Flap Your Lips Friday
Posted by Michelle Moquin on November 22nd, 2013
Good morning!
Going Nuclear on GOP Obstruction
On three recent occasions — January 2011, January 2013, and July 2013 — Senate Democrats threatened to make changes to the Senate filibuster rules in order to stop Republicans from obstructing even the most routine business of the Senate and slow-walking or simply blocking the president’s nominees. Each time, Democrats agreed to very modest changes to the rules or even simply a gentleman’s agreement with Republicans and each time Republicans broke their word and went back to their same old obstructionist ways.
In the past few weeks, things have gotten even worse than usual. Senate Republicans have embarked on an unprecedented campaign of obstruction:
- Republicans blocked the nomination of Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the agency that oversees mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He is the first African-American nominated to head the agency and the first sitting Member of Congress denied confirmation since the Reconstruction Era.
- Republicans blocked three highly-qualified nominees — two women and an African-American — to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is the second most powerful court in America and which is currently dominated by conservative, Republican-appointed judges. Aside from complaining that one nominee openly supports abortion rights some four decades after the Supreme Court affirmed that abortion is a constitutionally-protected medical procedure, Republicans offered basically no substantive opposition to the nominees. They simply indicated they will not allow President Obama to name anyone to fill the three vacant seats on the court, which even Chief Justice John Roberts agrees must be filled.
- Leading Republicans have already announced their plans to block two more top Obama nominees: Janet Yellen to head the Federal Reserve (the first woman in the world ever selected to lead a central bank) and Jeh Johnson, the first African-American nominated to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Republicans have reveled in this disturbing pattern of partisan obstruction, daring Democrats to change the Senate rules in order to eliminate the filibuster on nominations.
Well, it appears Republicans have made their bed and now they may have to lie in it.
A parade of Democrats, including some who have previously expressed strong opposition to the idea, have come forward in recent days to support changing the Senate rules:
- Sen. Barbara Boxer ((D-CA): “I am very open to changing the rules for nominees. … I was not before, because I felt we could work with them. But it’s gotten to an extreme situation where really qualified people can’t get an up-or-down vote.”
- Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA): “If ever there’s evidence for [a rules change], it is now.” Feinstein said she changed her position after a compromise deal reached last year to push through nominees did not stop obstruction from leaving crucial seats vacant. She told the Huffington Post it is “unconscionable” that Senate Republicans are now allowing a vote on Obama’s cabinet and judicial nominees.
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA): “So far they have shut down the government, they have filibustered people [President Obama] has nominated to fill out his administration and they are now filibustering judges to block him from filling any of the vacancies with highly qualified people: We need to call out these filibusters for what they are: Naked attempts to nullify the results of the last election.” She added, “If Republicans continue to filibuster these highly qualified nominees for no reason other than to nullify the president’s constitutional authority, then senators not only have the right to change the filibuster, senators have a duty to change the filibuster rules. We cannot turn our backs on the Constitution. We cannot abdicate our oath of office.”
- Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), one of the original proponents of filibuster reform, said recently: “The Senate rules must change … This is a war on the other two branches of government and their ability to do the jobs the American people need them to do.”
- Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) is another longtime supporter of filibuster reform. He said last month: “We keep getting up to the edge of it, and then we make some, quote, gentleman’s agreement … and then you find out the gentleman’s agreement doesn’t hold. … I’ve been so frustrated by it.”
- Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV): The Senate majority leader holds the ultimate authority on whether Democrats invoke the nuclear option. He said Tuesday he is actively weighing a rules change, and won’t accept a deal to avert the nuclear option that includes anything less than confirmation of all three D.C. Circuit nominees stalled over the past few weeks. In July, Democrats scored a short-term victory with a deal to confirm seven executive branch nomineesin exchange for dropping filibuster reform. But just a few months later, they ended up facing the same sort of Republican obstruction.
Sen. Reid reportedly may move to end the GOP’s partisan obstructionism as soon as this week. We’ll be sure and bring you the latest updates.
