Senate to debate going nuclear

Funny how they were all against this 8 years ago. Just wait until the shoe is on the other foot.

How does everyone feel about this?

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/21/harry-reid-likely-to-go-nuclear-today/

 

This is politicians being politicians. In this instance, that means being hypocritical and foolish. The Senate Democratic leadership should not allow the absurd overuse of obstructionist tactics by the Republicans to buffalo them into changing a rule which has served the institution well for so long.

It's debatable whether this move is intended as a diversion, but I think it's possible that that is at least part of the motivation.

 

It's about time the minority stop pretending that they won the election. They fail to realize that elections have consequences in a raw grab at power the voters didn't give them. If they want their agenda to be considered by the "Americans" they keep claiming to be speaking for, then they should spell out that agenda during the election...Oh yeah, they did and were soundly rejected by a democratic majority of those same Americans. Everything they have done since is pure sour grapes and sore loser territory.

 

It's rotten when the majority party starts acting like they own this country. What they don't realize is that their power is tenuous and will eventually swing like a pendulum back the other direction. What they're doing now does not bode well for our system of government. But, I don't expect any less from these power-hungry dimocrats who want everything their way.

This is a sad day for American democracy, indeed.

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Ah, but that is a two way street. What happens next year when the Republicans take over the Senate.

And you keep accusing the Republicans of being hypocrites. Here are the Democrats IN SPADES. Or maybe they are just lying like Obama.

 

But it's OK as the minority to block every single piece of legislation and obstruct the functioning of government and then pretend that isn't a grabbing power you didn't earn through an election.

It's OK to bring the economy to the brink of collapse because Susie Smith might want an abortion. It's OK to make the entire government as dysfunctional as possible because you believe government doesn't work and need to make sure that it doesn't. You morons are so disingenuous that it is surreal.

 

Remember this when Republicans gain control of the Senate. Remember this when you're complaining that the Senate minority can no long filibuster. Remember this when Republican nominees sweep into their positions and the minority has absolutely no say in the matter. Remember who did this, Little Joe. You may like it right now, but there will come a time that you will regret what Reid and the dimocrats did today.

 

Perhaps the Repkes shouldn't have abused the filibuster rules in the first place.

I think this graph clearly demonstrates the abuse that has been perpetrated on the legislative process by none other than the Repukes. It's hard to argue with these kinds of numbers. Finally Harry, finally!

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Yeah, it's just rotten when a MAJORITY gets to do what the MAJORITY of the voters elected them to do. How awful is that for any democracy? Imagine, the rich and powerful minority not getting what they want. I guess that is what you get when you create so many people on the other side that you become a permanent minority. Here's an idea, why don't the repukes create more rich people and then they would have more allies instead of robbing people of their homes, and their livelihoods, and their pensions, and their health care, and their voting rights, and their reproductive freedom, and....well you get the idea. Take enough away from people and you really join an exclusive club. Maybe if any of the repukes policies didn't involve lining the pockets of the already wealthiest citizens in the country and actually did something to better people's lives, they wouldn't find themselves in such a shrinking minority. Sucks to be the Guardians of Privilege.

 

Maybe one of you could tell us all which legislative procedures the Democrats are abusing in the House of Reps as the minority party?

 

Things would have been a lot different if the administration had actually been the "most open and transparent" administration like they (he) promised. However, they have become the most secretive, scandal ridden, partisan, etc. i.e another Obama lie.

 

All I'm saying, Little Joe, is remember this day. Democrats will be in the minority once again and I just want you to remember who did this. It's not something you're going to like when the Republicans are in the majority.

 

http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2013/07/15/reid-2008-nuclear-option-ruin-country/

 

You ARE aware that the stance both political parties are for today were completely opposite about 8 years ago? Look up Bill Frist's empassioned plea on the Senate floor to eliminate the filibuster. On Jan 4, 2005 Frist called judicial filibusters "nothing less than a formula for tyranny by the minority." Both parties are gulity as hell of abuse but the abuse has reached the point that has paralzed the Senate. The minority needs to be heard but abuse of the Senate rules to sabbotage American law goes too far. If the law is meaningless then we have anarchy.

 

Actually, there was a single senator who voted no both times and he was a Republican.

 

The DC Federal Court of Appeals (aka. The DC Circuit) is the most under-utilized court in the country. They can easily handle the work load with the Justices they have now. In the off chance they may need assistance, there are nine (9) retired DC Federal Appeals Court Justices on standby to handle any overflow. In other words, these positions don't need to be filled.

Democrats want to fill them anyway so they can stack the court before they're voted out of office in 2014. The DC Circuit hears all of the Federal Government's regulatory cases. By stacking the court, they will be able to wreak Liberal havoc for years to come. If Republicans react negatively to the "Nuclear Option", Democrats will simply paint them as obstructionists.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...3fd76a-52de-11e3-a7f0-b790929232e1_story.html

 

"Abuse" is a strong word and it really depends on what your definition is. Rules are in place to be followed and the Republicans didn't break those rules. They may have used every tactic at their disposal in order to obey the will of the people who voted for them and I wouldn't expect any different from the dimocrats if the roles were reversed. You say the minority needs to be heard, but Harry Reid put a muzzle on the minority today. Don't you understand that?

Even the late Robert Byrd, D-W.VA said in 2010 that changing the rules regarding filibuster "would destroy the uniqueness of [the Senate]". He went on to say, "In the hands of a tyrannical majority and leadership, that kind of emasculation of the cloture rule would mean that minority rights would cease to exist in the U.S. Senate"

But, that's exactly what Harry Reid and the dimocrats accomplished today. Like I said previously, you might be happy about this today, but you'll regret it sooner or later. This is truly a sad day for democracy and exemplifies the very core reason I despise dimocrats and their fiendish tactics.

 

That is a pathetic mischaracterization of the DC appeal court. It is the second most powerful court right behind the Supreme Court. Many of the current Supreme Court members formally served on the DC appeals court. It is an eleven member court with three open seats. The Constitution charges the president with filling those vacancies. Right now there are 4 republicans and 4 Democrats appointees serving with 3 open seats. Since the Republicans have no substantive complains or issues with the quality of the Obama appointees, their only reason for blocking the administration's nominees is to maintain their political advantage that allowing 3 new judges on the court would erase. In other words, using the Senate's procedural rules to circumvent the law and the Constitution is no way to run a country. Just like Boehner saying that an anti-discrimination law for gays was unnecessary because they are an already protected group which is completely untrue but is the lie that passes for an excuse for doing nothing. How do you guys even look at yourselves in the mirror?

 

That's perfect..."Fair & Balanced". As long as they can keep up with the workload (which they do with ease), what's the problem?

Didn't you just say the court was balanced...4 to 4? Yes...adding three (3) Democratic appointees to the DC Circuit Court would shift the balance of power. Yes...the DC Circuit is the most important court in the US...second only to the Supreme Court.

Remember...Democrats started the filibuster with President Bush's nominees. In 2006, Democrats said no additional judges should be added to the DC Circuit due to their light workload. This is a convenient diversion from Obamacare, but I hope they can accept the consequences of their actions today. The toothpaste is out of the tube!

 

Seeing how conservatives are the first to criticize CNN, I'm surprised to see them link to one by a notoriously I'll-informed reporter (Bash). Here's what's really going on without the partisan twist: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/11/21/right-wing-media-myths-about-filibuster-reform/197006