Posted by Tina
I guess it’s entirely appropriate that this blow up of the Constitution in the Senate should happen under an administration that is already constitutionally challenged and plagued by scandal, but leave it to that old scoundrel Harry Reid, huh? What a dark figure this guy is! Anyway, Reid decided today to adopt the nuclear option for President Obama’s nominees which means that instead of 61 votes the Senate will only have to have 51 votes, a majority, to pass on any appointee. Reid and Obama have made a grand bargain to pack the courts over the next three years. The only real limitation is that it doesn’t apply to Supreme Court nominees.
Republicans have approved about 99% of Obama’s nominees, according to senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell. This seems a rather desperate move given the circumstances. Some speculation has been made that they wanted to get Obamacare out of the news cycle for a bit but that seems unlikely to me. Appointments mostly go unnoticed to the average American but getting cancellation notices in the mail, finding out your premiums have gone up drastically, or discovering that you can no longer use the same doctor or hospital is much more intimate and compelling to the average Jane or Joe.
the Wall Street Journal has the story:
A bitterly divided Senate voted Thursday to ease the confirmation process for most presidential nominees, a momentous and potentially risky step that limits the ability of Republicans to block President Barack Obama’s choices for executive-branch and most judicial posts.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) engineered the rules change, over Republican objections, with a complicated parliamentary maneuver that ended up placing new curbs on the use of the filibuster—a move so controversial that it is often called the “nuclear option.”
“The American people believe Congress is broken. The American people believe the Senate is broken…It’s time to change the Senate before this institution becomes obsolete,” Mr. Reid said.
The key vote was 52-48, with all but three Democrats—Sens. Carl Levin of Michigan, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Joe Manchin of West Virginia—voting for the change and all 45 Republicans opposed.
Republicans considered this move once when they were in control but decided against it because they knew it would be bad for the country and was a monumental power grab that would one day come back to bite them when Democrats got their turn.
Harry Reid’s excuse is a joke. No matter how divided the country is we have NOT elected him Czar and we do not appreciate this solution to the checks and balances framework that was given us in the Constitution.
The people will have the final say as always and next year will be here in a heartbeat for us oldsters!
Interesting since 99% of Obama nominees have been approved. Democrats have now set the precedent. Of course this will come back to haunt the Rats, but not until Republicans control the Senate. Then the usual gang of hypocritical, faux outrage posing, phony progressive chowder heads will scream bloody murder.
Here is your noogies in advance.
Ted Cruz is no dummy: “The heart of this action is directed at packing the D.C. Circuit because that is the court that will review the lawless behavior of the Obama administration implementing ObamaCare.”
Fits the M.O.
Here is the king rat in 2005 speaking against the nuclear option. Boy what a hypocrite!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62zo6Ytkk2g&feature=player_embedded
The D-Rats are in panic mode over losing the Senate next year. Obama got Reid to do this so he could stack the courts and get his agenda items through especially the judges and the EPA emission’s regulation.
The best ObamaCare video you’ll see.
Trying again to copy video.
http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=90510&sitesection=youngcons&VID=25379751
I’m confused about this. First, I’ve never been a fan of the filibuster but I respected people who actually stood up and did it. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz showed us what a filibuster is supposed to be. Whether you agree with their politics or not, that is how you do it. I do not like that you can just say you will filibuster and then not have to do it. This filibuster policy change is only for presidential nominations and not the Supreme Court. It seems to me majority vote should be what they use anyway. The House of Representatives doesn’t have a fillibuster and they work pretty well. The Senate is only 100 people and they have way too much power in my opinion. The House is an actual representation of the people.
Peggy that IS the best Obamacare video ever. It is VERY POWERFUL! At least for those with ears to hear.
The lies, lies of omission, and intent to deceive is so obvious. And from my perspective this is the one factor that best describes the basics of the Obama administration. If I had to put it into a single sentence it would be, “The people don’t know what is best and since we do we will trick them and once they experience the results from our magnificent ideas, they will be grateful and we will basque in the light of their adoration for decades”.
Now with the ability to pack the DC courts they will have blocked the will of the people in one more way.
Princess the purpose of the higher threshold, which has been in place since the seventeen hundreds I believe, is to prevent a president of either party from packing the courts which is a way of preventing the opposition from questioning the constitutionality of bills passed.
Obama and Reid have essentially made himself King.
Tina, There is discussion taking place on the internet about organizing the TP groups to work together on the 2014 candidates and coming up with a “leader” to be the spokesperson. A couple of names are being suggested, of which I really like two. Allen West and Sarah Palin.
