Thursday, November 4, 2010

Another scary dude to the ATF Chief Counsel's Office.


Boo!

New House Judiciary Chairman to Obama: Prepare for Investigations

Veteran Congressman will head influential House Judiciary Committee


By Jim Forsyth
Thursday, November 4, 2010

The San Antonio Congressman who is in line to become chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee is promising 'a number of investigations and oversight committee actions' which he vows will 'hold the administration accountable,’ 1200 WOAI news reports.

Veteran Republican Lamar Smith, a Yale graduate and social conservative who grew up in the brush country of south Texas which is now transit point for illegal immigrants and drugs, said in a news conference that a number of issues will come into the sights of his committee when he takes the chairmanship in January, from cracking down on child pornography to taking the Obama Administration to task for failing to do enough to protect the southern border.

Smith says it is his Constitutional duty.

"Part of that checks and balances is in fact holding the administration accountable, is in fact insisting on more transparency, is insisting on more honesty, and getting the facts," Smith said. "Right now, because of the one party monopoly, the Administration has been able to dodge any kind of supervision, any kind of oversight committee action, and they refuse to testify, and that is no longer acceptable."

Smith, 63, says he says he has spoken to Speaker-designate John Boehner and has been told that he will move to the chairmanship of the committee. He has been ranking Republican on the committee for four years, and also headed the House Ethics Committee during the previous Republican majority.

Smith repeatedly attacked what he called the 'one party control' which has allowed the Administration and majority Democrats to ramrod their position on key issues like health care and border security through Congress.

"Right now, we've had one party control all aspects of our government, and the result of that is that the American people have only gotten one side of a lot of issues," he said.

One thing that Democrats openly expressed their concern about is the ability of Republicans like Smith, chairmen of key House committees, to use the Majority's subpoena power to compel testimony on a whole host of issues. Smith says their concerns were justified.

"There are going to be a number of investigations or oversight committee actions, trying to get to the facts," he promised.

Smith cited national security and the threat of terrorism will be a key area that the Judiciary Committee plans to take action quickly, and said border security, an issue always close to Smith's heart, will also take top billing.

"We need to have better national security and border security. We need to know who is coming across the border, why they are coming across illegally. We need to reduce the huge amount of drug smuggling and immigrant smuggling."

Smith said that reform of the 14th Amendment, which grants automatic citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants who are born in the U.S., is also an issue his committee may take up under his chairmanship. The 14th Amendment is a hot button issue for conservatives who call for restricting immigration.

He said adding 'meaningful' lawsuit reform will also be a top priority.

"I think we are going to be able to reform and amend the health care bill," he said. "We are not going to be able to repeal it, because the president would veto any repeal. But we can go back and make some changes and improvements. We need to reduce health care costs, and we need medical liability reform, and make sure we can stop the number of frivolous lawsuits."

Smith promised to 'use subpoena power if necessary' to 'call on Administration officials to get to the truth and get to the facts.'

23 comments:

Dedicated_Dad said...

Big talk.

I'll wait - and won't hold my breath.....

DD

Mark Matis said...

But will the Administration even bother to respond to any subpoenas that may be issued? If The One ignores them, just exactly WHAT is Congress going to do? Arrest him? With whom? The FBI? The ATF? The DEA? Holder? Napolitano? Yeah, right!

And if the Administration thumbs its collective nose at the subpoenas, how do YOU think that ABCNNBCBS and their dead-tree fellow travelers will report it? Fair and balanced?

The stench is overwhelming!

Anonymous said...

He is no Ron Paul. He is no Jim DeMint. GOA rates him A-.

That ought to be good enough for now.

MALTHUS

Dennis308 said...

We will have to wait and see about Lamsr Smith he has a reputation as being a strait shooter while he was in the Texas Legislature,and if I remember correctly as a Prosecutor with the Attorney Gen. Hope for the best and be ready for the worst.

Dennis
III
Texas

Bad Cyborg said...

DD, If Lamar Smith says he'll do something, believe it. I've met the man. He's a straight shooter.

But as Mr. Matis said, the fact that Congressman Smith holds the hearings and issues subpoenas doesn't mean that the Obama White House will obey. What can the House really DO after all?? The word "subpoena" means literally "under punishment"; do it "or else". But what sort of "or else" does the House have to threaten the White House any way? What can they really do? I really want to know. What can the House do to the President if the White House ignores a subpoena from Congress?

At lease if they have hearings the witnesses who were going to testify earlier will have an opportunity - assuming they survive and that their families can be adequately protected.

MAYBE a tiny part of BATFE's dirty linen will be aired out. Maybe. Then again maybe not. We'll have to wait and see. Meantime you can bet your last cent multiple federal agencies are gonna shake the Honorable Mr. Smith's closet as hard as they possibly can. Let's hope the only thing that rattles in that closet is Christmas decorations.

Bad Cyborg X

Pat H. said...

Bad rug and can't tie a neck tie either.

Another unwashed thug.

Defender said...

The Republicans have been given another last chance to prove the "republic" part of their name. I pray they make the most of it.

Anonymous said...

