What about arresting the House Republicans under the Patriot Act for Terrorism?

[lovuian]

A terrorist
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, often violent, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no legally binding, criminal law definition.[1][2] Common definitions of terrorism refer only to those violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror), are perpetrated for a religious, political or, ideological goal; and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants (civilians).

I believe there is disregard for the safety of non-combatants

It places America in a financial disaster of huge proportions and causes terror .....

I believe the Patriot Act is there to use

We are talking about shutting down the United States of America

[nick of time]

1. Careful what you wish for.

What's to stop them from using it themselves against Democrats?
Real fan of the Patriot Act are you?

[lovuian]

3. No I'm not but what a fitting twist it would be to arrest the

men who voted for it and created it

A bit of Irony

[nick of time]

4. And it keeps getting re-authorized by a Democrat controlled Senate.

With plenty of Republican support. What's that tell you?

[ileus]

5. Now that we're never going to be in a minority again

(powerwise) how would the repukes regain control of this power.

This last election sealed it up for the I's and R's...they're in the minority forever.

We'll take congress in two years, and have a 60+ vote lead in the senate in two years. Their days of leadership are almost over...

[nick of time]

6. I live in the land of reality.

I'm sure the repukes thought the same thing in 1994 also.
Anyways, I'm pretty sure using the Patriot Act as a political tool against the repukes would be a huge mistake on our side.

[ileus]

7. As someone around here noted, lots of those 94 voters are now pushing up flowers.

in the next two years more of them will be on the wrong side of the dirt...

Our party is only expanding from here on.

[nick of time]

8. Maybe, maybe not.

Are you willing to use the Patriot Act as a political tool against our opponents to find out?
How fast do you think the courts would throw out the charges?
What police force would make the arrests?

[ileus]

9. Once we've got the lock (I believe we'll have in 2 years)

on power, we can use it for the greater good of society, not as a political tool.

[nick of time]

10. The greater good of society?

Hmmm, where have I heard that slogan before?
And it would be seen by most of the american people as a political ploy against our opponents. This whole discussion is moot anyway, we both know that using the Patriot Act this way will not happen and that's a good thing.

[ileus]

11. I say potato you say potatoe.

[nick of time]

12. Fair enough for me.

By the way, you do know that's how that moron Dan Quayle spelled potato?
Don't know if you're old enough to remember that famous quote.

[ileus]

13. That's why I add the E...

I grew up in the 80's and have been saying potatoE ever since.


Some things I can't let go of.

[nick of time]

14. I guess I'm an old codger.

I came of age in the mid 60's.
I feel old.
Good talking to you.

[rhett o rick]

17. Ahh to live in a bubble. Pretending that the Republicans are the only enemy. That would be nice.

Makes it real easy. If they are Republican they are bad, if they are a Democrat, they are good. Problem is that aint the way it works. It's not that easy. Democrats are voting for the Patriot Act, FISA spying, indefinite detention. When the Republican Party shrinks to nothing, where the hell do you think the assholes go?? They join the Democratic Party. And just putting a D behind their name doesnt make them good and nice. They bring their ideologies with them.

Look at Chuck Hegal, Tim Geitner, Lawrence Summers, Ben Bernanke, William M. Daley, Jeff Immelt, Alan Simpson, Dave Cote, Jeb Bush, Robert Gates, Gen Stanley McChrystal, Jacob Lew, Michael Taylor, Jeremiah Norton, Gen Petraeus, John Brennan. These Republicans helped or are helping make policy for the current administration.

[RKP5637]

2. It is exactly what the House Republicans are about, inciting and enabling the

downfall if the US. It's practically all many of them talk about. I'm sooo fed up with the whole pack of immature assholes. They add no value to the governance of this country.

[oldhippie]

15. What about the Constitution? ...

The Speech or Debate Clause is a clause in the United States Constitution (Article I, Section 6, Clause 1) . The clause states that members of both Houses of Congress


...shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony, and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their attendance at the Session of their Respective Houses, and in going to and from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

The intended purpose is to prevent a President or other officials of the executive branch from having members arrested on a pretext to prevent them from voting a certain way or otherwise taking actions with which the President might disagree.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_immunity

All three term (Treason, Felony, and Breach of the Peace) have definitions that would not fit your case.

The Founding Fathers anticipated you.

[lovuian]

16. my only answer is that if the government is closed for business

doesn't that include Congress

who is going to pay for the government to stay in business
from the electric bill for their votes heating and computers

Who pays for having the United States of America's default on their loans?
It is the Congress duty

The Constitution isn't worth anything if there is no government

the ramifications are serious and a danger worse than the bombing of the World Trade Center

It is like declaring war on America ....when you vote to shut the government down