I've been thinking about all the chatter around the liberal/progressive blogging realm about how Dems should use Reconciliation in order to pass the Senate Bill and then iron out the wrinkles as they go. An interesting idea, but will take time and Republicans would likely bog down that process, even though it would be against their own best interests.
What Obama could use right now is the Line Item Veto, but he can't. Rudy Giuliani saw that that option was completely off the table back in the 90s. And though the argument was that this placed too much power in the hands of the President, it would be a great tool in the hands of Obama, considering how the much of the Senate completely buggered up healthcare reform.
Showing posts with label US Senate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US Senate. Show all posts
Friday, January 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The Power Of Prayer
This has my vote for greatest call-in to CSPAN for 2009.
Praying for someone to fail, someone to die, someone to not wake up in time, or for someone to look like a blithering idiot does tend to go against the very nature of Christian prayer, doesn't it? But, that's the the observations of a neo-Christian progressive that happens to be living in one of the reddest areas of America.
I'm actually wondering what this caller has gleaned from his "prayer circles" over the years. Has he had his fridge mysteriously restocked with Bud-Light every Friday night without having to go to the store? Has his wife kept the kitchen clean and had dinner hot and ready once he unstraps his boots? Moreover, what and whom was this man praying for to begin with?
Of course, the spin on this at the moment is that the "prayer" was that someone would miss their alarm-clock warning on this, but the subtle implications range from death to accidents to even falling prey to a seizure and losing the ability to be present to vote. Sure, the words "let's all prey that Senator Byrd dies so his vote is lost" weren't used, but asking people to pray so that the legislative process can end doesn't exactly polish the image of Christianity.
Praying for someone to fail, someone to die, someone to not wake up in time, or for someone to look like a blithering idiot does tend to go against the very nature of Christian prayer, doesn't it? But, that's the the observations of a neo-Christian progressive that happens to be living in one of the reddest areas of America.
I'm actually wondering what this caller has gleaned from his "prayer circles" over the years. Has he had his fridge mysteriously restocked with Bud-Light every Friday night without having to go to the store? Has his wife kept the kitchen clean and had dinner hot and ready once he unstraps his boots? Moreover, what and whom was this man praying for to begin with?
Of course, the spin on this at the moment is that the "prayer" was that someone would miss their alarm-clock warning on this, but the subtle implications range from death to accidents to even falling prey to a seizure and losing the ability to be present to vote. Sure, the words "let's all prey that Senator Byrd dies so his vote is lost" weren't used, but asking people to pray so that the legislative process can end doesn't exactly polish the image of Christianity.
Monday, December 21, 2009
The First Three Of The Last Name Say It All
Can we even believe Joe Lieberman anymore? Could we ever?
When he says things like "Obama didn't press me on the Public Option", can we even take this with the most minuscule grain of salt?
No. We simply can't.
Lieberman likes to frame himself as an independent, like he has no party affiliation. But, history shows that his votes are primarily in line with Republicans. He's even stated that he's not ruling out running for President with an "R" after his name in 2012. Does he really expect to get any votes? He's not even polling at all in the variety of "theoretical straw polls" that show that Palin, Romney, and even Mike Huckabee are more popular than him amongst Republicans.
He should be summarily dismissed from the Democratic Caucus and lose his chairmanship. He's not acting like a real independent, he's acting like an opportunistic hack who craves the spotlight more than the needs of the people he was elected to represent.
When he says things like "Obama didn't press me on the Public Option", can we even take this with the most minuscule grain of salt?
No. We simply can't.
Lieberman likes to frame himself as an independent, like he has no party affiliation. But, history shows that his votes are primarily in line with Republicans. He's even stated that he's not ruling out running for President with an "R" after his name in 2012. Does he really expect to get any votes? He's not even polling at all in the variety of "theoretical straw polls" that show that Palin, Romney, and even Mike Huckabee are more popular than him amongst Republicans.
He should be summarily dismissed from the Democratic Caucus and lose his chairmanship. He's not acting like a real independent, he's acting like an opportunistic hack who craves the spotlight more than the needs of the people he was elected to represent.
The Man Comes Around
I have been doing some serious considering as to whether, as a voting Democrat and a liberal/progressive idealist, I could get behind healthcare reform as it stands at this point.
After the public option was tossed to the side to appease conservatives that are going to vote against this anyway, I was afraid that Democrats had lost their spine, their will to fight. And then here came Obama saying that it had to be done, to move forward, to pass it. That's the main issue that I take with Barack Obama, he's too willing to compromise with the conservatives when he just needs to tell them to fuck off and let us get this done the way it needs to be, the way a plurality of Americans want it to be.
And when Howard Dean said to kill the bill, I wasn't sure what was going on. Now it seems that he's coming around to how most of us progressives are seeing this. It's imperfect in the Senate version, but there's still work to be done and tweaks to be made.
Think Progress has more.
From my perspective, the way that the Senate approaches legislation is quite dysfunctional. The very idea that there has to be a super-majority just to prevent filibuster is ridiculous. Also, the procedural aspects of the Senate allow conservatives to stall and delay debate for any number of reasons. It's a childish game that the Republicans are playing and they can get away with it.
