Senate conservatives break all-time obstructionism record.
By on Dec 19th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Senate conservatives break all-time obstructionism record.
After Senate conservatives “filibustered an omnibus budget bill” yesterday, they set “a modern-day record for blocking the most legislation during a congressional session,” according to a new report by the Campaign for America’s Future. In just the first year of the 110th Congress, conservatives have used the filibuster 62 times, topping the record set by the entire 107th Congress. Bill Scher notes some of the legislation conservatives have worked to block.
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After the next election cycle, conservatives won't be simply a minority, they'll be a non-entity.
December 19th, 2007 at 6:43 pmThey're simply proving government doesn't work
by not allowing it to.
December 19th, 2007 at 6:45 pmRepukians - it's about party, and corporate profits. The voters? Who? Oh, those little people, they will serve the corporations as serfs soon enough, we have more, need to, well, have even more. We government guys have our healthcare, why don't you?
Hating Repukian Scum Daily
Bush/Cheney/Repukes
Hague Trials '09
Buck Fush
December 19th, 2007 at 6:47 pmThe 100% demise of the republiscum party in '08 will be delicious. And they did it to themselves by putting Bush and party first, and the United States and the American people dead last. Traitors the lot of them. Seeing them swing from a rope for their treason will be most gratifying.
December 19th, 2007 at 6:48 pmwell wingnuts, I thought filibusters were BAD, EVIL, SATAN'S method of undoing the Man of God's work here on earth...
December 19th, 2007 at 6:50 pmHEY RIGHTIES. Help me out with this.
If you all think that government is so horrible, and that it can't work, why should anyone elect you? By your own philosophy, your party
December 19th, 2007 at 6:58 pmmust govern poorly, or the slogan is kinda moot. Right?
As loathesome as they are, man do I respect the Republicans. You never saw the Democrats using their power when they were in the minority, did you? I mean, the compare and contrast is a mindblower!
December 19th, 2007 at 6:59 pmchisholm,
Good point. The Repubs don't play nice. They are out to win.
Again this is a failure of the leadership of Harry Reid. Especially on the funding of the war.
He needs to make the Republicans stand up and actually filibuster. Screw this handshake filibuster agreement crap.
Harry, make them stand up and explain to the country why they are forcing us to continue a disastrous strategy to the cost of our military families and our treasure. Then the American people will know exactly who to blame. Make them stand up on the floor of the Senate
December 19th, 2007 at 7:04 pmSoooooo, will the Demo-Puss's stand up and FIGHT???? I don't think so!!!!!!!!!!!!!, bunch of WHIMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:10 pmThis is the same party that, when they were in the majority, demanded up-or-down votes, and tried to ban the filibuster by the minority. Now that they are in the minority, they have used the filibuster more than any congress in recent history, and have effectively blocked many pieces of legislation.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:29 pmSo they tagged the Democratic majority congress as a "do-nothing congress" which the dutiful press is more than happy to repeat endlessly, while in effect, it is THEY who have obstructed much of the work of congress because of their intransigence, their refusal to negotiate or cooperate.
Why doesn't the press remind the public that the Repugnicans are the obstacles?
Oh, wait, that was silly. The press report the whole story? What was I thinking?
After Senate conservatives “filibustered an omnibus budget bill†yesterday, they set “a modern-day record for blocking the most legislation during a congressional session,â€...
--------------------------------------------
Good for them.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:29 pmThe repugs play dirty, they stand together and bend the rules. They may be rotten, but they are effective.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:31 pmPerhaps Sen. Dodd can be the new Senate majority leader in 2009; he has shown that he has the courage to stand for the Constitution - a quality I don't see in Harry Reid.
Actually, the repubs have filibustered 0 times. That's ZERO. Thanks to the gutlessness of harray reid, they haven't had to! Reid only makes Dems (such as Dodd) filibuster. What a nice corporate lacky he is, indeed!
December 19th, 2007 at 7:38 pmwhy won't they give the troops the funding they need?
December 19th, 2007 at 7:40 pmwhy won’t they give the troops the funding they need?
Comment by tombaker — December 19, 2007 @ 7:40 pm
?????
December 19th, 2007 at 7:42 pmThe main job of a Republican representative is to prevent the Left from ever acheiving anything.
