Latching onto Republican talking point, media report "do-nothing" Congress, not GOP obstruction
Several media outlets have reported recent claims by Senate Republicans, President Bush, and members of his administration that Democrats are currently presiding, or may soon preside, over a "do-nothing Congress" without challenging the claim in any way. These claims are apparently part of a strategy laid out in a "talking-points memorandum" reportedly "circulat[ed]" by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) that advises Republicans to attack congressional Democrats for their supposed lack of legislative accomplishments. In fact, Republicans have blocked Senate action at an unprecedented rate -- apparently putting into action a strategy that Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott (R-MS) described as "obstructionist."
A July 24 Washington Times article reported that Kyl was "meeting with members" of the Senate Republican Conference "yesterday and today to disseminate a message critical of Democrats for endlessly debating the Iraq war, stalling judicial nominations and squandering time on at least 300 investigations of the Bush administration." The article also reported that Kyl had "circulat[ed]" a talking-points memo to Republicans that "criticize[d]" Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "for letting legislative priorities languish." Kyl, Lott, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) reinforced this message during an afternoon press conference (subscription required) on July 24 in which they criticized Democrats by asserting that "we [Congress] are literally doing nothing," in Cornyn's words.
But according to a July 20 McClatchy Newspapers article, "This year Senate Republicans are threatening filibusters to block more legislation than ever before," as Media Matters for America documented. These actions are consistent with the acknowledgement by Lott in an April 18 Roll Call article (subscription required) that the GOP is employing an "obstructionist" strategy in the Senate: "The strategy of being obstructionist can work or fail. ... For [former Senate Democratic Leader Tom] Daschle (S.D.), it failed. For [then-Senate Minority Leader Harry] Reid, it succeeded, and so far it's working for us." Further, a July 26 Washington Post article quoted Republican Rep. Ray LaHood (IL) praising Democrats' recent legislative accomplishments and bipartisanship. According to the article, LaHood stated: "The first quarter was not so good, and that's why they're not looking so good in the polls, but this quarter is looking very good for them. They can send their members home crowing about their accomplishments, and they've done it in a bipartisan way, which is exactly what they promised to do." Nevertheless, various media outlets duly repeated this message without challenge over the next several days:
- During the July 26 edition of MSNBC Live, congressional correspondent Mike Viqueira reported on the Senate Judiciary Committee's decision to subpoena White House senior adviser Karl Rove. Viqueira stated that Democrats have "some major legislation pending," but he repeated without challenge the Republican claim that the Democratic Congress is "not getting the job done for the American people":
VIQUEIRA: Well, the Republican line on this, including just now from the White House and the spokesman there [press secretary] Tony Snow, has been consistent over the last few weeks and that is simply this: The Democratic Congress is so interested in investigating the White House and the administration that they are not getting the job done for the American people. That they have gotten very few things passed in this Congress, outside of a minimum wage. In fairness, we have to say there is some, there are some major legislation pending over the course of next eight days before the four-week congressional recess. But Tony Snow says that this Congress is failing to tackle the important issues, and they are more interested in getting headlines than passing legislation.
- During the July 25 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, correspondent Jack Cafferty asserted that the 110th Congress "ha[s] accomplished next to nothing":
CAFFERTY: The Democrats have been in control of Congress for seven months now, speaking of being in control of your own demise. What do they have to show for it? A hike in the minimum wage. That's about it. And wouldn't you know they went out yesterday, pat themselves on the back, celebrating the first minimum wage increase in a decade with a rally across from the Capitol. I mean, is that really necessary?
It's nice they increased the minimum wage, but, I mean, this is kind of overdoing it.
Now, there's a piece in The New York Times that suggests that they're going to have to get a lot more than that done in order to avoid the do-nothing label that they stuck on the Republican Congress that preceded them. So far, if there was a race for worthless, the 109th and 110th Congresses would be dead even.
Despite the fact that they have accomplished next to nothing, in a week and a half, they're going on vacation for a whole month, just like the Iraqi parliament plans to do.