Does there have to be a super-majority when we elect officials? No. So why is this rule in place to begin with?
Lastly, Republicans have refused to take up the issue with healthcare costs for nearly two generation. Why? Because it's actual legislative work that they don't want to have to do. Democrats have failed multiple times - most recently when Clinton was in office, and that was because Republicans simply didn't want us to win. That is what is driving Republicans on virtually every issue Democrats take up - they don't want to be the ones on the losing end of an important battle. If they are, and it's looking like they will be this time, and healthcare is a success, like it will be, Republicans are done for.
After the public option was tossed to the side to appease conservatives that are going to vote against this anyway, I was afraid that Democrats had lost their spine, their will to fight. And then here came Obama saying that it had to be done, to move forward, to pass it. That's the main issue that I take with Barack Obama, he's too willing to compromise with the conservatives when he just needs to tell them to fuck off and let us get this done the way it needs to be, the way a plurality of Americans want it to be.
And when Howard Dean said to kill the bill, I wasn't sure what was going on. Now it seems that he's coming around to how most of us progressives are seeing this. It's imperfect in the Senate version, but there's still work to be done and tweaks to be made.
Think Progress has more.
From my perspective, the way that the Senate approaches legislation is quite dysfunctional. The very idea that there has to be a super-majority just to prevent filibuster is ridiculous. Also, the procedural aspects of the Senate allow conservatives to stall and delay debate for any number of reasons. It's a childish game that the Republicans are playing and they can get away with it.
Does there have to be a super-majority when we elect officials? No. So why is this rule in place to begin with?
Lastly, Republicans have refused to take up the issue with healthcare costs for nearly two generation. Why? Because it's actual legislative work that they don't want to have to do. Democrats have failed multiple times - most recently when Clinton was in office, and that was because Republicans simply didn't want us to win. That is what is driving Republicans on virtually every issue Democrats take up - they don't want to be the ones on the losing end of an important battle. If they are, and it's looking like they will be this time, and healthcare is a success, like it will be, Republicans are done for.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Somewhere, Bill O'Reilly Is Violently Shitting and Vomiting Simultaneously
Congrats Senator Al Franken.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Riders On The Storm
If you would like to join Stormy Daniel's team and help her Senate bid, just click the link.
And to all detractors that say that she is simply making a mockery of the electoral process and the history and tradition of the U.S. Senate, let me remind you that David Vitter ( R - Huggies ) - the man she is seriously considering running against - used to cheat on his wife and dress-up in diapers when he was diddling hookers.
( h/t to The Spork for the "Huggies" bit. Classic )
And to all detractors that say that she is simply making a mockery of the electoral process and the history and tradition of the U.S. Senate, let me remind you that David Vitter ( R - Huggies ) - the man she is seriously considering running against - used to cheat on his wife and dress-up in diapers when he was diddling hookers.
( h/t to The Spork for the "Huggies" bit. Classic )
Monday, March 30, 2009
The Grand Obstructionist Party
From Manu Raju @ Politico
And while this circus of ideology, on Coleman's part, the voting populous of Minnesota are being denied their second vote in the Senate.
Coleman appears to have lost any desire to represent his are of the state - if he ever had any to begin with - in an attempt to make Franken look like a fool. Perhaps that was Franken's initally want as well - but I seriously doubt that now.
I'll conceed the point enough to admit that Franken was initially a comedian, but it also must be pointed-out that the man has an intelligence and a passion to make his area of Minnesota better. He seems to genuinely want to represent the people there. But the comedian label is going to be hard to shake until he gets seated and can prove that he's got the chops.
At times, it seems as if Coleman is wanting this case to press on to the SCOTUS. But, after the mess they created in 2000 with Bush vs. Gore, they aren't going to come near this one.
Texas Sen. John Cornyn is threatening “World War III” if Democrats try to seat Al Franken in the Senate before Norm Coleman can pursue his case through the federal courts.
Cornyn, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, acknowledges that a federal challenge to November’s elections could take “years” to resolve. But he’s adamant that Coleman deserves that chance — even if it means Minnesota is short a senator for the duration.
A three-judge panel is expected to rule any day now on legal challenges to the November election.
Coleman attorney Joe Friedberg has predicted that Franken will be on top after the court rules, arguing that an appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court could swing the election back in Coleman’s favor.
But what if that doesn’t happen?
Nobody really knows
And while this circus of ideology, on Coleman's part, the voting populous of Minnesota are being denied their second vote in the Senate.
Coleman appears to have lost any desire to represent his are of the state - if he ever had any to begin with - in an attempt to make Franken look like a fool. Perhaps that was Franken's initally want as well - but I seriously doubt that now.
I'll conceed the point enough to admit that Franken was initially a comedian, but it also must be pointed-out that the man has an intelligence and a passion to make his area of Minnesota better. He seems to genuinely want to represent the people there. But the comedian label is going to be hard to shake until he gets seated and can prove that he's got the chops.
At times, it seems as if Coleman is wanting this case to press on to the SCOTUS. But, after the mess they created in 2000 with Bush vs. Gore, they aren't going to come near this one.
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