That's what we elect them to do.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:44 pmThe main job of a Republican representative is to prevent the Left from ever acheiving anything.
That’s what we elect them to do.
Comment by Charles James Napier — December 19, 2007 @ 7:44 pm
in a nutshell, the hatred of the right for the American people and system.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:45 pmin a nutshell, the hatred of the right for the American people and system.
Comment by Lefty Patriot
----------------------------------------------
I don't hate you.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:47 pm"the human mind is never better disposed to gratitude and attachment than when softened by fear"
General Charles James Napier
December 19th, 2007 at 7:48 pmLefty - just asking the question we'd be asked to answer, were the legislation stalled due to the D's.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:49 pmAs we must not lose sight of the fact that these are the the Republiscums who wanted to "nuke" the filibuster because the Democrats wanted to use it to stop particularly onerous judge appointments. I really do wish the Democrats had stood up to them and said "do it a$$holes". If they had, and the Republiscums had "nuked" the filibuster, we wouldn't be in this stalemate we are in now.
Since there is nothing we can do about it, the Democrats need to shout loud and clear to the public every time the Republiscums block them from passing laws. Most of the laws the Democrats have tried to pass are laws supported by a majority of the public. The Democrats have the public covering their backs, so it's time for them to stop acting like scardy cats.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:51 pmNevar,
Of course ol' Napier was referring to military strategies for quelling insurgencies and not to life in general.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:51 pmFrom Wikipedia:
General Napier put down several insurgencies in India during his reign as Commander-in-Chief in India, and once said of his philosophy about how to do so effectively:
"The best way to quiet a country is a good thrashing, followed by great kindness afterwards. Even the wildest chaps are thus tamed"[3]
He also once said that "the human mind is never better disposed to gratitude and attachment than when softened by fear"[3]
An implementation of this theory would be after the Battle of Miani, where most of the Mirs surrendered. One leader held back and was told by Napier:
"Come here instantly. Come here at once and make your submission, or I will in a week tear you from the midst of your village and hang you""[3]
The reason he felt brutality was necessary for the proper conquest of rebellions may have been his opinion that "so perverse is mankind that every nationality prefers to misgoverned by its own people than to be well ruled by another"[3] Whatever the reason for his views on fighting insurgencies, the fact remains that he was one of Great Britain's most effective generals at doing this in India, often facing well-armed fighters.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:51 pmGood for them.
Comment by Charles James Napier — December 19, 2007 @ 7:29 pm
Why do you love your republiscum party more than you love your country? Could it be because you are a traitor?
December 19th, 2007 at 7:52 pmGood for them.
Comment by Charles James Napier
Did you think it was a good thing when the Democrats tried to use the filibuster?
December 19th, 2007 at 7:53 pmYou mean life in general like this, general?
"A story for which Napier is famous involves a delegation of Hindu locals approaching him and complaining about prohibition of Sati, often referred to at the time as suttee, by British authorities. This was the custom of burning widows alive on the funeral pyres of their husbands. The exact wording of his response varies somewhat in different reports, but the following version captures its essence:
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."[2] "
December 19th, 2007 at 7:53 pmLet's not forget that Napier was most famous for ending the horrific Hindu practice of Sati, that is, the tossing living widows on to the funeral pyres of their dead husbands.
Can all the feminists here give him a little love for that?
December 19th, 2007 at 7:56 pmI don’t hate you.
Comment by Charles James Napier
Well, I can safely say that I hate you and your ilk. You are destroying what was once a great nation.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:57 pmCan all the feminists here give him a little love for that?
Comment by Charles James Napier
I'm doing it now!
December 19th, 2007 at 7:58 pmThe filibuster - they were against it before they were for it. Flip-floppers!!
December 19th, 2007 at 7:59 pmNevar,
You mean life in general like this, general?...
----------------------------------------------------------------
Napier did more for the women of India by ending Sati than Gandhi did in a life time.
And the quote for which he is famous...
“You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.â€
...still stands as a brilliant rebuke to the cultural relativism so fashionable today.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:00 pmCome on Napier - you think you are so smart. Answer my question. I'll give it to you again:
Did you think it was a good thing when the Democrats tried to use the filibuster?