To try to make us believe that they're something they're not in the meantime, the Democrats will now race around during the last few days before their break trying to look busy, busy with things they have been promising to do since the midterm elections almost a year ago, things like lobbying reform and implementing some recommendations of the 9-11 Commission.
So, here's the question: What do Democrats in Congress need to accomplish in order to avoid a do-nothing label?
- During the "Fox News All-Stars" segment of the July 24 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer stated that Republicans "have a chance [in the 2008 elections] if they argue that the Democrats have been in charge, and they are the do-nothing Congress." Krauthammer went on to attack congressional Democrats for their handling of investigations and the war in Iraq. He stated that Democrats have conducted "[l]ots of hearings on the CIA leak, on the NSA eavesdropping program" "without any success" and later argued that Congress "hasn't had the courage" to end the war in Iraq.
- A July 27 Washington Post article headlined "President Criticizes Congressional Democrats" reported that the Bush administration is also criticizing Democrats in a manner similar to that of Kyl:
In recent weeks, members of Bush's administration have been increasingly vocal in criticizing Congress for enacting little legislation while aggressively pursuing investigations of the administration, a critique White House strategists hope will rally supporters and counter the impact of the probes.
The article included a quote from Snow, who claimed: "What you have right now is partisanship on Capitol Hill that quite often boils down to insults, insinuations, inquisitions and investigations, rather than pursuing the normal business of trying to pass major pieces of legislation, such as appropriations bills." The article also quoted White House communications director Kevin Sullivan and Republican strategist Vin Weber criticizing congressional Democrats, but it did not mention the obstruction by Republicans in context and, indeed, included only a one-line rebuttal from Reid in response. The article also did not include LaHood's comments praising Democrats, which appeared in the Post the previous day.
Additionally, both a New York Times article and a report by Fox News congressional correspondent Major Garrett treated Democrats' response that Republicans were blocking legislation as a mere accusation without noting Lott's quote or the findings of the McClatchy Newspapers article:
- On July 25, The New York Times published an article headlined "Democrats Pushing to Avoid a 'Do-Nothing' Label," which stated that congressional Democrats "will have to accomplish considerably more to avoid the sort of do-nothing labels they hung on Republicans not too long ago." The article went on to add: "Mr. Kyl did offer an apology for calling this a do-nothing Congress, saying that because Democrats had sent Mr. Bush legislation naming 20 postal facilities, it should be called the post-office Congress." The article also quoted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) saying, "They've wasted the first seven months by being excessively partisan and creating unnecessary, in my view, disputes with a pretty robust minority of 49." The article added that "Democrats accuse Mr. McConnell and Congressional Republicans of deliberately trying to block the majority's initiatives," but it did not assess the merits of the Democrats' "accus[ation]."
- Garrett not only treated Democrats' statements that Republicans were obstructing legislation as a mere argument, he reported that this argument has "largely fail[ed]." During the July 24 edition of Special Report, Garrett reported that Democrats celebrated the July 24 minimum-wage increase and added: "Republicans say Democrats have precious little to celebrate." He then aired a clip of McConnell attacking Democrats for two out of the three issues that Kyl reportedly discussed with members of the Senate Republican Conference on July 23 and 24. McConnell stated: "We have had excessive Iraq votes, excessive investigations, and not much legislating." Garrett went on to report:
Democrats have complained all year that Republicans keep blocking their attempts to pass domestic legislation. Having seen that argument largely fail, Democrats are now madly trying to pass bills before Congress leaves next week for a month-long break.
Garrett neither explained the basis for his assertion that Democrats' argument that "Republicans keep blocking their attempts to pass domestic legislation" has "largely fail[ed]" nor noted the evidence that Republicans are obstructing at an unprecedented rate.
From the July 24 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:
GARRETT: Democrats and big labor held a rally to celebrate themselves and today's increase in the federal minimum wage, the one and only campaign promise so far fulfilled on this the 202nd day of the 110th Congress.
HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): This is the day that signals change, because people who went to work this morning, who went to work every day to provide for their families, today will have their work rewarded more fully.
GARRETT: The minimum wage rises today from $5.15 an hour to $5.85 an hour. It will rise again to $6.55 an hour a year from today and once more to $7.25 an hour two years from today. Democrats passed the bill two months ago, but felt they needed to cheer its enactment to paper over record low approval ratings and to rally a base demoralized by lack of progress in bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq.
On that point, Democrats sought credit for round upon round of Iraq war hearings.
REID: We have had 100 hearings on Iraq and we are going to have 100 more and we are proud of it. That's in preparation for us to get our valiant troops to come home.
GARRETT: But even the accomplishment of raising the minimum wage came with a price. Democrats tucked the minimum wage increase into a bill funding President Bush's troop surge to soften the blow of giving up on a troop withdrawal timeline Democrats had originally demanded.
Republicans say Democrats have precious little to celebrate.
McCONNELL: We had excessive Iraq votes, excessive investigations, and not much legislating.
HOUSE MINORITY LEADER JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH): The Democrats, all year, have broken every promise they made during the election cycle last year. And I think Americans expect the Democrats will work with Republicans to deal with the issues that they care about.
GARRETT: Democrats will now try to address other campaign promises: lowering energy prices, implementing remaining 9-11 Commission recommendations, providing more college tuition assistance.
Democrats have complained all year that Republicans keep blocking their attempts to pass domestic legislation. Having seen that argument largely fail, Democrats are now madly trying to pass bills before Congress leaves next week for a month-long break. But to do that, Democrats have to cut some deals. And that's given Republicans more clout in Congress than at any time since they lost the majority last November. Brit [Hume, host]?
[...]
HUME: So question, what about the Democrats? How well have they done? How badly they have done, or what? Charles?
KRAUTHAMMER: They've done badly. And I think this will give the Republican the one opening they are going to have in 2008. Everything is running against the Republicans, but I think they have a chance if they argue that the Democrats have been in charge, and they are the do-nothing Congress.
Just like Truman in 1948, who had the luck of losing the House and Senate two years earlier, he ran against it, and said these guys have accomplished nothing.
Look, the Democrats have done two things -- hearings, without any success, unlike Watergate, Iran-Contra. You've gotta have a trophy at the end of it. You have to be holding a head and put it on a spike, and they don't have any.
Lots of hearings on the CIA leak, on the NSA eavesdropping program. Lots of hearings on all kinds of stuff -- nothing. And people, the way to frame it is to say, "Is this how you want Congress spending its time and your tax money?"
And, secondly, even on the war, Republicans can say, if you believe that the war ought to end, the Congress has not -- has the power to do it, hasn't had the courage to do it. If you believe the war ought to be won, all that Congress has done is to impede our attempts to actually win.
MORTON M. KONDRACKE (Roll Call executive editor): Yeah, I agree that after both parties said after the 2006 elections, the lesson of this election is that we got to work together, and the public wants us to work together. And I think that -- I think that's true.
They haven't worked together, and they haven't gotten much done. They are going to get a few things done -- they'll get lobbying and ethics reform done before they go home for the August recess. They will probably get an SCHIP [State Children's Health Insurance Program] -- they might get an SCHIP children's health bill pass, which the president is vowing to veto. They did --
HUME: Will that, therefore, not be an accomplishment, or what?
KONDRACKE: Well, it will. I think -- no. I think that works against the Republicans, actually. If the president vetoes children's health after -- after the Congress had approved $400 billion over a five-year period for seniors' prescription drugs, but they won't approve $50 billion for children's health? I think that -- and it's the president veto that blocks it? I think that hurts the Republicans.
FRED BARNES (Weekly Standard executive editor): And it would do what? If there were a bill that -- it didn't have so many horrible things on it -- you know a bill that would go way up 400 percent of poverty.
KONDRACKE: It doesn't.