"cracking down on child pr0nography"
== "strangling the First Amendment"
== "suppressing the Internet.

Got it?

Breath of the Beast 2009:

Not so fast, Republican scum. This is not just about how the American public is discovering that the Democrats have deceived them. We are looking at you too.

http://breathofthebeast.blogspot.com/2009/08/warning-to-republicans-we-are-not-doing.html

Still as good now.

Anonymous said...

He said adding 'meaningful' lawsuit reform will also be a top priority.

"I think we are going to be able to reform and amend the health care bill," he said. "We are not going to be able to repeal it, because the president would veto any repeal.

This dude is a tool.

Unhappily one of the best arguments
about "tort reform" is no longer
at its author's site.

one quote however:

onsider the implications of the malpractice system to patients in such an environment. In a healthcare system where physicians are being urged, cajoled, threatened, incented and coerced to practice medicine to some statistical mean and not to the individual, and where the “mean” to which they are supposed to aspire is determined by central authorities mad with the need to covertly ration care, the only real leverage patients retain is the implied threat to sue doctors who fail to address their individual needs. The threat of malpractice litigation, as wasteful and counterproductive as it is, provides at least some degree of balance in the doctor-patient encounter, and gives doctors (even those whose professional pride has been successfully eroded by all the many efforts aimed at doing just that) a good reason to always ask themselves, “Is this action I’m about to take the action that THIS patient really needs me to take?”

is still at:

http://www.medrants.comarchives/3580

along with that author's arguments
to the contrary.

Some of the omissions that are the
subject of malpractice lawsuits
involve utterly elementary matters.

That said, Dr.Rich's blog or blog
(the one where the post is now 404)
are a wealth of information about
what is currently called "health care reform" and its backers, some
of whom might be unknown to this
readerhip.

http://covertrationingblog.com/

Anonymous said...

Smiths voting record is said to be 67% within the confines of the Constitution. I don't believe its that high. For comparison, Ron Paul is ranked at 100% . FYI -- Smith voted for the Bush bailout WITHOUT so much as a peep! Then with his best duplicitous rant, lambasted Obamas bailout. Smith is a go-along-to-get-along conservative Republican that would sell out his own mother if the establishment GOP required it. You can expect him to go the direction that his puppet masters push him.

rexxhead said...

The way the House gets its way is to refuse to pass an appropriations bill.

No money, no programs.

Of course, that means they also shut down the Pentagon.

"Soft on terrorism! Soft on terrorism!"

No, I don't think they have the stones, either...

W W Woodward said...

"We are not going to be able to repeal it, because the president would veto any repeal. ... "

Just why the hell not? A presidential veto is not the end of all things. It can be overridden.

[W3]

Anonymous said...

"I think we are going to be able to reform and amend the health care bill," he said. "We are not going to be able to repeal it, because the president would veto any repeal. But we can go back and make some changes and improvements."

I have been telling people over and over again, that if they DO NOT repeal ObamaCare in its entirety ... then the gig is up.

They are going to "fix it".

I knew they would.

But the GOA gave him a A- and that should be good enough for ... now?

My prediction was that many people, in and out of the Patriot movement, would learn to love it.

Because ... well ... because it ain't "THEM".

Think about it:

"We are not going to be able to repeal it, because the president would veto any repeal."

Obama could just as well veto their "fix" too. So why not just go all the way? Or, Obama could not veto it, and the repukes can say, "Hey, look at us, we did it!" Which of course, the repuke hanger-ons will feel good about themselves. And, it would make Obama look good in bi-partisanship and "working together".

I smell a rat ... already.

And "investigations"?

Oh frikkin please! The worst? MAYBE a patsy or two will get skinned AND they will "FIX IT" with a band aide.

NEVER give a politician the benefit of the doubt ... ever!

Anonymous said...

Smith repeatedly attacked what he called the 'one party control' which has allowed the Administration and majority Democrats to ramrod their position on key issues like health care and border security through Congress.

"Right now, we've had one party control all aspects of our government, and the result of that is that the American people have only gotten one side of a lot of issues," he said.



Yeah! We'll show them democrats not to be road hogs! We'll compromise your freedom and liberty ... and some of you will learn to love because ... well ... we ain"t ... THEM!

EJR914 said...

I won't hold my breath, either, Dedicated Dad. I'll be surprised if anything actually happens. Call me a cynic.

Anonymous said...

Fellows:

Did this one slip thru:

"I think we are going to be able to reform and amend the health care bill," he said. "We are not going to be able to repeal it, because the president would veto any repeal. But we can go back and make some changes and improvements..."

Blah, blah, blah...bull you know what.

Please tell me how this is not total defeatism, out of the box surrender.

Excuse, me, why should the GOP give a damn if he will attempt a veto ???

Like that's a valid reason for NOT making him make a fool of himself: don't these 'men' understand that confrontational politics is necessary if you're fighting for Liberty ?

These GOP compromisers are far worse than the Democrats - as they try to make evil seem reasonable - something Pelosi, Reid & the Big O simply are unable to do.

All I can say is, we either convince these feckless would be allies to reject the 'slightly nicer than
Democrats' meme and grow a spine & VETO this socialized medicine garbage, or else its show time.