BOTTOM LINE: We simply cannot allow a minority in Congress to retroactively veto laws and the results of elections. This is unfair, makes a mockery of our constitutional system, and represents the worst kind of partisan gridlock that the American people are sick and tired of. It’s time for the GOP’s unprecedented campaign of obstruction to end.
*****
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November 23rd, 2013 at 6:26 am
This was long over due. The democrats were spineless for so long I didn’t think it would ever happen.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:29 am
Hopeful_Progressive
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Wrong. The “gunfire” recorded on the open transistor mic is not only not three shots at once, but it was proven to have been recorded about 3 minutes AFTER 12:30 PM, and by a motorcycle mic about a half-mile from Dealey Plaza.
Stop spreading misinformation, fool.
21 NOV 4:52 PM
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LeTa0
I don’t know which of the two of you are correct. But I don’t trust your version either. Your ” it was proven to have been recorded about 3 minutes AFTER 12:30 PM, and by a motorcycle mic about a half-mile from Dealey Plaza.” depends on us believing those who may have had or still have a motive for us to believe their lies.
The political circumstances that existed at the time overwhelmingly suggests and the subsequently false report by the now admitted LSOS Warren Commission also suggest that it was a conspiracy. This you cannot deny.
J.edgar Hoover hated the Kennedys and he was not a man without a single moral principle. To him, as with the republican party today, the welfare of the country meant nothing to his personal ambitions.
Since he was in a position to manipulate any evidence we see today, we may never solve the conspiracy, but that doesn’t erase the fact there was one.
It is simply illogical that all the things that happened the way we are told they did actually happened that way.
Someone is lying.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:41 am
There’s a near-zero chance that Repubs take back the senate next year, so no need to worry about that. In fact I’d be shocked if Dems don’t pick up a few seats the way the GOP is digging that hole ever deeper.
Hell, by 2017 Dems might not even need the nuclear option to get anything done, as they’re likely to have a 60+ seat majority. No, I’m not spiking the football before we’re in the end zone, just reading the tea (heh) leaves.
The GOP is currently where Dems were in 1968, and they’re going to need a generation or two to claw their way back. They’d do best to come up with their own version of a DLC.
“Reagan’s dead, and he was a lousy president” — Keith Olbermann 4/22/09
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:41 am
Wish I had Democratic senators to write to but mine are two of the biggest obstructionists in the Senate – Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:42 am
When either party members say “…They will pay a very, very heavy price for it.” alluding to the other side – they forget that real “THEY” is us, American people who will pay the price ultimately…not Republicans, not just Democrats
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:44 am
Thank you Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Now while you are at it use the up or down vote to rid the senate of the filibuster. This is a great day for the 99% of the population who use their head for more than a hat rack.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:45 am
they will rule this.dems are destroying the moral fabric of this nation. the next president will be reps ahe senate,keep the house. then we can tell reed to shut up and sit down
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:46 am
Reggie, it doesn’t take a genius to see the current state of this government is in fact working for itself and not the people of this country. Lets hope people can actually wake up to this fact.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:47 am
James#7, you need some serious English classes.
But beyond that, the Dems are not destroying anything, just responding to what the majority of this country wants
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:48 am
James:
Exactly how are the Democrats destroying the moral fabric? Pss. I am not like the others I wont mock because if you ask me I do thnk women should know their place and those blacks? Don’t get me started.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:49 am
James:
Exactly how are the Democrats destroying the moral fabric? Pss. I am not like the others I wont mock because if you ask me I do thnk women should know their place and those blacks? Don’t get me started.
If there were any moderates in the republican caucus this wouldn’t be necessary. It is time that democrats let the American people know these are not rational people. And if Democrats want to maintain their majority they would expand it because make no mistake if the American people are stupid enough to put them in the majority then what our colleague Hrafnkell Haraldsson wrote this morning will come true.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:51 am
He held back longer than I thought he should have, but Reid is finally doing the right thing.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:52 am
DR:
If the two parties were private corporations, all the party leadership would be in prison for colluding in the creation of a duopoly of power.
Ever wonder why you haven’t seen an independent make a serious run at the White House since Perot?