BARNES: And yet, that's what the bill does. Mort, read the bill and you will see what it does.
KONDRACKE: It doesn't. I've read it.
BARNES: OK, but you got it wrong then.
KONDRACKE: Well, you read it.
HUME: No, you read it.
KONDRACKE: It's a bipartisan --
HUME: Have you read it? I haven't read it. Have you read it?
BARNES: What it would do, it would attract an awful lot of people who are on private insurance just to take a government handout insurance, that's what it would do. And it doesn't apply.
And look, it's the Bush administration's fault on this. They have given all kind of waivers to states, that this SCHIP money for children has gone to adults in many, many states. So the program is not a great program.
Look, judge the Democrats by -- Mort says it's -- they, Republicans and Democrat, have to work together. Democrats are in charge. They said -- in the House, Nancy Pelosi and the rest of them said -- we are going to have six in 2006. They got one, I mean, passed this year, one. That's the minimum wage, and it had to be tacked on to the Iraq Supplemental Bill.
Harry Reid had 10 top items -- one he has achieved, the minimum wage.
Now look, if you're a quarterback, you are supposed to complete 50 percent of your passes to do OK. If you are a baseball player, you need to hit .300 to be doing well. They are way below those averages.
The fact is they just haven't accepted the fact, particularly in the Senate, that Republicans have 49 votes. And look, I think anybody in the Democratic Party would tell you privately, would you rather have Mitch McConnell as your leader in the Senate, or Harry Reid? And they'd all say Mitch McConnell.
From the 4 p.m. ET hour of the July 25 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
CAFFERTY: The Democrats have been in control of Congress for seven months now, speaking of being in control of your own demise. What do they have to show for it? A hike in the minimum wage. That's about it. And wouldn't you know they went out yesterday, pat themselves on the back, celebrating the first minimum wage increase in a decade with a rally across from the Capitol. I mean, is that really necessary?
It's nice they increased the minimum wage, but, I mean, this is kind of overdoing it.
Now, there's a piece in The New York Times that suggests that they're going to have to get a lot more than that done in order to avoid the do-nothing label that they stuck on the Republican Congress that preceded them. So far, if there was a race for worthless, the 109th and 110th Congresses would be dead even.
Despite the fact that they have accomplished next to nothing, in a week and a half, they're going on vacation for a whole month, just like the Iraqi parliament plans to do.
To try to make us believe that they're something they're not in the meantime, the Democrats will now race around during the last few days before their break trying to look busy, busy with things they have been promising to do since the midterm elections almost a year ago, things like lobbying reform and implementing some recommendations of the 9-11 Commission.
So, here's the question: What do Democrats in Congress need to accomplish in order to avoid a do-nothing label? E-mail your thoughts to CaffertyFile@CNN.com or go to CNN.com/CaffertyFile.
From the 12 p.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live on July 26:
VIQUEIRA: Well, the Republican line on this, including just now from the White House and the spokesman there Tony Snow, has been consistent over the last few weeks and that is simply this: The Democratic Congress is so interested in investigating the White House and the administration that they are not getting the job done for the American people. That they have gotten very few things passed in this Congress, outside of a minimum wage. In fairness, we have to say there is some, there are some major legislation pending over the course of next eight days before the four-week congressional recess. But Tony Snow says that this Congress is failing to tackle the important issues, and they are more interested in getting headlines than passing legislation. Contessa [Brewer, host].
<<<But Tony Snow says that this Congress is failing to tackle the important issues, and they are more interested in getting headlines than passing legislation. Contessa [Brewer, host]. >>>
and landing on a carrier, in a flight suit, declaring "Mission Accomplished " is not ? Observing the current events, it sure appears the republicans have taken the obstructionist role.
As usual, their hypocrisy is stunning. The 109th congress (Republican controlled) spent most of last year on crucial legislative action such as Terry Schaivo, flag burning, gay marriage, and attempting to destroy Social Security. Then they adjourned without passing ANY of the 12 major spending bills for this fiscal year. They just left it all for the new Democratic congress to clean up. What a manipulative bunch of liars the right wing has become!
