Opening Day

2010 is over,  The President is thanking the God of whatever religion he supports for that.  He keeps telling the world how much he accomplished last year.  The world wants some of whatever he's smoking.. As far as I can tell, most of his accomplishments are going to years of court action to sort out.

The best review of last year I've seen yet, was in the Miami Herald, titled Dave Barry’s 2010 Year in Review.. After a brief introduction he takes you month by month through last years insanity. It's a must read if you follow the news, and like to laugh.  Sure; he missed lampooning a bunch of very deserving people, but hell, you can only fit so much into a newspaper piece.

In DC the Democratic House Majority is History, with luck, Pelosi will get the chairmanship of the Ladies Restroom Toilet Supply Committee.  The new Speaker of the House, John Boehner has promised to open the 112th|Session of the US Congress with a reading of the Constitution.  Something that's never been done before.

The reading is being seen as largely symbolic, democrats and  establishment career republicans are expected to use the time to catch up on missed sleep.  They learned years ago all they really have to read is their key donor list.

Another rule Boehner is expect to announce is a requirement that all new legislation reference the laws justification in the Constitution.  The Washington Post and liberal pundits say this is nothing more than a gesture to shut up the TEA Party People   If I use history as a guide, they are probably correct.. Toss the dogs a bone and they'll quit growling at you..  I expect an all inclusive rubber stamp the mentions the Taxation, Commerce and Necessary and Proper Clauses.

To do it properly would invite Constitutional Debate on every proposal, before it reaches the House Floor.  That would be fairly simple and very doable, if debate was limited to the actual wording of the Constitution..  Problem is, with all the damned lawyers in Congress...  It would get bogged down in interpretations of case law, that were based on, other interpretations of other case law.

I also expect Boehner to introduce a resolution to repeal Obamacare almost immediately.  Politically it's a no brainer, it will be introduced, quickly passed and sent to the Senate where Harry Reid will toss it into the nearest fireplace.  Reid could never get the votes to pass it again, but he can get enough to prevent it's repeal.  Even so it's an easy win for Boehner, he can say he did his part..

If Boehner is to stop Obamacare, and a whole host of other things... he has the means (and ways).  The concept is very simple,  All Appropriations must originate in the House..  If it requires funding,  the House of Representitives must allocate the funding, if they don't approve the money, it can't get spent.  Boehner as Speaker of the House with an overwhelming Republican majority can simply fail to to fund anything.

It works something like telling a two year old "No I'm not going to buy you that candy".  nice and simple.  It is, until the two year starts running down the store aisles, breaking every thing breakable it sees.    I don't expect the progessives to react well if Boehner fully uses his power over spending.  The question is does Boehner have the courage to act like an adult and give the two year olds a spanking, or will he cave to the spoiled brats.