Am I getting this right? Tonight the Senate is going to have an all-nighter debate on Iraq to highlight Republican obstructionism of the Reid-Levin Amendment? That sounds . . . like something I won't want to watch. But good for Reid. I don't think this is particularly good political theater, as such, but something needs to be done to highlight the fact that things aren't passing the Senate not because "congress" can't take action or because "the Senate" is rejecting various proposals but, specifically, because the filibuster lets the GOP block the majority's initiatives. Why the press couldn't cover this stuff correctly in the first place, I couldn't say, but maybe this'll change things around.
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All-Nighter
17 Jul 2007 07:23 am
Comments (7)
Why the press couldn't cover this stuff correctly in the first place, I couldn't say
I think the coverage of most of this stuff has been pretty bad, but I can't really fault the press for not using the word "filibuster" yet, as Josh Marshall has done, since there hasn't actually *been* a filibuster yet. Once it actually happens, I would hope (but not expect) the more accurate reporting would appear.
I read on Kevin Drum's site, that the Democrats won't be able to get a quorum to even hold session.
They have 51 senators, but minus Lieberman, minus Tim Johnson (hospitalized), they will have 49.
If there's no quorum, one republican just has to show up to ask for a quorum call and then they have to adjourn.
If there's no quorum, one republican just has to show up to ask for a quorum call and then they have to adjourn.
Not really true; read the comments over there.
Why the press couldn't cover this stuff correctly in the first place, I couldn't say, but maybe this'll change things around.
Does anybody want to speculate on how the press will cover this?
A little detail that confused me as well - it's
the Reed-Levin Amendment, named for Jack Reed of
Rhode Island. Not "Reid", tough Reid of course
as Majority Leader has taken the decision to force
the filibuster to be done for real through a
30-hour session.
Confusing. Let's hope the Dems aren't recruiting
any more Reeds or Reids for 2008 :-)
How will the press cover it?
Well, right now, the headline at McClatchy Washington Bureau's Web site is,
"Democrats plan faux filibuster to pressure Republicans."
See, it's the Democrats who plan to filbuster, and it's a fake filibuster those Dems are planning.
Comments closed July 31, 2007.
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Heads in the Sand
I know the Senate majority is thin. Still, I long for the days when a seasoned S.O.B. like LBJ employed a little nasty jujitsu and left opposition blood all over the floor. Failing that how about someone able to go directly to the people and plead a case (picture Bill Clinton as Senate majority leader). You'd think the damned floors were covered in eggs the way these people tread around so gingerly. Grow some fucking nads and start kicking ass and taking names.
Posted by steve duncan | July 17, 2007 8:15 AM