President Comments on Congressional Gridlock and Executive Action: “Stop Hating”

July 30th, 2014

From remarks in Kansas City, MO:

So some of the things we’re doing without Congress are making a difference, but we could do so much more if Congress would just come on and help out a little bit.  (Applause.)  Just come on.  Come on and help out a little bit.  Stop being mad all the time.  (Applause.)  Stop just hating all the time.  Come on.  (Applause.)  Let’s get some work done together.  (Applause.)

So there’s a bunch of stuff that needs to get done.  Unfortunately, I think the main vote — correct me if I’m wrong here, Congressman — the main vote that they’ve scheduled for today is whether or not they decide to sue me for doing my job.
AUDIENCE:  Booo —
THE PRESIDENT:  No, no, no — first of all, here’s something I always say — do not boo, vote.  Booing doesn’t help.  Voting helps.  (Applause.)
But think about this — they have announced that they’re going to sue me for taking executive actions to help people.  So they’re mad because I’m doing my job.  And, by the way, I’ve told them — I said, I’d be happy to do it with you.  So the only reason I’m doing it on my own is because you don’t do anything.  (Applause.)  But if you want, let’s work together.
I mean, everybody recognizes this is a political stunt, but it’s worse than that, because every vote they’re taking like that means a vote they’re not taking to actually help you.  When they have taken 50 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act, that was time that could have been spent working constructively to help you on some things.  (Applause.)  And, by the way, you know who is paying for this suit they’re going to file?  You.
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  No!
THE PRESIDENT:  No, no — you’re paying for it.  And it’s estimated that by the time the thing was done, I would have already left office.  So it’s not a productive thing to do. 

Buried in there is actually an argument about mootness–the claim that if the employer mandate goes into effect in 2016 (as planned), it would moot the Boehner suit.