For the 2016 presidential election the recommendation is also out there to have a team slate for the president and all of the cabinets and advisors filled. Putting the best people available in each position presents a clear picture of not only the top but everyone down to the lowest as to who will be running the country. I love the concept and think it’s gets everyone to see they will have their “favorite” person as a member of the team.
Hopefully, the 70% of Americans that want ObamaCare repealed will see this as the only way to take control of the Congress in 2014 with enough that it will be able to overturn a veto by Obama. And with a republican in the WH in 2016 we’ll have our country back on a road to jobs, less taxes, and a free-market health care overhaul.
Peggy the Obma in the video is the Obama people thought they would get when they voted for him. He was right then about the nuclear option…and the Republicans didn’t fold to the pressure. they chose not to change the law because they knew it was not constitutionally sound.
Obama, Reid, Pelosi do not care now that they have the power. Not about the Constitution, not about the balance of power, and not about the people. They care about their agenda dnd the power to implement it.
I have never seen this level of deceit and dirty tricks from either party in my lifetime!
Tina, You know what they say about pay backs.
Did you hear Rush this morning talking about what the Republicans should do with every action taken by the Senate over this? Worth hearing.
Also, remember what Newt said during the 2012 campaign? Here it is. Yes, pay back are a B…..
http://crooksandliars.com/david/gingrich-abolish-anti-american-ninth-circuit
Deceit? That would be untrue propaganda written by an UN Patriotic Party knowing that the real facts are available.
What would be said purpose? Why would a party that has said many times over by the Senate Minority leader McTurtle that his only job was to make Obama a one term president? A Man who made a deal with the Senate leader Harry Reid to stop the games and filibusterers in the 1st Senate session this year. And also break that gentleman’s agreement.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/harry-reid-mitch-mcconnell-filibuster_n_2541356.html
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/18/1217074/-McConnell-promises-to-end-filibuster-if-made-Majority-Leader
We also have seen you can not believe nor trust anything these guys say because they are controlled by their Donors and have no interest in governing the Voting serfs (The people)
One can make up delusional propaganda that no one will believe as the drama has been played out to the point everybody knows the facts. But why? Pure mean hate for those who do not follow their religion and do not allow a minority of Corporatist’s to dictate all law according to the Koch Brothers and friends.
What is the origin of the word filibuster to begin with? Where did it come from?
“from a Dutch word meaning “pirate””
https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Filibuster_Cloture.htm
Ted Cruz shutdown the gov (I have him on tape planning it) over something that is a law. He also said there was not much he could do about the supreme court upheld law but was going to do it anyway. (I have this all on tape)
So what was Mr Cruz’s cause? Well it was very obvious! The call was sponsored by the Conservative Senate Pac and they were constantly asking for money on the call. I initially figured the Canadian Rafael (Ted) Cruz was raising money to campaign against Democrats for the Senate races.
I was wrong! It came to pass that these people had shut down the gov and hurt the American economy to an estimated tune of 24 Billion dollars to raise money to Primary Republicans in the senate!
Worse yet Canadian born Rafael (Ted) Cruz was doing it all for his donors. Rich enemies of Democracy that do not want health Insurance to actually provide healthcare. Health Insurance is to be for shareholders profits! Making money off of money is all that matters. Human labor is to be enslaved.
A real filibuster does not allow one to go to the restroom, nor read Dr Seuss to your children on taxpayers money. With a goal to feed one’s own ego, raise money at the taxpayers expense, and disregard the voters the last election. This man was not even born in this country!
Tammy Davis ran a real filibuster, no bathroom breaks, had to talk about the bill the whole time, not read to her children! And was filibustering a law not yet passed not ignoring the Citizens of the United States by trying to ILLEGALLY de-fund a current law for his donors. You do not get to de-fund laws that are passed, ya filibuster laws that are not yet passed.
This party can no longer pretend they care about spending after that. This party can no longer claim to be a patriot, so why not be honest and admit they want to destroy Democracy and dictate to others their Religion ro dictate all social values while their Donors enslave humans for profit?
https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-pattern-of-obstruction-and-filibusters-hurts-our-federal-courts
The Tea Party is an enemy of the United States making a power Grab for Corporations to rule.
Ted Cruz is not eligible to Run but what the glory of a Cruz/Gohmert ticket would be! Late night TV would flourish with comedy and we would all get to laugh our heads off! Can not wait to see!
I will fight to the end to stop these economic terrorists that want to destroy Democracy.
