on session day 1 again this year? (I wonder if they'll read the unabridged version this time!) Surely, they will read the section on impeachment if they are so serious about following the Constitution, and impeaching the President. If you say you are all about following the Constitution to the letter, you better know what is in it. Otherwise, get out right now!
Not everyone interprets the 2nd amendment to mean individuals can own guns, remember.
The hysteria over banning assault weapons is bizarre. We can probably accept the fact that owning a surface to air missile is inappropriate. Try walking into Starbucks with one of those on your shoulder.
Hunting does not require weapons of war or large capacity magazines.... geez. And since we can't cure mental illness tomorrow, let's remove weapons of mass murder from the hands of lunatics. This we can do tomorrow. Ban and confiscate!
Not liking the guy is not grounds for impeachment. What bozos.
These gun fanatics are not out to protect the rights of hunters and sportsmen. They want the right and the means to overthrow the U.S. Government. They do not want to defend the Constitution; they want to suspend it. They do not want government of the people, by the people, and for the people. They want government by the few even though the few would or have made them surfs.
The guy who screemed about being back in 1776 does not know his history. In 1776 we were ruled by a foreign power and did not have representation in that power's parliament. We now have a constitution that provides for election of our chief executives and our represenatives in Congress. We have laws and courts and a military to defend us from foreign invasion and police forces to enforce the laws our represenatives make.
Actually, there is much historical evidence suggesting that early American political figures, including our founding fathers, put the 2nd amendment in place as a means of arming the people to prevent tyranny. Obviously, there's something here. The argument for assault weapons is not so that they can be used for hunting or for sport, but so that they can be used as the line of defense against tyranny. However real or unreal that threat might be, it is important that those rights not be denied. If these people feel as though there is a threat to those rights, and they are seeking means to defend them through our legal system, let them. Encourage them! Let the American system sort it out. Too much sentiment has developed between parties. The nation is divided into Democrats and Republicans, and people are fed and develop ideas about either side that are grossly over-exaggerated and only serve to freeze up any sound decision making. You've got republicans ridiculing democrats just because they're democrats, and democrats ridiculing republicans just because they're republican. The political parties were not part of our founding father's design for the U.S. government. They've been an increasingly tolerated hindrance henceforth.
Ryan
Could you please quote those historical figures that support your argument? It's not obvious that the second amendment is means of arming people against tyranny. Article 1 Section 8 Clause 15 specifically states that Congress has the power "To provide for the calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions".
What you call "the line of defence against tyranny" is in fact insurrection and the US government can defend itself against it. Do you really think the founding Fathers wanted people to around willynilly with guns? Really? The fact that the second amendment specifically states "A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State" It's the security of a State not an individual. Nothing even remotely about tyranny.
Some of the Republicans use the "I" word for campaigning with their base while the hard right uses the word as a serious threat. They are trivializing the constitutional process by using the word so frequently for a partisan motive. I would like to see the House go forward on impeachment articles because that worked out so well for the for the Republicans with the Clinton impeachment. It would put the moderate Republicans in a bind if they had to vote on such articles; they would be forced to vote and thereby put themselves in jeopardy with reelection. If they vote yes, they will anger moderate voters and if they vote no, they will anger the hard right voters. It is a no win situation for moderate Republicans. In addition, the process would hasten the demise of the Republican party as a national party.
Too much of American politics surrounds these notions of political parties. It shouldn't be a Democrat/Republican issue, or a my side vs. your side, because that only serves to divide the people. Rather, we should stop putting so much emphasis on party affiliation and look at candidates for their policies, ideologies, philosophies, and world views. Look at the facts. Obama was elected into office on the preface that he was going to change things. America ate that up because time were tough, employment was down, the war was raging on, and we wanted a change. My question is, since he's been in office, what's changed? We're still out of work, the economy is still down, and we're still at war! In fact, the deficit has exploded exponentially. If we needed a change before, now we REALLY need a change. I hate to be the sour apple on here, but you can't tell me people aren't seeing this. Parties aside, this guy is fundamentally running this country into the ground.
Of course Obama's impeachable. He's black. Do Republicans need any other reason.
It's not a Black/White issue. There are plenty of well educated, competent Americans who care about the direction our country is headed, and who are trying to do something to stop it. We're getting away from the foundation on which we were built. Furthermore, it shouldn't be a Democrat/Republican issue, or a my side vs. your side, because that only serves to divide We the People. Rather, we should stop putting so much emphasis on party affiliation and look at candidates for their policies, ideologies, philosophies, and world views. Look at the facts. Obama was elected into office on the preface that he was going to bring about change. America ate that up because times were tough: employment was down, the war was raging on, and we wanted a change. My question is, since he's been in office, what's changed? We're still out of work, the economy is still down, and we're still at war! In fact, it's worse now than it was before! Not to mention the deficit has exploded exponentially. If we needed a change before, now we REALLY need a change. I hate to be the sour apple on here, but you can't tell me people aren't seeing this. Parties aside, this guy is fundamentally running this country into the ground.
Do you guys have any idea of just how many right wing crazies are out there? Go to the Southern Poverty Law Center's website and see if you can't find a white supremacist or hate group that's a stone's throw from your home.
Michael Moore worked on a film about these people before he did Roger & Me, and to really understand their world view is completely terrifying. You know what's even scarier? All these people are armed to the teeth.
What happens when one side is armed and the other side is unarmed? That realization was one of the reasons I bought my first gun.
And Obama would love to take it from you.
I'm sure there's an average Republican somewhere making a comment about the dangers of radical leftists and buying their own gun.
The point is, white supremacists and hate groups are the least of our problems. Let's get the People thinking again. We live in a society of non-thinkers. If everyone took an interest in what's going on in the government and not what's happening on Jersey Shore, I think we'd see a much different government. What happened to the American fervor? Where's the patriotism? The morality?