Finally: Obama uses the E word.

[pnwmom]

And I'm not talking about "Election."

I'm talking about EXTORTION, which is exactly what the Rethuglican party is trying to do in its threats to shut down the government and/or go into default unless he agrees to defunding or delaying Obamacare.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/18/obama-debt-ceiling_n_3948809.html

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama accused Republicans of extortion on Wednesday for planning to tie a vote to raise the debt ceiling to an effort to sink the Affordable Care Act.

During remarks at Business Roundtable, Obama said the country may be heading toward a debt default if Republicans don't stop tying unrelated items to the otherwise "basic function" of raising the debt ceiling. The government is on track to run out of money in mid-October, and House Republican leaders said Wednesday that they'll vote as soon as next week on a bill that ties a one-year delay in Obamacare to raising the debt limit.

"You have never seen in the history of the United States ... the threat of not raising the debt ceiling being used to extort a president or a governing party, and trying to force issues that have nothing to do with the budget and have nothing to do with the debt," Obama said.

SNIP

[Avalux]

1. Good. Next he should call them traitors -

and have them arrested for treason.

[russspeakeasy]

2. Yes !

[world wide wally]

5. Why do you think the founding fathers used the term all threats foreign and "DOMESTIC"

They were not the mental lightweights the tea party makes them out to be

[usaf-vet]

6. Veterans should remember that it was part of their enlistment oath.

"support and defend against all enemies foreign and DOMESTIC"

[sulphurdunn]

11. I have never forgotten.

Ironically, these are the same sons-of-bitches who bang the war drum and threaten to shut down the government tasked with waging it. I honestly wonder if they are even mentally competent enough to charge with sedition.

[mrmpa]

9. Sedition

I think they're guilty of Sedition under the US Code. "Force" I interpret as their bullying.


If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

[Politicub]

14. Sedition and the US legal code

Last edited Wed Sep 18, 2013, 06:37 PM - Edit history (4)

Let's hope the media know and report this.

On edit - 'by force" is the key modifier. While the behavior is seditious, it doesn't equate to a seditious conspiracy as defined in the US legal code - http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/18/I/115/2384

But I'm not a lawyer so I don't know if force always implies physical force.

As an aside, the US code re: sedition and treason is a really interesting read. I hadn't thought to look it up until seeing your post.

18 U.S.C. § 2385 : US Code - Section 2385: Advocating overthrow of Government reads as:

Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States or the government of any State, Territory, District or Possession thereof, or the government of any political subdivision therein, by force or violence, or by the assassination of any officer of any such government; - See more at: http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/18/I/115/2385#sthash.vW7pvXnZ.dpuf

I'm including this section of the code since it has the words violence and force. Which begs the question - is there a different legal definition of force that doesn't include violence?

[mrmpa]

27. One of the legal definitions of Force

Force means power, violence, or pressure directed against a person or thing. Force is a compulsion by physical means or by legal requirement.

[Politicub]

35. Just on a whim I searched for my handle and the word sedition

and this gem was returned http://www.conservativecave.com/index.php?topic=90916.0

Wtf?

The people on conservative cave (whatever that's supposed to be since I've never heard of this excuse for a forum) are nuts. They ridicule DU posters, but not the substance. And the fools talk about physical force down thread.

Never knew a forum exists only to troll DU.

[dionysus]

36. once i found a post where an Old Elm Tree poster said they'd kick my ass if they saw me, if not for

their arthritis!

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

31. Sorry, but that's not treason

Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution says

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

What the Republicans are threatening does not even come close.

[libdem4life]

3. I wish he would put information regarding the Exchanges on a scroll while he is talking...

1-800 for info ... your state exchange (or not)

[Baitball Blogger]

4. Extortionist, Racketeers, Traitors, Crooks and Corrupt Bastards.

All those words apply.