If McTurtle was the majority leader he would have done that the first session to shove Tea Party scandrals in our courts to overturn any law for a human …..making corporations dictators.
The last thing we need is a Tea Party president, Nor a Clinton, a Bush, or any other rich person.
They have screwed us up enough and maybe Bush/Cheney gang can pony up and pay for their Iraq profit war that has killed thousands for them to make money.
now how about that Tea Party Congressman Trey Radal?
If that was a Democrat the Tea party would be on their soapbox
Doing drugs while elected should get ya kicked out. Not your past your present on taxpayers dollar!
And in 2005 McTurtle had a completely different view, all lies and hypocrisy
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/16/senate-filibuster-mcconnell_n_3607352.html
The podium pounding by the Taxocrats when the Repubs were considering this was quite a show – including Obumble, Reid, Schumer, DiFi, Durbin and Biden.
The difference is that the Repubs DIDN’T do it, and those same Taxocrats DID!
Hypocrisy, thy name is Senate Taxocrat!!!!!! Any anyone who is considering voting for any Taxocrat turncoats in the Senate needs to seek psychiatric help, quickly!
Hey, you brought it on yerselves. I hear that half … HALF … of all filibustered judicial appointments perpetrated since the Senate was formed … 200 years! … have occurred in the last five.
That’s pretty freakin’ sad.
Dewey propaganda is by its very nature a huge deceit. You make zero sense. You are just yammering in the usual fashion.
Therefore, I will ignore the remainder of your comment.
Everyone is for the nuclear option when their party is in power, and against it when they are not. Same with the debt ceiling and the deficit. Expecting consistency out of any politician on this issue is a fool’s errand. It’s also not really worth getting that upset about; if the American people decide to elect your party’s candidate for president next time, you can take advantage of this rule change as well. There is nothing unconstitutional about this, and saying that it essentially makes the president “king” is just plain stupid–it still requires majority confirmation of all presidential appointees, so in what world does that make the president a king?
Rush Limbaugh had his usual disgusting take on the issue today, comparing the nuclear option to a vicious gang rape. Because, lest we forget, Rush Limbaugh really likes to compare things to rape.
“Let’s forget the Senate for a minute. Let’s say, let’s take 10 people in a room and they’re a group. And the room is made up of six men and four women. OK? The group has a rule that the men cannot rape the women. The group also has a rule that says any rule that will be changed must require six votes, of the 10, to change the rule. Every now and then, some lunatic in the group proposes to change the rule to allow women to be raped. But they never were able to get six votes for it. There were always the four women voting against it and they always found two guys.
“Well, the guy that kept proposing that women be raped finally got tired of it, and he was in the majority and he was one that [said], ‘You know what? We’re going to change the rule. Now all we need is five.” And well, ‘you can’t do that.’ ‘Yes we are. We’re the majority. We’re changing the rule.’ And then they vote. Can the women be raped? Well, all it would take then is half of the room. You can change the rule to say three. You can change the rule to say three people want it, it’s going to happen. There’s no rule. When the majority can change the rules there aren’t any.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Rush-Limbaugh-rape-filibuster-rule/2013/11/22/id/538216
If you can read that without feeling repulsed by Limbaugh, there is something sick at the core of your being.
Not to mention Rush favored the nuclear option when Republicans were in power:
“There’s a so-called “nuclear” option, which I
don’t like that term. Call it the Constitutional Option. It would end the use of the filibuster for judicial nominations. The Democrats are warning that if the Republicans change the filibuster rule on them,
then all hell will break loose. I can’t think of anything worse than what they’ve done and will continue to do, which is prevent the president from appointing judges in federal court, so let them break out their new version of hell.”
So, when Rush’s party is in power, the nuclear option is the “constitutional option.” When his party is out of power, it’s like gang rape. What a classy guy.
Anyone who still defends this disgusting pig is morally and intellectually bankrupt.
Peggy: “Tina, There is discussion taking place on the internet about organizing the TP groups to work together on the 2014 candidates and coming up with a “leader” to be the spokesperson. A couple of names are being suggested, of which I really like two. Allen West and Sarah Palin.”
I think this will come about at some time. I’ll have to think about it. I’m conflicted. In the presidential race in particular I have seen the right split too many times. We end up giving it to the Democrats because of single issue items and pigheadedness. But if the Republican Party doesn’t get its act together and embrace the conservatives fully they are just too stupid to win anyway. I do like your picks for the leadership positions.
Libby: “I hear that half … HALF … of all filibustered judicial appointments perpetrated since the Senate was formed … 200 years! … have occurred in the last five.”