I'm not expecting an answer. The Republiscum trolls here are incapable of answering a direct question. If they even attempt, they re-word the question and obfuscate rather than actually answering the question posed to them.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:01 pmCome on, do we really want to turn this thread into the life and times of General Napier? Do you really want to turn the thread over to this onerous troll?
December 19th, 2007 at 8:02 pmnews bulletin for Charles Emerson Winchester, III:
India still practices the caste system. Unspeakable atrocities are still visited upon many in that country.
Let's stop giving too much credit to your Colonialist hero namesake.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:04 pmthe cultural relativism so fashionable today.
Comment by Charles James Napier
I understand you, General.
Crush, grind, puree and homogenize, pour into identical little molds, dry, fire and glaze into one monotonous monotone of sight, sound, and flavor.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:05 pmie, no culture.
34 - Bilbo - I for one vote NO.
This is not the Montel Williams show, and no one is here to wallow in anyone else's personal life.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:05 pmHEY RIGHTIES. Help me out with this.
If you all think that government is so horrible, and that it can’t work, why should anyone elect you? By your own philosophy, your party
must govern poorly, or the slogan is kinda moot. Right?
Comment by Mr.Bungle — December 19, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Every rightie says the same damn thing, government control of anything is a disaster. Well, for the last 7 years you've had control of the government - and look at what we have. Disaster. They are right - they don't want the government to control anything, so there is more time to steal everyone's money, and undermine everyone's rights.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:08 pmsorry, folks, I was simply trying to point out the role model for a particular trolls current incarnation.
'Nuff said.
For now...
December 19th, 2007 at 8:08 pmDid you think it was a good thing when the Democrats tried to use the filibuster?
-------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not a Democrat (anymore), so from my perspective it wasn't "good" but it is/was within their rights under the US constitution.
Both the Democrats and the Republicans are free to do what they preceive in the best intrest of the country so long as it is within the law.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:14 pmI understand you, General.
Comment by Nevar
-------------------------------------
No, you don't.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:17 pmnanny nanny poo poo to you too....
December 19th, 2007 at 8:18 pmNevear,
I was referring to this:
"Crush, grind, puree and homogenize, pour into identical little molds, dry, fire and glaze into one monotonous monotone of sight, sound, and flavor.
ie, no culture."
----------------------------------------------------------
That's not the way I feel whatsoever.
I cherish individualism.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:21 pmThat’s not the way I feel whatsoever.
I cherish individualism.
Comment by Charles James Napier — December 19, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
Then why do all your expressed opinions celebrate authoritarianism?
December 19th, 2007 at 8:27 pmI cherish individualism.
Comment by Charles James Napier
As long as such individualism conforms to your norm....
December 19th, 2007 at 8:28 pmAs long as such individualism conforms to your norm….
Comment by Nevar
------------------------------------------
No.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:29 pmAs long as such individualism conforms to your norm….
Comment by Nevar
----------------------------------------
As long as such individualism does not prevent others from exercising their God given rights....like throwing live women into funeral pyres or hanging homosexuals, as they do in Iran.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:32 pmIf I may be so presumptuous as to coin a name for your brand of civilization, General...
Conditional Culture
December 19th, 2007 at 8:36 pmAs long as such individualism does not prevent others from exercising their God given rights….like throwing live women into funeral pyres or hanging homosexuals, as they do in Iran.
Comment by Charles James Napier — December 19, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
Weird. I thought the thread was about Conservative obstructionism. I had no way of knowing it was about you, or some truly bizarre correlation with individualism and human barbarism.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:39 pmCan all the feminists here give him a little love for that?
Comment by Charles James Napier — December 19, 2007 @ 7:56 pm
No.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:46 pmIt's always what the wingnuts do. They try to paint us as Iran sympathizers by bringing up these atrocities they love to be concerned about. Funny, how they do NOTHING about them except to use them for political purposes to beat us over the head.
