In what was described across America as a prelude to impeachment bogeyman to embarrass the United States President Barack Obama before the November midterm election, House Republicans have voted to proceed with a lawsuit against him.
The House dominated by the Republicans said that his executive actions are so extreme that they violate the Constitution. It was believed in the ruling Democratic Party that the move will pave the way for impeachment of the president before the 2016 presidential election.
‘They’re mad I’m doing my job’
The nearly party-line vote — all Democrats voted against it, and all but five Republicans voted for it — further agitated an already polarised climate in the U.S. Congress as both parties used the pending suit to try to rally support ahead of the November elections.
Halfway across the continent, Obama almost gloated at the prospect of being sued.
“They’re going to sue me for taking executive actions to help people. So they’re mad I’m doing my job,” Obama said in an economics speech in Kansas City, Mo. “And by the way, I’ve told them I’d be happy to do it with you. The only reason I’m doing it on my own is because you’re not doing anything,” he said of Congress on Wednesday.
The clash came a day before Congress is scheduled to begin a 51 / 2-week summer break and as must-pass bills on reshaping veterans’ health care and highway construction appeared headed for passage — while almost everything else was not.
For instance, the House and Senate moved in dramatically different directions on a controversial legislation designed to deal with the flow of thousands of unaccompanied Central American minors arriving at the border. This immigration issue appears to be one of the points at issue the GOP would like to shake President Obama with. The Republicans have consistently said President Obama has not been serious about the flow of unaccompanied minors from Central America that daily flood the border.
Expecting a flurry of work once the elections are over in November, leaders in both parties have instead tried to position their rank-and-file to take advantage of the gridlock by blaming the other side. – Guardian