Interesting! Do you trust the source? Because Democrats had that super majority for most of the five and they still have the majority!
According to The Wall Street Journal none of the last four Presidents have had a smooth ride:
Democrats still control the Senate so I’m guessing that a few Democrats agree with republicans that Obama’s nominees are a bit too extreme! Same goes for his cabinet appointees.
Virginia files for Convention of States.
http://powderedwigsociety.com/2013/11/23/way-to-go-old-dominion-how-quickly-can-we-make-this-happen/
Re #20 Tina :
Ever notice how Libby repeatably posts about “hearing things” but never bothers to post where she heard them?
Is it merely a bad habit or does she actually hear and see things? It for her it could be “an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato, that designer hallucinogen I took this morning. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!”
Auuuuugh, I another typo in the vast heap of comment wreckage ruining my delivery. The above, of course, should have read …
For her it could be “an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato, that designer hallucinogen I took this morning. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!”
Chris: “There is nothing unconstitutional about this, and saying that it essentially makes the president “king” is just plain stupid–it still requires majority confirmation of all presidential appointees, so in what world does that make the president a king?”
Majority approval is easy. Just look at the arm twisting that was done to pass Obamacare. Two thirds approval was the standard adopted because it is so easy. Your trust is unfounded Chris and the name calling is short sighted. If the President can count on Reid to twist the few arms needed, which he has proven he can, then yes, in this respect he has locked out the other party and made himself king in terms of appointments.
The founders had reasons for creating the structures they did…corrupt politicians with ambitions and absolute power is not what they had in mind.
Yes, the other party will be able to use this now that it has been changed, unless they do the honorable thing and change it back, but all that means is they are either equally corrupt and hungry for power or they have finally come to their senses and determined it is time to unravel the bureaucratic strangle hold they have placed on our nation and its citizens and balance our budget. They haven’t as yet given us much evidence that the latter would ever happen.
Libby, you heard right. Half of all the filibustered presidential appointees have occurred under Obama:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2013/nov/22/harry-reid/harry-reid-says-82-presidential-nominees-have-been/
But it’s not like the Republican party is obstructionist or anything.
Chris before you puff up to the point of taking involuntary flight you should be aware of the following:
Redstate clarifies Reid’s obstruction complaint/excuse by pointing out (via Heritage) that Democrats used a different method for obstructing appointees under Bush:
I’d say those figures explain the reason Bush had so few appointees blocked…they were never given a chance to be blocked!!!!! I recall one who withdrew saying, in essence, that he couldn’t continue to keep his family in a holding pattern while Democrats played the waiting game.
Harry Reid is a weasel through and through. I cannot imagine trying to cooperate in bipartisan fashion with such as he. Might as well be negotiating with a turnip.
How long before we see a CIA connection to the Tea party?
Re #18 Chris : Everyone is for the nuclear option when their party is in power, and against it when they are not. Blah, blah, blah ad nauseam …
This is “nuclear option” in the Senate is a Democratic Party precedent, you magniloquent blowhard jackass.
“If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit.”
W.C. Fields
Dewey go ahead…hold your breath!
Oh I will not have to hold my breath. I see the twitter posts as well. Trust me they are monitored.
And I’m not saying it’s not serious. Essentially, what we have is a political minority unwilling to accept minority status and being obstructive for obstruction’s sake. No republic can survive that sort of thing for long, and quashing the filibuster is the first step down that road.
We had set this thing up so that the minority can raise a little hell, be heard, and not be sent to prison for it … but if that minority is going to bring operations to a halt … then the means for them to do that must be removed, and this will put an end even to their right to be heard.
Unhappily, our minority, seemingly, ain’t got the brains god give a turtle, and repeatedly acts against its own interest.
Libby: “what we have is a political minority unwilling to accept minority status and being obstructive for obstruction’s sake.”
Yeah, like that has never happened before. Like Reid, the little weasel NEVER obstructed under Bush. Where have you been?
“but if that minority is going to bring operations to a halt … then the means for them to do that must be removed, and this will put an end even to their right to be heard.
This is how the modern Democrat Party thinks. Constitutional rights mean nothing! Party power is everything. They spit on the minorities right, through their elected representatives, to be heard!
Abuse of power anyone?
“Unhappily, our minority, seemingly, ain’t got the brains god give a turtle, and repeatedly acts against its own interest.”
Unhappily for America, too many people think like Libby!
Republicans, the current minority, is attempting to wrangle a snake!
The majority party had better watch how far it pushes this arrogant power grab.