Correction: Not all of that occurred last year, but it WAS during the Republican congress. What DID the congress do last year, besides helping bush (lowercase intentional) kill and maim thousands of people? : (
What DID the congress do last year, besides helping bush (lowercase intentional) kill and maim thousands of people? : (
Well, they DID help Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) build that "bridge to nowhere"....
The most important job for this Congress is to bury Bungle and the Repugnant supporters of Bungle - including FoxLies and the rest of the corporate media - in revelations of their lies and failures. Abu-Gonzo is a fine start, but we cannot let up. We need to reach the point where even Bungle and Darth are afraid to cancel the elections, and the military is unwilling to accept any such order, should it come.
On that count, I am fairly happy to date, knowing the subpoenas are coming - about 10% of the proper number, but a start. Now, if the Special Prosecutor goes through, there is just a chance that we can frighten Darth enough (Bungle is too stupid to be afraid) to back off the final grab for President-For-Life, with SCOTUS all set to approve not only suspending the elections, but also the dissolution of Congress.
BARNES: "...And look, I think anybody in the Democratic Party would tell you privately, would you rather have Mitch McConnell as your leader in the Senate, or Harry Reid? And they'd all say Mitch McConnell."
Barnes the sooth-sayer! Barnes the mind-reader! Barnes the channeling medium!
How on Murdoch's private earth can he guess what the Dems would be thinking? He can't.
I really doubt that any Democrat wishes that hack McConnell were their leader. Lieberman, maybe. Butt we all know Jo-mentum ain't no Democrat no mo.
And another partisan website tries to portray the Democrats as actually having done something other than funding Iraq, kissing AIPAC arse, and sitting on their hands as Bush and Cheney torture and kill.
And what are YOU doing about it?
I'll be voting Green. What are you doing about it? Voting for those who support the slow genocide of the Palestinian people again, I suppose?
You're good at pointing fingers with your green good/everyone else bad rhetoric. The Palestianian situation has been horrible for many years, voting green is magically going to fix it?
Let's look closer to home. What are you doing in your local community to further peace? Are you practicing peaceful conflict resolution in your own family? Do people see you as a man of peace? Do you know that your thoughts and feelings affect everyone around you like a 24 hour a day broadcasting station?
Yeah, they do see me as a man of peace. I live my words. I don't vote for killers and I let the world know it. I also point out those who do vote for killers.
Give me ONE reason for any sane person to help hand the next presidency to a Republican by voting Green. Please convince me to waste my vote..
I assume you do have a brain and know that a vote for a third party is a wasted vote.
And I should help the Democrat fascists who just voted to kill Iraqis for another year and who refuse to impeach Bush and Cheney, simply because they are not Republicans? You will vote to kill the innocent and condemn this nation to enduring evil, because you are too blindly loyal to a pack of murderers.
My vote will NOT kill a child....your's will! My vote is NOT wasted!
"Yeah, they do see me as a man of peace. I live my words"
This is not reflected in your attitude on these threads. You call people killers who you have never met, nor do you have any idea who you are speaking to, nor the price they have paid to further the cause of peace. You talk a lot like the fundamentalists, frankly.
I watch Democrats and Republicans vote time and time again to condemn the 3 million people of Palestine to a life of misery, pain, and slow death. I watch YOUR beloved Senators and Congressmen KILL the people of Iraq and the West Bank with their votes. Why are you so blind to all this? Why do you support the mass murderers? Simply because they carry a D behind their name? Not a good enough reason.
The Palestinian people are suffering. I don't give you any points for using their suffering as an excuse to club people here for voting for Democrats.
Self righteousness is a major problem in this world, causes many a conflict. Really solving the problems in the Middle East requires working with people of all persuasions. You and Ralph are too self righteous to do that.
Redking, voting for a third party GAVE us Junior. In 2000 if the votes that went to Nader had gone to Gore we would not have suffered through 6 years of Junior.