Because the Democrats and Republicans colluded to change the rules to make it harder for third parties to make it. Again, if GM and Ford did that, people would be going to prison.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:53 am
This isn’t even close to a great day for Democracy. A great day for Democracy would be the Republicans kicking the Tea Party to the curb. A great day for Democracy would be the Dominionists ceasing to try to take over the government and institute their version of Sharia Law that they’ve instilled so much fear in their followers about.
A great day for Democracy would be the return of bi-partisanship in Congress, and the realization that we’re all human, and therefore equal.
Having to out-bully the bullies is *not* a great day for Democracy.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:53 am
It took you long enough Harry. And now it’s only about Judicial appointments. Reform the Filibuster COMPLETELY, now!
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:53 am
About ******** time!!!! Way to go Harry.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:54 am
Clara, just ask Ralph Nader… still fighting in court since hmm 2004 I believe
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:55 am
“If you cannot get 60 votes for a nominee, maybe you should think about who you are sending to be confirmed.” – Hillary Clinton
”If the right of free and open debate is taken away from the minority party and the millions of Americans who ask us to
be their voice, I fear the partisan atmosphere in Washington will be poisoned to the point where no one will be able to agree on anything,” – Barack Obama
”We should make no mistake, This nuclear option is ultimately an example of the arrogance of power. It is a fundamental
power grab by the majority party.”- Joe Biden
”It’s not some procedural gimmick. It’s within the vision of the founding fathers of our country. They did it; we didn’t do it. They established a government so that no one person and no
single party could have total control.” – Harry Reid……..
War has been declared……….
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:56 am
Three Points. 1. No party is perfect, but Democrats are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT to use the nuclear option to stop the Republicans ABUSE of the filibuster to block Judical and Executive Nominations.
The GOP has used the filibuster over 125 times, at a rate that FAR EXCEEDS historical norms – there are currently approx. 100 Judicial vacancies. Also, 168 Presidential nominees have been filibustered. 82 Blocked under President Obama….86 blocked under all the other Presidents COMBINED, per the Bi-partisan Research Committee.
2. The GOP repeatedly demonstrated with their actions that they had no intention of stopping THEIR ABUSE of the filibuster, using it as a reckless and relentless tool to hurt Americans and grind America’s government to a halt. . . . .
America doesn’t have a “gridlock” problem in Congress, we have a Republican right-wing obstructionist problem: They act like domestic terrorists with a bomb strapped to their chests, threatening to blow up the economy, everyone, and everything, including themselves, if they don’t get their way – they continue to corner the market on crazy.
3. The Republicans in Congress have spent the last 5 years trying to nullify the results of the last two presidential elections by attempting to obstruct and sabotage EVERYTHING this president has supported or proposed.
Republicans will even reject proposals that they were previously for, if Obama agrees to their proposals – In their warped treacherous minds, it is apparently all about greed, unlimited power, bigotry, hate, sabotage, and obstructing President Obama on anything, no matter how much their obstructionism hurts U.S. citizens and the nation . . . . . . The time to use the “nuclear option” was long overdue.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:57 am
Now that’s what I’m talking about, it only took 5 years-now lets get on with the getting on of going nuclear…
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:57 am
We are with you Mr. Reid, totally with you.
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:58 am
You know that no matter how nice Democrats try to play, Republicans won’t. They feel they’re entitled to win, no matter what. If they ever do get the majority, they’ll eliminate the filibuster anyway. So…finally. .. give ‘em Hell, Harry!
November 23rd, 2013 at 6:58 am
I’m *shocked*. I had totally lost all hope that Harry Reid had a pair of testicles after he chickened out on filibuster reform last January.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:00 am
The Washington Post gave Obama 2 pinocchios on the claim that his nominees have been obstructed more than others.
From the Washington Post Article:
“Let’s see what happens when we look at the time it took judges to go from nomination to confirmation. CRS shows that it took an average of 178.8 days for Bush’s district court judges, compared to 221.6 days for Obama’s nominees.
For appeals court nominees, the results are an average of 350.6 days for Bush and 256.9 days for Obama. Wheeler’s statistics are slightly different. He shows Bush’s district judges took 164 days, compared to 224 for Obama.