Actually, Tina, I am afraid that under the category: “Government Shutdown” … since the founding … it’s Repugs – 2, Dems – 0.
Hold up legislation all you like … if you can … but we really can’t let you put the federal courts out of business.
Libby: “I am afraid that under the category: “Government Shutdown” … since the founding … it’s Repugs – 2, Dems – 0.
So? It’s just an expression; the government doesn’t actually shut down. Nothing dire happens. The people temporarily getting a (paid) vaca are always deemed “nonessential”…not my word theirs. Some of them got to take unemployment and are not being required to pay taxes on it. Poor babies.
And, if the government can shut down non-essential jobs for a few weeks without blinking do we really need them?
“…but we really can’t let you put the federal courts out of business.”
What? Are you daft?
Don’t even try to change the subject. Your position is to silence the minority party legislators as Reid’s rule change effectively does. Your party is completely void of ethical or constitutional thinking and behavior.
Never been proposed! Nice try though
“Poor babies.”
Oooooh, Tina, I am panting to see you sequestered out of your DHS contract(s). Then we’ll be hearing another story, I’ll bet.
And if you listened to news sources that went in for a little detail … instead of paranoid-button-pushing … then you’d know that the impetus to the Senate action was that several federal district courts are unable to tend to business, some of it quite urgent, due to lack of staff … you know … your not-so-secret plot to bring the federal government to a halt by starving it of funding, staff, and any other obtructive measure you can think of? We’re just not standing for it, and you are endangering your minority rights by persisting with it.
Libby: “Oooooh, Tina, I am panting to see you sequestered out of your DHS contract.
Ooooooh Libby…I told you before, I sell to local municipalities. some of them are out of the country, however, my product is unrelated to Homeland Security.
“…then you’d know that the impetus to the Senate action was that several federal district courts are unable to tend to business, some of it quite urgent, due to lack of staff”
Actually I did hear about that.
“…your not-so-secret plot to bring the federal government to a halt by starving it of funding, staff, and any other obtructive measure you can think of?”
Secret? If it’s a secret, how do you know about it?
Pales in comparison to the damage being done to our citizens by the nuclear bomb commonly known as OBAMACARE!
Get real lady…the President you favor, and his progressive Democrat pals, Reid/Pelosi, have been tossing grenades at the good citizens for five long years. Nothing can top this destructo team!
“We’re just not standing for it, and you are endangering your minority rights by persisting with it.”
Oh bother!…hat tip to Eeyore.
Here’s another tip for you Libby…It hasn’t “persisted” but the damage Reid has just done may yet get more attention than even you can stand.
(Mumbles as she exits stage right….crazy, control freaky, power grabbing, progressives.)
Tina: “Majority approval is easy. Just look at the arm twisting that was done to pass Obamacare. Two thirds approval was the standard adopted because it is so easy. Your trust is unfounded Chris and the name calling is short sighted. If the President can count on Reid to twist the few arms needed, which he has proven he can, then yes, in this respect he has locked out the other party and made himself king in terms of appointments.”
Sorry, that still doesn’t make any sense, and you’re just proving how hysterically hyperbolic your chosen terminology is. You’re saying that *if* Obama is able to get a two thirds vote on his appointments, that makes him “king?” So does that mean any other decision made by a two thirds vote that the president favors also makes him king? That’s just not rational language, and for you to use this term and then accuse me of name-calling is hypocritical.
“The founders had reasons for creating the structures they did…corrupt politicians with ambitions and absolute power is not what they had in mind.”
Since the nuclear option IS a structure created by the founders, I don’t get your point.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_option
Chris: “Sorry, that still doesn’t make any sense, and you’re just proving how hysterically hyperbolic your chosen terminology is. You’re saying that *if* Obama is able to get a two thirds vote on his appointments, that makes him ‘king?'”
Apologies…I wasn’t clear. Try this:
Using the nuclear option Reid changed Senate rules to require a count of only half plus one…a simple majority. There are currently 53 Democrats, 2 Independents, and 45 Republicans in the Senate. He no longer needs 2/3 of the Senate. Harry only needs 51 votes. And yes, that pretty much locks Obama in as ruler. Harry can give him anything he wants.
The change in rules is Reid’s right under the Constitution. His willingness to do this goes against the spirit of the Constitution, checks and balances and representatives of the various states having a voice concerning the President’s appointments. Reid neutered Republican Senators. Some suggest there is nothing that now to stop him from applying this to legislation as well.
How far will he go?
How comfortable are you with it?