Senate GOP Blocking Obama Nominees In Attempt To Delay Health Care And Climate Legislation
Senate GOP Blocking Obama Nominees In Attempt To Delay Health Care And Climate Legislation
In April, ThinkProgress noted that Republicans were blocking an increasing number of President Obama’s nominees to pursue ideological witch hunts and to facilitate self-interested horse trades. Two months later, a number of key nominees are still waiting and Senate Republicans are bottling up dozens more of Obama’s nominees in order to delay action on key Obama agenda items like health care and climate change legislation by consuming one of the most precious resources in the Senate: floor time. Roll Call explains:
Reid came to the floor three times Wednesday and several more times throughout the week to plead with his Republican colleagues to stop holding up a growing number of President Barack Obama’s appointees. The Majority Leader’s appeal was his most forceful yet, and aides say he has no plans to abandon the effort anytime soon.
“I would hope that people would search their conscience and try to get these done,” Reid said, explaining that procedural motions that he could employ to clear the nominees would eat up too much floor time. “It would take until the summer, until we finish the July recess and beyond, for us to get this done, filing cloture on every one of these. I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Absent unanimous consent from all senators, no issue may be considered by the full Senate unless it is given time on the Senate floor for debate. Although such a debate can be cut off by a cloture motion — a vote receiving the support of 60 senators — such a motion itself consumes floor time. Thus, by indiscriminately objecting to President Obama’s nominees, a single senator can effectively force Reid to choose between confirming essential government personnel or advancing health care reform, cap and trade, the federal budget or anything else on the Senate’s agenda. Floor time is limited and Senate conservatives are running out the clock to ensure that nothing gets done.
Among the nominees conservatives are holding hostage are Dawn Johnsen, President Obama’s exceptionally qualified nominee to head the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel, Harold Koh, a leading expert in international law who is nominated to be the chief legal adviser to the State Department, and Judge David Hamilton, a court of appeals nominee currently being blocked because of false claims that he gave preferential treatment to Muslims in favor of Christians.
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So that’s their game, is it? This should be headline news, so their constituents know just how fast and loose the Republicans are playing with their health and safety.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:05 pmWow, still the party of “no”
possible slogans for Republicans in 2010. 2012:
No Health Care!
No Equal Marriage!
No Supreme Court Vote!
No! No! No!
Someone needs to give the GOP a pacifier
June 15th, 2009 at 6:05 pmI wonder how many more seats the republicans will have to lose before they realize than obstructionism is NOT what Amricans want or need.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:05 pmThe Republican obstruction should be talked about and reviled every time Democrats are in front of a camera…
June 15th, 2009 at 6:06 pmWith all the work that needs to be done, partisan politics as usual.
As I remember it, both the majority party and the minority party get to set the initial agenda by listing the bills that they want to champion. they get a certain number.
If you don’t like your opponents’ bills, then slow things down so they won’t see the light of day.
Now I wonder if Grassley (with the tweet for Obama to get Healthcare going) is from the same party which is slowing things down by asking inane questions of nominees.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:07 pmDoes this mean we have to spend more federal dollars to establish a nursery in the Capital?
Maybe Pampers or Huggies would help donate.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:07 pm“Vote for me! I’ll go to Washington, do a crappy job and try to stop anybody else from doing their job too! I totally suck!”
June 15th, 2009 at 6:11 pmHow come the Democrats were so hamstrung when they were in the minority, that they couldn’t have used these tactics against Bush & his agenda? Why are the Democarts ALWAYS at the mercy of the Republicans, regardless of the balance of power? I’ve come to the conclusion the Democrats don’t WANT to do anything, and use their “fewer than 60″ majority as an excuse.
Where can we go to get REAL leaders? Crappy as their ideas are, at least the Republicans manage to get their way….
June 15th, 2009 at 6:14 pm“The Majority Leader’s appeal was his most forceful yet…”
June 15th, 2009 at 6:14 pmSo…did Harry say “Pretty please with sugar on it?”