[libdude]

7. He seems very

detached, speaking at the Business Roundtable in regards to what most people would call a crime, which is what extortion is. If you were being extorted, would the extortionist not be subject to arrest? If members of Congress intentionally plan as a group to damage the Amerivan economy, would they not be subject to arrest on conspiracy to commit treason? I have no confidence that the President will take any action, but if all he can do is talk, I would be on the TV, radio, social media, and call the Republicans by name that are intentionally seeking to destroy America.

[pnwmom]

8. Not to me. This is very strong language for a President to use against the other party. Yes, he

is comparing what they are doing to the crime of extortion. That's a big deal -- but not something he could have them arrested for, unfortunately.

[Iliyah]

12. Should the house gopers be impeached in a whole?

Yes. Let the America people impeach them! Impeach and replace with a group of people who will work with and for the American people.

[Iliyah]

10. The stoppage of SSI checks, SNAP, Medicare & Medicaid (Medi-Cal here in Cali)

Government shuts down, America basically stops. These goper - congresscritters are sick sick sick

[Brigid]

17. Will this finally drive people into the streets?

It seems to me that a lot of people view this debt ceiling gamesmanship in a pretty abstract way. Maybe when it hits their pocketbooks, they will react.

[pangaia]

23. Exactly. Most people have no idea what the debt ceiling even is.

All they see is 'the gumint can't get anything done.'
EDUCATION....!

[JDPriestly]

20. As I recall from the Clinton administration, the president gets to set the priorities about

who gets paid and what gets done if the government shuts down.

If Obama closed the funds for the military industrial contracts first, the Republicans would see the light very quickly.

[Politicub]

13. And Harry Reid called out the Tea Party as anarchists

Which is exactly what they are.

Webster's dictionary defines anarchist as:

1 : a person who rebels against any authority, established order, or ruling power 2 : a person who believes in, advocates, or promotes anarchism or anarchy ; especially : one who uses violent means to overthrow the established order

Remind you of anyone?

If the shoe fits...

[Brigid]

16. Looks like the shoe fits to me.

Next step is getting the Tea Party to admit it. Good luck with that one.

[allan01]

15. re:Finally: Obama uses the E word.

these people cant win fairly and they cant rule . dont want to rule. wont rule . will never rule so fire the so and sos

[Arugula Latte]

18. Evil?

[Brigid]

19. In the article, I notice the GOP is using a time-honored tactic.

They are dismissing and belittling the President's use of the word "extortion" to describe what they are doing. They are trying to make him sound petty. Well, this is not a petty issue, and Obama's use of the word "extortion" is quite appropriate. They are the ones resorting to force to get their way.

[pnwmom]

21. Dana Milbank's one reporter who gets it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251324611

[Historic NY]

22. Rethugicans....sneaky, conniving bastards.

[grahamhgreen]

24. Kick. More please:) Like actions.

[blkmusclmachine]

25. Meh.

Way too little, and way too late.

Where's the "Compromise"?

[ancianita]

26. I call it Shakedown Politics and Economics. Played by the grifter class.

[Dollface]

28. Isn't it the policy of the USA not to negotiate with terrorists?

[hopemountain]

29. they are social, political, and economic terrorists

and worldwide criminals - because economies all over the world would suffer even further as a result of a shutdown of our government. and, the extortionists don't care as long as they win.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

32. No difference...

Imagine if an Al-queda cell said, "If you don't release the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, we'll unleash a series of internet viruses that will crash the internet."

It would be viewed as economic terrorism, plain and simple. There is ZERO PERCENT DIFFERENCE between that imaginary scenario and what the Republicans are threatening.

[eridani]

30. This calls for an email to whitehouse.gov

Lord knows I've been on his case for stuff lately, but positive moves should never be ignored.

[OccupyManny]

33. Healthcare

I signed up for a plan. Before I would just go to the emergency room. I pay $575 a month for a plan that pays around 80%. I'm not going to pay the difference though. Those doctors get enough.

Not sure what happens if you don't pay the difference but I can't afford it.

[hopemountain]

34. what state are you in?

when did you sign up? obamacare sign ups do not begin until october 1. whatever you signed up for was and is not obamacare, i can tell you that.