For the appeals judges, the results show 317 days for Bush and 264 days for Obama. Indeed, it took an average of 274.6 days for Bush’s appeals court nominees to get a hearing, compared to 69.6 days for Obama’s nominees, according to CRS. That’s a 4:1 ratio.
In other words, the tables were turned in the Bush years. Just as Republicans now slow walk Obama’s nominees after the committee hearing, Democrats in control of the Senate in Bush’s years slow walked Bush’s nominees before the hearing.
(Wheeler also notes that Bush insisted on renominating people whose appointments had run into trouble, while Obama is more quick to cut his losses. ) In terms of rates of confirmation, overall Obama has had a better rate on appeals court judges (71.4 percent versus 67.3 percent for Bush) but a lower rate on district judges (82.7 percent versus 95 percent).”…
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:01 am
The GOP will never have a majority again. Most revolutions start when women have nothing to feed their children.
By taking food from the mouths of babies, the GOP has committed suicide. Not to mention leaving people to die so they can score ‘points’ over Affordable Health Care for the least fortunate.
Shameful, evil and un-American. Into history’s garbage can with the lot of them.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:01 am
This is NOT COURT PACKING. A President has a right and privlege to choose Judges for the Federal Court and Justices for the Supreme Court. He won the election in 2012, there are positions open, let the Senate vote up or down on the nominees.
This is not only ugly politics, but naked racism. The so-called “moral values” GOP is nothing but a FRAUD.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:02 am
The repigs are like children that aren’t and don’t act like adults, they treat Washington like their own stand up comedy club, will they ever get through puberty, it doesn’t look like from where I sit. Senator Reid please watch your back, as children all their thinking about now is revenge.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:03 am
David#24:
From the point of committee approval to confirmation (the period when the nomination is ON the Senate floor, where it can be filibustered) your numbers are WRONG.
The FACTS for the above period are as follows and easily verifiable per the Bi-Partisan Research Committee, etc.: For an Obama circuit court nominee, the average wait from committee approval to confirmation was 138.5 days — almost four times the duration under George W. Bush, which was 35.3 days.
The median waits were similarly divergent: Obama’s nominees waited 131.5 days, compared to 18 days for nominees of George W. Bush. (Just to show how slow the process has become, George H.W. Bush’s nominees waited just 7.8 days.)
The same pattern held for district court nominees. For Obama, the average number of days was 98.5, compared to 34.9 days for George W. Bush — about three times as long. The median figures were similar as well — 91 days for Obama, 18 days for Bush.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:05 am
Fuck you nigger lovers. It’s not terrorism, that is just plain stupid. The minority should have the power to block these liberal nut job appointments. Our country is at stake.
Look where that nigger obama and the dums have divided so far. Horrible policies and laws if you really want to bring the country together. All lies from the beginning. That is REAL ABUSE.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:05 am
It’s long overdue, but I’m glad it finally happened. The Republicans abused the filibuster horribly and kept important work from being done for Americans. I can only imagine where we would be now if Harry Reid had done this in the first place. He now knows that Republicans don’t have a sense of fair play.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:06 am
About time. Honestly, I didn’t think that “Wimp Harry” had the balls to follow through. Whether the majority in Congress is Democratic or Republican, the basic concept of Democracy is that the majority rules. If that means that when (If?) Republicans ever regain control of The Senate that they will also have the majority rule, then so be it.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:08 am
John#29, which ” nut job losers ” are you talking about . If your talking about the 3 DC Court of Appeals nominations , you had better get your talking points right. The Senate Repubs have said that they no have problems with their qualifications .
The repub talking points are that they don’t want to upset the current balance in the court ( but in the past they had no problems adding more conservative judges when they had the opportunity ).
The other point they make is that court has fewer cases than other Appeals courts , but leave out the fact that due to the generally more complicated nature of the cases they hear , their work load is at least the same .
They also say Obama is trying to stack the court with extra judges , again not true according to the law that set up the court , the Appeals Court should have 9 full time members , at the moment it only has 6 , so by blocking the appointments without questioning of their qualifications , repubs are actually breaking the law .