December 19th, 2007 at 9:05 pmC. J. Napier, your statement that ; "The main job of a Republican representative is to prevent the Left from ever acheiving anything" is simply wrong and realistically, demonstrates an ignorance of your knowledge in governance. I can appreciate that protecting and upholding your party's idealogical issues are paramount but to hold legislation captive for no other reason than to simply say "they lose" is doing an injustice to the country, OUR government, and the voters that put them there. Accordingly, there's an accountability that's being demanded from blogs such as this one as well as the American people in general. Surely, you understand that your response is not a credit to your party. Additionally, I'll not hold them responsible for your audacious statement of " That’s what we elect them to do". I'm equally satisfied that they'd prefer you speak for yourself and not continue at making such irrational statements on their behalf. There's simply a time when you can appear to be more intelligent by simply saying nothing at all. I recommend that you not pass that opportunity up again. Andy
December 19th, 2007 at 9:38 pmBORROW.
December 19th, 2007 at 10:10 pmSPEND.
OBSTRUCT.
REPEAT.
What have conservatives obstructed this year? Here's just a partial list:
* Ending the disastrous occupation of Iraq.
* Providing health insurance to millions more kids.
* Empowering Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices.
* Taking away handouts to Big Oil so we can invest in renewable energy.
* Repealing the effective ban on embryonic stem cell research.
* Investing more in health research.
* Making it easier for workers to join unions.
* Investing more in fighting poverty and training workers.
Is obstructing all of that popular legislation "working" for Republicans?
Here's the approval rating for congressional Republicans this month:
* According to USA Today/Gallup: 26%.
* According to ABC/W. Post: 32%
* According to the Harris poll: 23%
The rating for Democrats - just as pathetic:
* USA Today/Gallup: 30%
* ABC/W. Post: 40%
TIME TO THROW ALL THE RASCALS OUT!
December 19th, 2007 at 10:12 pmCitizen of Earth, (hey, we're neighbors), here's a few more of the obstructions and disregard of the voters:
December 19th, 2007 at 10:23 pm· Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act - H.R. 4, and the Medicare Fair Prescription Drug Price Act - S. 3
· Employee Free Choice Act - H.R. 800
· Improving America's Security Act - S. 4
· Water Quality Financing Act - H.R. 720
· Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2007 - H.R. 985
· Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007 - H.R. 1255
· United States Policy in Iraq Resolution - S.J.Res. 9
· U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act - H.R. 1591, S. 965, H.R. 2206
· D.C. Voting Rights Act – H.R. 1433, S. 1257
· Rail and Public Transportation Security Act - H.R. 1401
· Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act - S. 5
· Intelligence Authorization Act - S. 372, H.R. 2082
· Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act - S. 1082
· Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act – H.R. 1592
· Redeployment of United States Armed Forces and defense contractors from Iraq - H.R. 2237
· Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act - H.R. 1684
· Agricultural Disaster Assistance and Western States Emergency Unfinished Business Appropriations Act - H.R. 2207
· National Defense Authorization Act - H.R. 1585, S. 1547
· No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels (NOPEC) Act - H.R. 2264
· Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act – H.R. 1252
· Human Cloning Prohibition Act - H.R. 2560
· Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act - H.R. 2638, S. 1644
· Creating Long-term Energy Alternatives for the Nation (CLEAN) Act/Energy Independence and Security Act - H.R. 6
· State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act - H.R. 2764
· Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act - H.R. 2643
· Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act - H.R. 2829
· College Cost Reduction Act - H.R. 2669
· Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act - H.R. 2956
· Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act - H.R.3074, S. 1789
· Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act - H.R. 3093, S. 1745
· Farm, Nutrition and Bioengery Act/Food and Energy Security Act - H.R. 2419
· Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act - H.R. 2831
· Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act(SCHIP)- S. 1893, H.R. 3162, H.R. 976, H.R. 3963
· Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act - H.R. 3161
· Ensuring Military Readiness Through Stability and Predictability Deployment Policy Act - H.R. 3159
· Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act - H.R. 2776
· New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act - H.R. 3221
· Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act - H.R. 2761
· FAA Reauthorization Act - H.R. 2881
· Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act - H.R. 3121
· Improving Government Accountability Act - H.R. 928
· Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act - H.R. 3246
· National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act - H.R. 2895
· Tax Collection Responsibility Act - H.R. 3056
· Free Flow of Information Act - H.R. 2102
· Responsible Electronic Surveillance that is Overseen, Reviewed, and Effective (RESTORE) Act - H.R. 3773
· Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act - H.R. 505
· Employment Non-Discrimination Act - H.R. 3685
· Trade and Globalization Assistance Act - H.R. 3920
· Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act - H.R. 2262
· Homeowner's Defense Act - H.R. 3355
· Temporary Tax Relief Act (AMT) - H.R. 3996
· Orderly and Responsible Iraq Redeployment Appropriations Act - H.R. 4156
PAST TIME TO THROW ALL THE RASCALS OUT!
