The American people have a right to know both how deep and how high the corruption of our government runs. The White House has an interest in minimizing the scandal, and surely that is Obama’s objective if he is trying to throw Lerner under the bus. Let’s reserve judgment on her and make sure not to let off the hook the man whose re-election the IRS’s abuse of power helped to advance.
I don’t want her scapegoated. As Michael Ledeen suggests, she (and the others whom the administration is trying to sacrifice and scapegoat) should be immunized, so we can get to the truth. And if part of that truth leads to the president, let’s just hope for the sake of the country that the vice president is implicated as well.
The problem with this Prez/VP scenario is: Isn’t the Speaker next in the line of succession? Boehner wouldn’t do that great a job; if he continues to do such a mediocre job as Speaker and the House switches parties again [unlikely, but still…], then Pelosi would become Prez.
As bad as Obama is, Biden or Pelosi would be no improvement.
Boehner would be far preferable to either Obama or Biden. I don’t understand your comment about Pelosi. The only way she would become president is if a) the Democrats win the House in 2014 (exceedingly unlikely) and the impeachment doesn’t occur until after that (even more unlikely). She would take over from Boehner if the Dems won the House — she’d simply become Speaker again.
“And if part of that truth leads to the president, let’s just hope for the sake of the country that the vice president is implicated as well.”
You needn’t worry about Biden becoming President…..Biden will suddenly want to spend more time with his family and play with his toy trains. Then Obama will appoint Hillary as VP.
Obama might nominate Hillary but she’d still have to be confirmed in the Senate. Given both the events of 9/11/12 and the political aspirations of those who want to run in 2016, her confirmation might not be a slam dunk.
If Hillary were to replace an impeached Obama, she’d be limited to one (elected) term, unless the impeachment process took longer than, what, 6-8 months from now? Therefore I think she’d refuse nomination as a replacement because I bet she wants to maximize her time.
With Hillary dogged by Benghazi, I’m not sure the House would approve her as VP.
From the 25th Amendment:
Obama would probably have to reach far outside his administration to find someone untainted by scandal who could get through the House and Senate. My guess is that he’d either have to go for someone already in Congress (probably the Senate) or New York Governor Andrew Cuomo or Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper.
Biden will suddenly want to spend more time with his family
What makes you say that? Biden’s made no secret of his desire to be president. If Hillary doesn’t run in 2016, I expect that Biden will.
A rare occurrence, to be sure, but I agree with you 100% on this one. He’s run before and there is every reason to believe he’d happily do so again. Biden, like most of the really dim people in the world, simply has no idea how dim he is and how many other people know it – including other Democrats, nearly none of whom supported him the last time he chose to indulge his seemingly limitless sense of baseless self-regard.
Because that’s what he’ll be told to do. He goes under the bus because he’s merely a moron – not a real soldier in the battle to remake Amerika into the Socialist Paradise.
It looks like Lerner may be recalled to testify. Legal experts say she waived her right to the Fifth Ammendment when she asserted her innocence in her written statement.
I think that is great.
She shouldn’t be allowed to make a statement, during which she claims she is 100% innocent, then walk away under 5th Amendment protection. If she were smart, she would have just kept her mouth shut!!
She definitely shouldn’t be allowed to admit testimony into the hearing after invoking the 5th and still think she can claim the 5th.
I say this because some are trying to suggest her preamble doesn’t count. Well, after her invocation of the 5th, she was asked if what she provided to the IG was her testimony. She waived her 5th amendment right and stated that was correct. So everything she said to the IG is material for which she can be cross-examined.
Which is scarier? That Lois and her fellow IRS employees obeyed the orders of the Obama White House? Or they did this all by themselves, without getting permission or orders from anyone?
In either event, the tax code and the IRS need to be redone completely. Governments have powers granted by the public on order to protect and defend the rights, lives and properties of the population. When governments abuse those powers, its time for the people to take them away from government.
IMHO, everyone who knew this targeting was going on and did not report it should face consequences, the least of which should be the immediate and permanent termination of their government employment. That would send a very clear message to the rest.
Following orders is not excuse, because what happened is clearly against IRS and government rules.
Also, taking the 5th? Anyone who does that on the stand should be fired. Why? Because that’s what happens to employees who try that approach. The 5th is a shield against prosecution, not termination. Termination is what would happen to any IRS agent who tried to take the 5th when being interviewed by their supervisor, so why should the top brass get the kit glove treatment?
If Biden is involved… then yep, the speaker of the house is next in line. He would become president (assuming he accepted). It wouldn’t matter in that regard who became speaker later; he’d fill out the current term of president (and would no longer be speaker or a member of the house while so doing)
Of Bohner doesn’t want it, next in line is the president pro tem of the senate, currently Danial Leahy.
Frankly, my guess is that Biden was not in the loop on anything illegal. Why? Because he’s famously unable to keep a secret, which makes him a rather unattractive for other members of a conspiracy, plus he has little actual power of his own (and therefor would be superfluous well as a risk).
The idea of a President Biden is terrifying to me, but I’d still much prefer him to Obama. The same is true of the tree stump in my yard.
@ Jim,
Regarding Biden running in 2016. The only area I disagree with you on that is I think he’ll run regardless of whether Hillary does. He’s run for president twice before, so I’m pretty sure he’ll give it a go again.