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:10 am
John#29. Bottom line you don’t like black folks.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:12 am
You see, the trouble is we are NOT a DEMOCRACY! We are a Constitutional REPUBLIC!
They are supposed to represent the people of their district who elected them, not go rogue as soon as their feet hit the Senate floor!
The system was designed to be a pendulum that swings back & forth. The problem is that both parties seem to think they are the only important ones, and the pendulum is about to topple the tower it is mounted to!
If Obama wants judicial appointments to go through, then he should back down the extremism of the appointees and not back-door the Constitution.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:15 am
BULLSHIT and that name of yours is an outright lie to non partisanship. If you so non partisan why is it that the President has had more filibusters in his 1 1/2 terms than the entire history of the United States.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:16 am
Nonpartisan;
Hey dumbass, google the constitutional convention of 1792. We became a representative republic at that point, get your head out of Hannoty’s rear end and get some badly needed education.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:16 am
It’s about time there was a vote to stop Republican “Obstruction For Destruction”
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:17 am
The average tea partier has no more grasp on the constitution than a 3rd grader, they are so rigid in their hatred, oops, ideology, that they cannot see the forest through the trees. I can’t wait to watch them all implode over the decision to always back the party, or, go against Raygun, and never criticize another repig, and I did type PIG.. so dumb, so pathetic, so dumb, and oh yeah, so dumb.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:19 am
I am an ardent supporter of Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Rand Paul, ect… just to name a few in the Senate. That chamber that if you lose as big as I think you could on the heels of Obamacare that will find Obama guilty of treason after the house impeaches him. Then its off to prison for your dear leader.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:21 am
Gary#39, you are on meth with a highball of crack and blow. Riddle me this, how can the President be tried for treason by a law that Congress passed and the SCOTUS upheld as CONSTITUTIONAL?
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:22 am
Gary, Sorry, but Cruz and Paul stand for completely different things.
And you aren’t smart enough to know that.
The treason part again shows your severe lack of intelligence.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:23 am
Gary#39;
Please change your name. I hate the thought of sharing a name with a completely uneducated freaking moron.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:23 am
LOL I would too
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:24 am
Suddenly I hear crickets… Chirp comrades I love to humiliate mental midgets. Or did your possible now maybe probable future scare you… poor babeis
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:25 am
Gary#44, Stop it because you do know that you’re arguing with someone that actually attended school?
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:26 am
Again you prove your stupidity.
Issa totally failed to link Obama to that at all.
Now the bad part little Gary. The entire scandal was created by Darrel Issa and the Inspecter General of the IRS. Issa told them to only concentrate on COnservative groups. The entire thing was made up.
And of course Cruz never told you that. Read the full undacted Inspector Generals report.
God these people cant be real
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:27 am
I am hearing crickets again… where are all you smart educated people who actually went to school?
HHmmm…. you know I just happened on your little commie cabal and you were all singing to the choir. I thought you might like a different point of view. Ordinarily I wouldn’t waste my time on such…. well thing of something undeserving.
Anyway I am leaving but before I do..I fart in your general direction
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:28 am
And gary runs. As usual.
Yes, you are leaving.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:28 am
And that is what constitutes 47% of the country.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:29 am
Funny how everytime you give little Gary an answer he runs or ignores it.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:30 am
They don’t need no stinkin facts or answers, Typical bagger. I don’t know why they would engage anyone on this site. They really believe that their shit don’t stink.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:32 am
The conservatives are becoming more and more polarized by trying their damnedest to rig elections, interfere in woman’s’ health care, prevent immigration reform, deny health care for people in need, filibuster every thing the democrats or president tries to vote on just because they lost to a black president.
How can we the people allow their behavior to continue by us average citizens as pawns in their game of chess. I say “STAY STRONG” for those governors and congressmen that are trying their hardest to bring back governing to our government.
WE NEED TO HELP GET THE EXTREMISTS OUT OF OFFICE BEFORE THEY TAKE DOWN OUR MODERATE GOVERNMENT COMPLETELY. IT’S NOT TOO LATE BUT WE NEED TO ACT. GET PASSIONATE MODERATES!!!!
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