Comments on: Conservatives Set To Block Dawn Johnsen’s Nomination

By: blood1

blood1 — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:29:28 +0000

The GOP is hoping that the American people have a short memory, so if they ever find political power again and want their nominees approved, they will use their talking heads to complain. The Dems need to step up and get President Obama’s nominees in place.

Do they think that she is going to “write a secret memo giving the women the right to have medically safe abortions”?

They are just using their tools to obstruct this administration. If the majority leader in the Senate isn’t up to playing hardball, then get another majority leader who can and will!

I can hear the squawks from the GOP if Pres. Obama does use the recess to get nominees in their jobs… but the president’s argument will easily be to show how long the GOP has put off this process….get the propellor heads to make a really nice chart and Just Do IT!

By: Chocolate Jesus

Chocolate Jesus — Thu, 14 May 2009 11:33:22 +0000

>Sorry, the link didn’t post.

Actually, if you read the reason most right wing senators gave for opposing her, its her agreement with the supreme court in roe v wade..

By: Robt

Robt — Thu, 14 May 2009 05:52:19 +0000

Can Obama say
“Recess Appointment”?

By: suema

suema — Thu, 14 May 2009 03:43:44 +0000

Arln Specter has lost my vote forever. he isn’t a repub and he isn’t a dem either. and why doesn’t reid let them fillibuster. keep them so busy they might miss their tea party. Bring in the cots!

By: wiley

wiley — Wed, 13 May 2009 21:16:25 +0000

I’m wondering how Congressmen benefit from executive secrecy. Johnsen wants all OLC memos to be made public when that doesn’t pose a national security threat.

By: Doc Rock

Doc Rock — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:38:07 +0000

Republicans, the party of accountability for teachers, wants none for them. Send Specter and Nelson to the showers–with no committee or sub-committee chairmanships–and let them rot in hell with the party of “NO”!

By: Briseadh na Firefly

Briseadh na Firefly — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:34:34 +0000

Three cheers for the Party of No!

All Hail!

Aw Hell!

By: Yankeluh

Yankeluh — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:03:12 +0000

Let’s just face it. We have a Democratic Majority leader who is a g** d*** coward.

By: opieandoscar

opieandoscar — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:42:32 +0000

Senator Reid does seem to “find his hands tied” quite often. I would love to see someone in his place who can actually lead and accomplish what is needed. Even if he does not have the votes for something he and the rest of the Democrats could make a really big noise about it. He caves way too easily.

By: Wayne Ant Schneider

Wayne Ant Schneider — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:05:00 +0000

The solution is obvious. Let the Senate go into recess and give President Obama the opportunity to recess-appoint these people that the Republicans are blocking without good reason (or any reason, in some cases). Sure it sucks, but the difference between Obama doing it and Bush doing it is that Obama is trying to get qualified people into those positions. It’s not like he’s trying to get a John Bolton made Ambassador to the UN (against all common sense.)

By: katy

katy — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:50:49 +0000

[...]
Democrats fell three votes shy of the 60 they needed to move toward confirming David Hayes as deputy Interior secretary as Republicans voted nearly lock step against the nominee.

Bennett, R-Utah, led the charge to block Hayes over his concerns about Interior Secretary Ken Salazar canceling an auction of federal lands for oil and gas leases in the Beehive State.

Salazar, a former Colorado senator, blasted his former colleagues who voted against his top deputy.

“This was a tired vote of bitter obstructionism,” the secretary said in a statement. “It may be uncomfortable for some to watch us have to clean up mess after mess — from corruption to lawbreaking — that is the previous administration’s legacy at Interior, but to cast a vote against such a qualified and fine person is the height of cynicism.”

Bennett said the issue wasn’t Hayes’ credentials but Interior’s lack of response to the senator’s concerns that Salazar didn’t pull the 77 leases for legitimate reasons, instead bending to the will of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

“This was a purely political decision based upon a lawsuit by an environmental group,” Bennett said.
Advertisement
“The real issue in this matter is the credibility of the Department of Interior.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who forced a vote to overcome Bennett’s “hold” on Hayes, said he would continue to bring up the nominee.

“David Hayes is going to be confirmed,” the Nevada Democrat vowed on the Senate floor.