I think the Senate has more important things to argue about than these nominations.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:18 pmInstead of wasting time begging the Right to play fair Harry should be filing these nominations for floor time now. Every time the fools hold one up every Dem should be on TV talking about the Party of No. We have let that meme fade which has been the rights biggest wish. It’s time to bring it back with more force that Harry can put in another stern letter.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:19 pmThe GOP: If we can’t be part of the problem, we can at least get in the way of the solution.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:19 pmSigh, it isn’t about Democrats and Republicans. They are just for show. We have a single party system, the Corprocrats.
Get used to it America.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:20 pmIt wasn’t cute when the Democrats were doing it during the Bush years, and it’s not cute when the Republicans do it now.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:21 pmForget searching for Osama.
Anyone seen Harry’s testes?
He lost them after becoming senate majority leader. Perhaps we should post a reward for their return?
June 15th, 2009 at 6:24 pmReid came to the floor three times Wednesday and several more times throughout the week to plead with his Republican colleagues to stop holding up a growing number of President Barack Obama’s appointees.
I would like someone to explain to me how the Republics can be holding up the appointments. Is it because the Democrats are letting them? Why was it that during the first six years of the Bush rein of terror the Democrats couldn’t do anything. The Republics didn’t even allow them to bring legislation to the floor. And the Republics certainly didn’t let the Democrats stop any of Bush’s appointments. So, please tell me how they have the power to block Obama’s appointments.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:25 pmJorduSpeaks Says:
It wasn’t cute when the Democrats were doing it during the Bush years, and it’s not cute when the Republicans do it now.
Examples? Very few of Bush’s nominees weren’t appointed.
Very few, and those were also fought by senate republicans.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:25 pmShades of the Irish Parliamentary of the 1880’s and ’90s.
They had no problems bringing Parliament to a halt because they considered it an illegitmate body with no right to govern the country, in this case Ireland, which they were elected to represent. I daresay there are a few GOP congresscritters whose analysis WRT a Democratic majority and administration runs the same way.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:26 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says: So, please tell me how they have the power to block Obama’s appointments.
They bought it.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:26 pmIt’s time for President Obama to call a press conference and speak to the American public. He needs to let them know what the Republics are doing to obstruct his ability to fill his positions and get his job done. He needs to point out that the Democrats have never done anything like that to the Republics and also point out that we are in the midst of numerous serious problems that need to be worked on and without the help he needs, Obama is stifled at what he can do. Part of the reason why the stimulus money is so slow getting out is that he doesn’t have the proper people in place he needs to make sure that the money goes where it is supposed to go and is not spent unwisely.
President Obama needs to call the Republics on their BS and he needs to continue to do so.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:27 pmProving yet again that the GOP cares nothing about Americans, let alone global problems. Time to put them all out to pasture & let the informed, caring, inclusive people get to work.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:27 pmMapleStreet Says:
With all the work that needs to be done, partisan politics as usual.
As I remember it, both the majority party and the minority party get to set the initial agenda by listing the bills that they want to champion. they get a certain number.
That’s not the way it worked when the Republics were in power for 6 years. They never even allowed the Democrats to bring any legislation to the floor much less to be voted on. And then when the Democrats tried to hold hearings, they were put in a small room in the basement where no press could go. Why is it that the Republics were able to stop the Democrats cold for 6 years and yet they are still stopping the Democrats when they are a severe minority.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:29 pmJorduSpeaks:
From the odor of that last post, perhaps you should change your name to Jordu’sbuttSpeaks.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:30 pmThe Republic Fascist Party whole game plan has been to make sure that nothing gets done by the dems, that nothing is passed that helps Americans, then when they have held up everything they will claim that Dems can’t govern because they can’t get anything done.
Fcuk the Republic Fascist Party
June 15th, 2009 at 6:35 pmThe example I was thinking of was Alberto Gonzales, which the right made a very big deal about at the time. Yet, now they’re doing it, too.
