Congress

House GOP to Tell a Series of Fart Jokes Before Going On Vacation

Apparently it took congressional Republicans more than a month to come up with this brilliant plan where they will make fools of themselves by passing the legislative equivalent of fart jokes.

What the Republicans have dubbed “Stop Government Abuse Week” will conclude after Republicans vote to repeal Obamacare for the 40th time. And according to the Washington Post, House leaders actually rushed a vote on the farm bill earlier this month to leave enough time to vote on these “scandal bills.”

Representatives plan to vote on at least 10 bills connected to the theme of the week and featuring flashy titles such as “Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act” and “Stop Playing on Citizen’s Cash Act.”

The collection includes the STOP IRS Act — with STOP standing for “Stop Targeting Our Politics” — which is sponsored by Rep. James B. Renacci (R-Ohio), who wants the IRS to fire any employees “who take official actions for political purposes.” [...]

There’s a bill that would impose a moratorium on IRS conference spending until the agency implements recommendations made by its inspector general. Another bill would prohibit any pay bonuses for federal employees for the rest of fiscal year 2013 and to cap bonuses at a maximum of 5 percent of salary through the end of fiscal 2015. [...]

Rep. Todd C. Young (R-Ind.) is sponsoring the Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act — REINS Act, for short — that would essentially give Congress final say on the implementation of major new federal regulations. [...]

And there is a proposal to prohibit the IRS from implementing or enforcing any aspect of the 2010 health-care reform law, which could mark the 40th time in recent years that the House has voted to repeal, defund or deconstruct the new law.

The Stop Targeting Our Politics Act. The Executives in Need of Scrutiny Act. The Stop Playing on Citizen’s Cash Act.

All that’s missing is the Stop Casting Aspersions On My Asparagus Act.

The irony of dubbing this “Stop Government Abuse Week” is probably lost on them as they go on to abuse the government. Abuse the power they’ve been given.

The House defense appropriations bill is a mess. The farm bill is an abomination. There is no agreement on funding the federal government beyond September. Immigration reform has been delayed. And their last act before going on vacation for a month is to pass a series of bills that serve absolutely no purpose beyond legislating their political campaign.