When a third party has the ability to REALLY be viable, I'll consider them. I will not allow a third party to cause another 8 years of suffering so while the Dems have issues they are different than Republicans.
No, you will condemn the people of Iraq and Palestine to eight more years of pain and suffering because you are either too scared or too loyal to vote for anyone other than a Democrat. Each death in all this is on YOUR conscience, not mine. I did not put those people into power, YOU did.
PS. Nader was the best man for the job and would have ended the madness. Gore's a zionist imperialist who has killed arabs in his political career and would continue to do so if president. Those who voted Nader voted for Peace....those who voted for Gore and Bush voted for WAR.
You should think twice about who you are addressing. Do you even know or care, "redking"?
The Democrats have tried to do stuff, but they don't unlimited powers.
Their hands are tied, but you fault them because they cannot manage to do the impossible.
You set the bar too high. When the Democrats don't have an obstructionist Republican Party to deal with, then they'll have better luck and better results. To fault them for their inability to accomplish much is unfair. If you want to lay the blame, put it where it belongs.
right-on. On the other hand, the right has no choice but to lie, twist and practice character assasination as they have zero accomplishments to bloviate about. They are like cornered pit bulls, they will fight back. If it were not so serious it would be comical. I think far too many right wingers have been eating E. Ky squirel brains and have come down with spongiformencephalopathy
If the Democrats were smart (and not AIPAC-controlled robots who support killing Palestinians), they would bring impeachment motions to the floor over and over again and let the Repubs hang themselves as they vote them down. They would showcase the war crimes, they would hound the perps, they would latch on to the cause of full withdrawal and fight like mad, making themselves to look the hero.
But they refuse to impeach, they throw out bills that keep the occupation going, the perps are left to wallow in their ill-gotten gains, and the people of Palestine slowly starve to death. And they get everyone to make up lame excuses why they can't do anything. The facts are pretty obvious why they won't stop this...they don't want to!
Listen up, King. The liberal/progressive grassroots community is fighting like hell to wrest the Democratic Party from the grips of the conservative DLC and the D triple C.
Yeah, I'm pissed at the Democrats, too. But everytime you rag on the Democrats for being Republican accomplices YOU ARE CALLING ME A REPUBLICAN accomplice. So go jump in a lake because I don't cotton to that crap.
We progressives, we liberals will be heard and we will take back the Democratic Party. We are pushing for a living wage, healthcare, job security, environmental stewardship, a moral economy and we are fighting for this against an entrenched army of market fundamentalists. We're fighting for impeachment and for prosecution of Bush's crimes against the Constitution. Again our opponents are powerful and they will not give away their power, we have to take it back.
But, if you think for one second that the Greens can just traipse into DC and restore overnight the balance of powers, stolen for the Executive Branch, bit by bit, over the decades by the neocons then just keep it up. Keep sniping like some impudent Regressive because you're just making yourself part of the problem instead of the solution.
You're mad at the Dems for not supporting your ideals but will vote for them again, right? How does that "take the Party back"? All you'll do is empower the same criminals to do the same crimes. I've heard this time and time again from Dems too loyal to finally give up in disgust on their right-wing conservative kid-killing party. You really think the DLC cares that you're mad at them? They know you'll never vote for anyone else. They know they got you locked into brand-name addiction and have no incentive to change a thing. Why should they? You'll keep coming back no matter what they do.
It's only when the rank-n-file start leaving the party in droves that they begin to get scared and start changing their game. That's why the Progressive Party got so much social reform done, by offering a more attractive alternative to the voter and forcing the parties in power to enact reform legislation in order to keep the votes going their way. If Dem voters began going en masse to the Greens, the Dem leadership might rush to impeach or to end support for Israel, though I doubt it. To keep giving them your vote is the WRONG tactic for change, because it gives them NO incentive for that change.