This is absolutely a test of our will & worldview - who is sovereign: 'we the people' or 'the political class' ?

I think in this, we see the Truth, that the GOP, once ensconced in office, act near identical to the DEMS, as the 'political class', and answer the question posed above: "we, the political class, are sovereign."

So much for an election making any sort of meaningful change....

Chapter # 33333 in the lesson: If we don't stand up for our Liberties, no one else will - not from either party.

Once we get that illusion aside, we can deal with the Truth: we must resist at all costs - no compromise, no paying fines, totally reject big government usurpation of our liberties.

Research the book 'Cracking the Code' if you still harbor the illusion that the IRS code is even applicable to Citizens - there are millions of quiet non-filers, now there can be 10's of millions more.

Grasping this Truth will help free us from false obligations, laid upon us by unLawful theives, acting under the color of Law.

To quote the Scripture: "Woe unto those who call good evil, and evil good, who put light for darkness and darkness for light".

AMEN !

Samuel Adams, Jr. / Sons of Liberty

Justthisguy said...

Hmm. "cracking down on child pornography".

Reminds me of firemen who are secret arsonists. Methinks he doth protest too much.

Seriously, around here, anyway, it is acknowleged that anybody applying for a job as a fireman has pyro tendencies. That's Ok, the psych tests are supposed to catch those who are likely to act on their proclivities. I speak as someone who is a bit of a pyro. (not enough of one to apply at the fire dept.)

Anonymous said...

Hey Mark Matis, GUNGA DIN will make the arrest in India for us if they don't. HE IS A BETTER MAN THAN OBUMMER THAT GUNGA DIN.

Anonymous said...

Bad Cyborg writes: "What can the House do to the President if the White House ignores a subpoena from Congress?"

All bills for spending money originate in the house. The house turns the money spigot on for all of federal government, and they can turn it off, too. The flip side of every entitlement and federal program being a political promise rather than a contractual obligation is that congress can change its mind. If the house wants to, the house can defund all of the president's favorite programs, starting tomorrow.

When people say President so-and-so got us into a war, that's nonsense. Wars only happen because congress passes the bills to fund them. Every war has happened because whichever party majority in congress funded it. All claims by both major parties to be anti-war are nonsense. Cindy Sheehan lost her popular support when she called on the Democrat majority then in control of congress to defund the Middle Eastern war. That Democrat congress wanted there to be a war, and I predict this Republican congress also wants there to be a war.

"there are millions of quiet non-[tax]filers, now there can be 10's of millions more."

I suspect there are millions more who file a return that looks ordinary, so they don't attract enforcement attention, but that return is a carefully constructed lie which omits the cash payments. Waitress, or anyone who gets tips. Builder/contractor. Alternative healthcare. Mainstream healthcare?

"Once we get that illusion aside, we can deal with the Truth: we must resist at all costs - no compromise, no paying fines, totally reject big government usurpation of our liberties."

Who would want to lead that charge and die in a home raid? Simply report that you didn't do whatever it was that would incur the tax liability. Sure, you carried an approved "insurance" plan...the paperwork must be around here somewhere...too bad about that flood in my storage unit that destroyed my paperwork... oh here is a copy of one bill for it from last year. See? I've complied.

Anonymous said...

But the GOA gave him a A- and that should be good enough for ... now?--Curtis

It's not about Obamacare, hairpieces or neckties.

It's Lamar Smith v BATF(u) and this man seems to have the right political instinct ON GUNS, even though he is not as reliable as Ron Paul or Jim DeMint.

I'll take Smith to the woodshed later for supporting the Bush bail-out and the Patriot Act.

MALTHUS

Anonymous said...

Mr. Smith: NO COMPROMISE. REPEAL Obamacare! No tweaking it, fixing it, nibbling around the edges. Repeal it or we will find someone who will.

The fact that the Senate may not pass repeal, and Obama would veto any that miraculously passed does not mean the effort should not be made. Make the Senate take those votes and make Obama veto it.

azcIII

Mark Matis said...

For Anonymous at 8:35 AM:

I sure hope so, 'cause the putrid stench passed off as "Law Enforcement" in this country sure ain't gonna do it!

Hey, Mike - ya got Clinton in your comments! The captcha is "slick"!

Anonymous said...

MALTHUS

He will compromise on ObamaCare. He will compromise with the other half called democrats. He will certainly compromise with the BATFE.

"I'll take Smith to the woodshed later for supporting the Bush bail-out and the Patriot Act."

You will do no such thing. You will learn to love it ... because it ain't "THEM".

"It's Lamar Smith v BATF(u) and this man seems to have the right political instinct ON GUNS, even though he is not as reliable as Ron Paul or Jim DeMint."

And you will learn to compromise also ... because ... well, you know.

3 steps forward. 1 step back. 2 steps forward. 2 steps back. 3 steps forward...

Reliable...

Reliable...

Reliable...

He is not as reliable.

I knew this would happen. It happens e-v-e-r-y s-i-n-g-l-e t-i-m-e the repukocrats gain the majority.

It is called principle. If you learn to compromise with it, it is no long principle.