December 19th, 2007 at 10:42 pmCrap legislation is still crap no matter who is trying to pass it. Just look at the spending bill they are working on now that is over 3000 pages and full of earmarks, for uh… “special projectsâ€.
Comment by Tracy2
A large majority of which were put there by the Republiscums, especially the two from Alaska both of whom are the all time winners of the porky pig contest.
December 19th, 2007 at 11:30 pmBoth the Democrats and the Republicans are free to do what they preceive in the best intrest of the country so long as it is within the law.
Comment by Charles James Napier
Then you must be really mad at the Bush Crime Family because they have broken just about every law imaginable.
December 19th, 2007 at 11:31 pmhttp://www.wexlerwantshearings.com/ ....C'Mon folks this what we've been waiting for.....spread the word....Rep Wexler has 105,000. signatures already....sign on and e-mail this out to your friends,Lets get that bastard Cheney impeached!!!
December 19th, 2007 at 11:49 pma sad day. Sadder that dems haven't call a single one. ralph.
Here's an edited pic from the report...showing how/which party has fillibustered since 1973:
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL384/9881542/18580016/293881191.jpg
Fillibusters only work if the argument is good AND the majority can be shamed.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:11 ammudsharks - thx for the link! yes, spread it
December 20th, 2007 at 12:15 amSee all of you neocon shills in Nov 08, briefly, then not so much anymore.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:16 am"Weird. I thought the thread was about Conservative obstructionism. I had no way of knowing it was about you, or some truly bizarre correlation with individualism and human barbarism"
Well, the thread has kind of been obstructed.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:23 amWeren't the righties here whining like little girls when the libs dared to threaten a fillibuster on their horrible SC nominations? They sure do change their tune quickly.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:30 amComment by Sabyen91 — December 20, 2007 @ 12:30 am
Never underestimate the compartmentalization of the authoritarian mind. Here's a great read on the subject, if you haven't read it, it explains our trolls in great detail.
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/
December 20th, 2007 at 12:47 amPete, compartmentalization is one thing. Pure retardation is another. Some day I will read the whole book but nothing will surprise me. These guys can justify anything (the funny thing is for most of them...justifying all this crap is against their best interest).
December 20th, 2007 at 12:52 amSabyen, well, the "retardation" and working against self-interest are inherent in the mindset. I know that when I read it I averaged several "Ah, Ha! moments" per chapter. Not much surprising, mind you, but lots of confirmed suspicions with data to back them up. I know I have a better understanding of trolls having read it. But, it's a bit of a project.
So, short version? They are so invested in a distorted image of reality that they don't recognize the "real world". Up is down, black is white, good is evil. The author stops short of calling them incurable sociopaths but, the implication is there.
I also found the connection, of sadism and authoritarianism, to be very telling. Some of our troll's behavior is driven by the same destructive instinct which drives vandals of all types. Even if they become aware, of their negative impact, they pass it off as a "joke". It's never their fault if someone is "too slow" to avoid harm. Think Beavis and Butthead under the control of a messianic leader.
There is no doubt that, in a pre-computer age, our trolls would be stoning innocents, breaking windows, or terrorizing villages; probably wearing masks. Perhaps it's best this outlet is available to them?
December 20th, 2007 at 1:12 am
December 20th, 2007 at 1:31 amvery nice campaign ad for '08's congressional races.
Why are you calling these spend-and-don't-tax, “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!†Republicans "conservatives"? Seriously, call them kleptocrats if you want some color, but the headline, at least, should really be:
"Senate Republicans break all-time obstructionism record."
December 20th, 2007 at 5:47 amomment by BERT CONVY — December 20, 2007 @ 8:21 am
yeah, yo thought that in '06, too. you're finished, bart, done. pack your shit and get out. even Hillary Clinton can destroy any of the dwarves and perverts you're running.
December 20th, 2007 at 9:14 amand then 3 posts later:
This is why the sport of troll-hunting is strictly for the spectators, the troll is completely incapable of considering anything you might point out to them.
December 20th, 2007 at 9:54 am