Besides, I don't care if the Greens don't win. At least my vote won't kill a child in Iraq or Palestine or NYC or Detroit. I vote for those with a conscience, not corporate sociopaths who only care about the next fundraiser.
democrats are not going to start defecting to the greens. there is just no evidence of that. if there was a strong movement to move left, you would have a lot more votes for someone like kucinich, who really is not even a factor. the progressive movement actually did attract some votes. so you deal with the reality of the situation. and the reality is that the democrats are to the left of the republicans. but you do everything you can to help the republicans get into office and then complain that the democrats don't do anything.
Reality is a lost cause on you. Keep voting to kill the people of Palestine and Iraq. May their souls haunt you in the next life.
Self righteous diatribes don't bring peace. You are furthering injustice and violence by your attacks on others. You have no idea who they are or what they do.
red, do i need to remind you again about what david cobb, the green nominee in 2004, said about the responsibility of voters in the 10 swing states to carefully consider their votes so as not to to help reelect bush? where's your outrage for him? and i would like an answer, instead of your usual silence when i point this out.
I admit I am confused and need something explained to me. If the Democrats have the simple majority in the Senate why can't they get more approved? Isn't that why the Vice President is there to break ties? I thought the supermajority of 60 votes was for judicial nominees only not all legislation; what am I not getting?
With Tim Johnson unable to attend and Joe Lieberman being more of the centrist/republican bent, they don't even have a simple majority.
Plus Senate rules allow the minority to block legislation by simply announcing an intent to fillibuster...then 60 votes are needed to override the fillibuster.
We need more Dem senators. Next year there are 33 senators up for re-election. Either 20 or 21 of them (I forget) are Republicans. We MUST take a bunch of those seats. 60 Senators takes away the filibuster, and a Dem president takes away the veto. 10 more seats, that's all it will take.
Hopin'
& prayin'
& sending loose change to my choices of candidates.
(BTW, John Edwards for Prez!)
The Senate vote to blame Iran for US deaths in Iraq passed 97-0. I think we need less senators of both parties. No more AIPAC-controlled moslem-killers.
Actually, let';s make it 11. We simply can't count on Joementum.
What you are not getting is what a filibuster IS. It is NOT only for judicial nominees it is for any legislation the minority wants to filibuster THAT is where the 60 votes for cloture comes in.
Technically, filibuster rules don't apply to "any" bill. "Reconciliation" legislation falls outside the filibuster rule, requiring only an up-or-down vote.
The filibuster is not just for judicial nominees. Any legislation can be filibustered.
As a matter of fact the overnight long session in the Senate to debate the recent bill to end the war could have ended early if Republicans had stopped filibustering and voted to end debate and allowed an "up or down" vote.
The problem is that when Republicans filibuster the MSM never calls it a Republican filibuster. They call it Democrat "theater."
I admit I am confused and need something explained to me. If the Democrats have the simple majority in the Senate why can't they get more approved?
In the Senate, it takes 60 Senators to stop a filibuster, and the GOP has filibustered every single thing the Dems really want.
Even if you get 60 votes in the Senate on let's say an Iraq resolution, Bush will veto it so you now need 67 to override the veto.
In our system, it isn't MAJORITY rule. It's a SUPER-majority rule. And the only way to get to a super-majority is to have the 67 votes, or to have 60 votes and the Presidency.
Wait a minute ... didn't the Republican-led Congress spend 140 hours of testimony on whether President Clinton improperly used a White House Christmas card list?
Maybe Tony Snow doesn't think the politicization of the Dept. of Justice, warrantless wiretapping, sentence reductions for former administration members and a coverup of a famous soldier's death are a little more important. That's shameful.
