Government Shutdown 2014: Obama’s Executive Order On Illegal Immigrants’ Amnesty Triggers Threats

Talk of a 2014 government shutdown have already been threatened by Republicans in response to President Barack Obama claiming he would issue an executive order giving illegal immigrants amnesty before the end of the year. While some in the GOP would prefer to roll back this 10-point plan, others believe a government shutdown would be enough of reason for Obama to hold back his plans.

In a related report by The Inquisitr, a group of Senate Republicans are pressing House Speaker John Boehner to oppose funding a program contained in the Affordable Care Act, giving another reason for the GOP to trigger another government shutdown in 2014 over Obamacare.

Arizona Rep. Matt Salmon said Friday that if House Republicans pass a spending bill that includes a stipulation for Obama’s executive order, then the issue of giving illegal immigrants amnesty will go away.

“It will stop him dead in his tracks if our conference decides to put on the spending bill that the president has to have by the end of the year that no money in that spending bill can go for these purposes, for this executive amnesty. If he does that, he’s in direct violation of the law,” Salmon said to Newsmax. “We have a responsibility to put forward our views on how the government should be funded as conservatives. The founding fathers gave us the power of the purse just for moments like this. The president has the veto and we have the power of the purse. If our appropriators include that language in the bill, the president will be forbidden from using any money. He can do whatever executive order he wants, he just won’t have the money to implement it.”

The House of Representatives has until December 11, 2014 to pass a temporary funding bill that would avoid the government shutdown of non-essential federal services. President Obama has previously stated his intentions to announce the 10-part plan on immigration reform by November 21.

But not all Republicans agree with threatening a 2014 government shutdown. Some in the GOP recall vividly how the public soured against them in 2013 when a government shutdown was threatened over the funding of Obamacare, and it’s possible the same reaction may occur twice.

Rep. Charlie Dent, a moderate Republican, believes that threatening a government shutdown over giving illegal immigrants amnesty would only hurt his party.

“It’s a big test for the leadership. We cannot listen to the loudest, shrillest voices in our party,” said Rep. Dent according to the Los Angeles Times. “At some point we have to fund the government, and we should not fight to attach some demand. I don’t want to stand by and watch as our party gets driven into a ditch.”

Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma doesn’t oppose his fellow party members for reacting to Obama’s plans, but he does believe threatening a government shutdown is never a good idea.

“I don’t blame people for being mad and proposing ideas,” Cole said. “I personally think it’s just a losing strategy. It didn’t work for Obamacare. There’s no way it’s going to work here… My view is shutting down the government is never the appropriate remedy.”

Senate Democrats will also continue to oppose any plans to defund both Obamacare and President Obama’s executive order. Although Republicans won a Senate majority during the recent 2014 elections, the 114th United States Congress will not meet until January 3, 2015, well after when Obama has promised to enforce his ideas.

[Image courtesy of JM.com]