Keep in mind, I’m not saying that the minority party shouldn’t object to any of the majority’s proposals. I just think they should spend their time debating issues the public, you know, cares about. If they don’t think they can produce arguments that appeal to the constituencies of their opponents (thereby securing a legitimate vote in their favor), then they don’t deserve to postpone that debate like this.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:38 pmorduSpeaks Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 6:40 pmIt wasn’t cute when the Democrats were doing it during the Bush years, and it’s not cute when the Republicans do it now.
==========
Yeah, it’s not cute when the Republicans do it, because we all know, it’s absolutely 100% pure GOP “diarrhea.”
I agree that this sort of obstructionism should be made front and center in the news — the rules of the government are often arcane and people don’t pay attention — but the repugs are obstructing government just because they can — they are not serving the interests of their constituents. If enough people knew of this, it would be more difficult for the repugs to continue.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:43 pmThis is the reason why Franken in still not seated — obstructionism and unnecessary delays.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:43 pmBarfly:
Congratulations on a well-reasoned and mature argument. I hope that one day I, too, am able to argue with such consummate skill and impeccable rationality, without resorting to the nonsensical ad-hominem attacks I so frequently employ. I bow to a skill far greater than my own.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:45 pmI bow to a skill far greater than my own.
At least you know your limitations.
Wise man.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:46 pmY’think?
June 15th, 2009 at 6:47 pmWhat was the phrase again? Oh yeah, “up or down! up or down!”
OK, so conservatives claim government doesn’t work. So they run for office so they can shut down government and prevent it from doing all the ebil they’re afraid of. I understand their theory.
Let’s put it to the test, wingnuts.
Stay out of all elective positions for the next, say, ten years. Don’t run any candidate for any elected office at any leve anywhere. Let the liberals try out our “responsible government” thing. Then if everything ends up screwed up, I’ll conced you were right.
Because all I’m seeing now is that all of the problems caused by government can be traced directly to a Republican intentionally screwing everything up.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:49 pmThe example I was thinking of was Alberto Gonzales, which the right made a very big deal about at the time. Yet, now they’re doing it, too.
Way to walk back your previous statement. Perhaps next time, if your rhetoric isn’t as vague, and easily misunderstood, I won’t attack you.
Apologies.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:51 pmA question for thinking Americans. Can you name one thing, one action that the Republican party has espoused in the past 9 years that even vaguely has a relationship to the Constitution or American values?
War? Health care? Energy? Race? Equality?
Can you come up with one topic, one concern the Republicans support that does not involve profit?
June 15th, 2009 at 6:52 pmWhat’s left of today’s GOP is a genetically and or psychologically deviant mélange of morally and ethically defective mutants, miscreants and kamikaze loyalists who are crashing and burning all things Republican. They are the figurative buzzards and hyenas fighting over the last scraps of a carcass riddled with maggots and festering clumps of putrefied viscera. They are the opportunistic parasites whose very existence is and always has been dependent on sucking blood from the engorged bellies of alpha predators. The prevalence of fear, paranoia and irrational hatred in today’s GOP represents the antemortem gasps of a doomed species struggling to survive in evaporating pools of their own toxic waste as they mercilessly slice and dice one another in futile attempts to become the biggest fish in an increasingly smaller and smaller pond.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:56 pmAnonymouse Says:
Senate GOP Blocking Obama Nominees In Attempt To Delay Health Care And Climate Legislation
Y’think?
Perhaps they’re blocking them, because of their decades-old agenda of republican court packing.
Hello? Bush v Gore?
While they might be doing the lobbyists’ bidding by holding up legistation, they are also keeping the numbers of qualified jurors limited to non-liberals.
A two-fer, that also keeps the base energized.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:57 pmThink about it. The Party of No. No support for our elected government.
No support for the more and more vocal demands of the American public.
No support for anything the corporate managers ask be ignored.
A simple question. If someone had run your family business into bankruptcy, would you not only pay their wage but give them a bonus and keep them on the payroll?
June 15th, 2009 at 6:57 pmReid said, explaining that procedural motions that he could employ to clear the nominees would eat up too much floor time.