Congress Approves 'Massive' Bill Endorsed By 9/11 CommissionKarl Rove subpoenaed.House bans permanent bases in Iraq.House Democrats propose legislation that would make it harder for overseas companies to use tax havens to avoid taxes on U.S. profits.House bans permanent bases in Iraq.Contempt citations issued. In a 22-17 vote, the House Judiciary Committee approved "a Resolution and Report Recommending to the House of Representatives that Former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten be cited for Contempt of Congress."Pelosi promises congressional contempt charge for Harriet Miers.House Democrats Move To Intensify Battle With Bush Over Health CareHouse passes the College Cost Reduction Act, which "would boost college financial aid by about $18 billion over the next five years and cut federal subsidies to lenders," the "single largest increase in college aid since the GI bill in 1944."Today House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt requesting documents related to political interference with the work of the Office of the Surgeon General.Sens. Leahy and Specter introduce amendment restoring the habeas corpus protections stripped as a result of last year's Military Commissions Act. The legislation would restore basic civil liberties to roughly 12 million legal permanent residents of the United States.House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers is "expected to move swiftly to conduct hearings on the commutation."Democrats Consider Plan to Cut Funding for Guantanamo Bay Prison, Forcing Its ClosureSENATE SUBPOENAS WHITE HOUSE, VP'S OFFICEHouse Judiciary Committee To Hold Hearings On Bush Clemency PowersReacting to the Office of the Vice President's assertion that it is not an "entity within the executive branch," Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) announced that he will introduce an amendment to cut off funding to Cheney's office.House To Bush Admin: Comply With Subpoenas Or Face ContemptSenate Judiciary Committee Issues Subpoenas For NSA Domestic Spying DocumentsJohn Conyers (D-MI) announced the launch of a new web page, to respond to the growing number of current and former Justice Department career lawyers and other employees raising concerns about politicization in the Department." The page "provides a secure method for DOJ employees to communicate what they know to Committee investigators." See the page HERE. Congress to investigate Bush's signing statements.Congress Passes Major Gun Control Legislation in over a decade, spurred by the Virginia Tech campus killings and buttressed by National Rifle Association help. The bill improves state reporting to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to stop gun purchases by people, including criminals and those adjudicated as mentally ill.Senior House Democrats threatened Thursday to issue subpoenas to obtain secret legal opinions" and other Justice Dept. documents related to the NSA's warrantless domestic surveillance program, "the most aggressive action yet by Congress in its oversight of the…program.Senate Judiciary Committee announced it was preparing to approve legislation to restore habeas corpus on Thursday.House oversight committee is expanding its investigation "into ties between jailed GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff and the White HouseThe House plans to trigger another veto showdown with President Bush this week by clearing legislation that would expand federally funded embryonic stem cell research.The Senate Armed Services Commitee has passed legislation "that would grant new rights to terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, including access to a lawyer regardless of whether the prisoners are put on trial." It would also "narrow the definition of an enemy combatant and tighten restrictions on the types of evidence used to prosecute and keep a person detained."Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) have introduced the Healthy Families Act (HFA), which would guarantee that workers receive at least seven paid sick days each year. Tell Congress to support this legislation here.House passes flag bill Bush opposed. Governors could order federal facilities to lower their flags to honor fallen military troops under legislation passed by the House Tuesday.House Democratic leaders have decided to use their Honest Leadership and Open Government legislation from the 109th Congress as the basis for the lobbying reform bill that the House Judiciary Committee is expected to mark up this week. By doing so, the leaders are on a trajectory to meet key demands made by left-leaning advocacy groups favoring strong reform.
They only banned building additional bases. The ones already built are not included in the bill. It's legal trickery to disguise their plan for continued occupation.
I'm sorry that preceding post was such a mess. I meant to post some recent headlines about what the Dems have been doing, which is plenty.
It's simple. The media doesn;t report on what the Democrats are doing, so people say they're doing nothing. How stupid is that?
Obstructionist....
It plainly obvious who has been doing or trying to do something on The Hill....it's the Dems--& who do I blame (but have to give UNDUE credit to)regarding this (supposed) do-nothing-Congress....Trent Lott & his ability to keep the Repulsivions in line so there can be no legislation passed....why do you think they RE-elected him as the minority whip(cuz, he git's 'er done)....regardless of his Strom Thurman comment.