“If I have to wait until Al Franken comes, he is going to be confirmed,” Reid added, referring to the Democratic candidate for Senate in Minnesota who is fighting to be seated.
[...]

harry, as if… oh, never f’n mind…

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_12358750

By: Realness

Realness — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:46:25 +0000

god. and i’m sorry, but I’m even questioning the constitutional wisdom of the Senate right now:

The Senate is a more deliberative body than the House of Representatives because the Senate is smaller and its members serve longer terms, allowing for a more collegial and less partisan atmosphere that is somewhat more insulated from public opinion than the House.

Collegial and less partisan? Great, so every Senator can agree that:

a) our jobs are pretty sweet and cushy
b) lets maintain our own jobs and not listen so much to the people
c) we all agree we like money, right? how patriotic! now don’t anyone rock the boat!

By: The Republic of Hymenoptera Stupidity

The Republic of Hymenoptera Stupidity — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:42:32 +0000

Realness Says:

We won’t see any change in leadership or Senate misdoings until money is taken out of the equation.
____________

You mean money DOESN’T equal free speech after all?

Who knew?

By: Realness

Realness — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:29:05 +0000

With Reid’s obvious lack of leadership skills, there’s also the fact that the Senate looks increasingly homogenized every day, with the only ones standing out to fight to be heard being from the far right, and everyone else fainting at any confrontation. This is the section of Congress most in the pockets of big business, and their own self-serving political interests. This kind of system is not working because it is not representing the change the people want. We won’t see any change in leadership or Senate misdoings until money is taken out of the equation.

By: Bilbo Hussein Baggins

Bilbo Hussein Baggins — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:10:49 +0000

Send Reid an e-mail and tell him what you think. It probably won’t do any good, but it might make you feel better.

http://reid.senate.gov/contact/

Just make up a street address and use a city/zip shown at the bottom of this page. It has to be a Nevada zip or his filter will reject your e-mail.

By: Doodlebug Shayne

Doodlebug Shayne — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:05:10 +0000

Ted Kennedy can’t show up. And Al Franken isn’t allowed to show up. So shouldn’t the “60″ figure be changed to 58. And then they should squeeze Specter.

Oh forget it, Reid is worthless.

By: Doodlebug Shayne

Doodlebug Shayne — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:00:07 +0000

happily liberal Says:

The filibuster is not supposed to be used to hijack the entire government.

Yet, you cheered wildly when the d’s did it, hypocrite, much?

When did they use it?

By: Bilbo Hussein Baggins

Bilbo Hussein Baggins — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:00:01 +0000

No Harry, your hands are not tied. MAKE THEM FILIBUSTER, damn it.

By: ralph the wonder locust

ralph the wonder locust — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:54:05 +0000

happily liberal Says:
The filibuster is not supposed to be used to hijack the entire government.

Yet, you cheered wildly when the d’s did it, hypocrite, much?

Right back atcha there, Slick:

All of the president’s nominees-both now and in the future-deserve a fair up or down vote, regardless of whether some members of the Senate feel they can be filibustered based on whatever they define to be extraordinary circumstances.

- Sam Brownback (R-KS) May 2005

“I believe, about the process of reestablishing the precedent of majority rule that had prevailed for 214 years in the Senate, that would say any President’s nominees, whether they be Republican or Democrat, if they have the support of a majority of the Senate, will get an up-or-down vote in the Senate. Senators who believe these nominees should be confirmed can vote for them and those who believe they should not be confirmed can vote against them.”

- John Cornyn (R-TX) May, 2005

“How can I advise and consent without the ability to cast a vote? Forty-one senators are preventing a bipartisan majority from carrying out the duty we were elected to fulfill. In 2003, Democrats used the filibuster to block up-or-down votes on 10 nominations – all had bipartisan, majority support.”

- Jim DeMint (R-SC) May, 2005

By: smidget

smidget — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:53:27 +0000

57 is more than 39.

I know, it shouldn’t have to be said, but clearly Congress has chosen to neglect basic arithmatic by claiming that the nomination of David Hayes “failed.” Seems pretty obvious that, seeing as he got more “yes” votes than “no” votes that the nomination DID NOT fail.

What are these idiots smoking? Fcuk the Republicans and their changing of the rules to suit their own needs. 60 votes is not required, only preferable. They took a vote, the majority voted for confirmation, so get on with it. The crybaby cons can pout in the corner while Hayes does his goddamn job.