Any word on the Senate?

[Gonz]

I bet you don't even know what's happening do you? Thank your local, national & international press for passing on the news.

 

[PT]

Ok, I'm too lazy to look, what's happening?

 

[Mirlyn]

does it have to do with the quasi-filibuster?

 

[rrfield]

my local and national press told me there is a filibuster, over and over and over again.

 

[Gonz]

It's a reverse filibuster. The Republican majority has had enough of the minority not allowing votes on 4 Federal Court nominees so they planned a 30 hour "speech-a-thon". It's cute but I would suggest emailing your Senators & demanding they actually make it agood old fashioned filibuster...no vote, nothing else gets done. Allow these 4 judges their day on the floor.

 

[chcr]

Started by Bill Frist. Know all about it, thanks.

edit: Once again I wonder why justice aren't nominated for there unbiased fairness and support for the constitution (remember the constitution?) rather than for the favors they might do for their nominators and their agenda.

 

[freako104]

pretty simple id say.everyone has a different view of justice. and their own ideals will attribute that to justice. plus it furthers their agendas

 

[Gonz]

It seems that the Republicans get all teh crap about money & oil but the Dems always bring it up...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republicans surprised Democrats on Thursday by deciding to extend their around-the-clock debate on blocked judicial nominees by another nine hours, saying they have enjoyed an outpouring of support.

Working in rotating shifts, lawmakers began what was to be a 30-hour talk-a-thon at 6 p.m. EST on Wednesday and were to finish at midnight on Thursday.

But six hours before it was to wrap up, Republicans announced they would keep going until mid-morning on Friday, which would make it the longest nonstop debate in the Senate in 15 years.

The debate will finally come to an end just as Democrats are expected to use procedural means to block two more of President Bush's conservative judicial nominees, raising the total number to six.

"We are going to keep on talking to educate the American people about what's going on here," said Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, a member of the Republican leadership.

Republicans hold the Senate majority with 51 seats, but 60 votes are needed in the 100-member chamber to end delaying tactics known as filibusters and move to a confirmation vote.

Santorum said his office had been swamped with telephone calls from members of the public supporting the Republican effort and saying, "Go three weeks, not 30 hours."

A Democratic aide said, "I think they must be raising money from this," and just decided to keep going.

 

[HeXp£Øi±]

I don't know how i missed this thread. I sat at home and watched a few hours of this yesterday. As many would expect i'm backing the republicans on this one. These are some of the highest judges in the land and they deserve an up or down vote. Here the democrats are always boasting about being the minority party and the republicans are kind enough to put forth three women, one of whome is black and a male latino all of whom are republicans and the dems won't even give them a vote. C'mon people, a black female republican? You just can't overstate the word minority here. Let's vote!

 

[Gonz]

imagine, a Democrat voting against a black woman who is the daughter of a sharecropper

The PA Senator, I forget his name ofhand, had a great speech after the cloture votes failed.

 

[HeXp£Øi±]

You know who really impresses me nowadays is Trent Lott. After his 'incident' the republicans turned on him and it's like he woke up a new man with the sin of political motivation wiped from his character. Now he's really trying to do some worthwhile things and i've caught him more than once poetically spilling his guts on the senate floor.

 

[Puma]

Not one of them has the balls to say a truthful word. I have never seen such a gigantic gathering of terrified elderly since I drove a pickup into the old age home. If I didn't know better, I would think the second they reach a high office they are pumped absolutely full of mind altering drugs that make them into little happy squabbling dreamers that have no actual grip on reality but just the strong urge to be as curteous as possible while following the rules. But I know it's not because of drugs but because they know the people are for BSing and the companies are for representing, and both are watching them on TV.

*economy? switch to represent Pfizer mode.* If we make it easier to get prescription drugs and keep the borders closed to foreign trade with Canada, we will get more jobs. *damn, didn't BS enough. War in Iraq? switch to BS the people mode* "We can and we will meet our objectives in Iraq if we just stick it out and I am very optimistic." *yay, well done Mr. Senator!*