Democrats Aren’t Letting Boehner Weasel Out Of The Homeland Security Crisis He Caused

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) bill to fund Homeland Security for three weeks in a shameless attempt to buy time to try to get out of the crisis that Republicans caused, and Democrats aren’t buying it.

The Hill has the details of the Republican plan:

The House will vote Friday on a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security for three weeks in an attempt to avert a shutdown slated for Saturday at the massive agency.

If the bill is approved by the House, the Senate is expected to quickly follow suit — though the upper chamber also plans to move forward with a bill funding Homeland Security through the end of the fiscal year.

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GOP lawmakers said a three-week measure buys more time for the federal courts to consider a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Obama’s policies, which would shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation. It also gives Republicans a little more time to pursue a longer-term solution on both Homeland Security funding and halting Obama’s immigration actions.

Democratic Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats are opposing the bill. Pelosi is actively whipping up opposition to the bill. With House Republicans deeply divided on any clean funding of Homeland Security, it is possible that conservatives join with Democrats to kill Boehner’s bill. If Boehner’s bill dies, and knowing the Speaker’s history of having to pull his own bills it is possible that it will, House Republicans don’t have another plan. In fact, Boehner is planning on allowing the House to leave town for the weekend.

Boehner’s plan to extend funding for three weeks in the hope that a court will block President Obama’s immigration executive actions reeks of desperation. While the nation watches House Republicans put on a clinic on how not to govern, it is important to remember that the crisis over Homeland Security funding was completely avoidable.

Speaker Boehner manufactured the crisis, and Democrats aren’t about to help him get out of the mess that he caused. The odds are that in the three weeks Congress will be right back where it started, and, if they don’t already, the American people should regret handing control of the legislative branch of their government to the Republican Party.