And what in the hell is happening now? The sooner you get the ball rolling the sooner the obstructionists will be kicked to the gutter where they belong. They are not going to rethink their position just because you ask nicely. The only thing they want is failure of the current administration. Bring on the procedural motions. Grow a backbone Reid! Enough is enough.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:00 pmI apologize if my language was too vague. My position probably should have been clearer.
That said, if you don’t agree with me about something, I actually want you to attack me. But please attack me on the merits of my argument so that I can see its flaws and revise my line of thinking.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:04 pmThe Party of No. No help, no support no ideas. Their country is hurting, on the ropes and they say no to everything.
Does a coup, a takeover come from the outside? Nope.
The Republicans and their narrow base (with their mega buck backers) stand for nothing the US is. They stand for money to the rich. Corporocrats. And they have bought, yes bought. all the support they can, including the Blue Dogs.
They are looking for a corporate oligarchy with a theocratic backing. Surprise! They are getting it.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:05 pmYo, doggie. Your link to Bob Samuelson is truly sad. That guy has been wrong since the ’80’s.
A silly supply-sider.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:09 pmBut please attack me on the merits of my argument so that I can see its flaws and revise my line of thinking.
I believe I already did:
It wasn’t cute when the Democrats were doing it during the Bush years, and it’s not cute when the Republicans do it now.
Examples? Very few of Bush’s nominees weren’t appointed.
Very few, and those were also fought by senate republicans.
I merely pointed out the apparent fallacy of “It wasn’t cute when the Democrats were doing it during the Bush years…”
June 15th, 2009 at 7:12 pmI feel this actually speaks to a problem with justices needing confirmation from elected officials. They nominate judges they think will advance their agendas and obstruct judges they think will not. Of course, they’d have to be crazy not to. The problem is simply that judges, unlike legislators, are not supposed to be driven by policy; they should be driven by existing law. Law which is to be interpreted based upon its applicability to the specific facts of the case. In the approval process for judges, the judges are essentially asked to rule on hypothetical cases without the benefit of specific facts. (a classic example of this is the Roe v. Wade litmus test that Republicans frequently apply to placate the religious elements of their constituencies) Which, incidentally, raises questions about their impartiality in future cases of a similar nature.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:17 pmMarie Says:
This is the reason why Franken in still not seated — obstructionism and unnecessary delays.
Has more to do with him cheating…but of course he will get away with it because he is a DemocRAT.
As far as the main story goes…what’s good for the goose…is good for the gander. You had you’re fun while we tried to get our people confirmed…now the show is on the other foot! Sucks to be you!
June 15th, 2009 at 7:18 pmI’m so sick of Reid. Why doesn’t he just do it, regardless of how much time it takes? He’s being paid to get something done, so instead of saying “pretty please”, he should just get to work.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:19 pmWhen calling congress to complain about this dangerous political game playing we need to also remind ALL in Congress we are aware their votes are for their contributors, not US and it will not be forgotten election time.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:19 pmAdvise? How about questions. How many Bush appointees were greeted with open public statements about racism? How many Bush appointees with close to 20 years of experience were publicly denigrated?
How many Bush appointees had Senate clowns with no judiciary experience making statements of disapproving nature before the candidate was questioned?
Advice? Use your head for something other than a support for trendy hats.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:20 pmAnd…you can go to opensecrets.org and see contributions made and by whom…. those of which seem to have more importance than US.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:24 pmPlease be civil. Comments like these are hardly constructive. They merely serve to embolden those with whom you disagree.
Furthermore, you appear to be making the case that it was right when Republicans were in power, which you may not be ready to commit to.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:29 pmJust Two. Lieberman’s and Spectors.
Plus seating Al Franken.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:41 pmNo one is surprised that this is happening – especially not the dems.
What I want to know is, what are they going to do about it? There has to be something they can do.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:44 pm*
Where can we go to get REAL leaders?
This is why people turn to the likes of Osama Bin Laden.
When things get bad enough, people turn to leaders such as he.
The goal of the ruling class has always been to amass as much wealth and power as possible, without things getting bad enough to spark armed rebellion, and to have enough military might at hand to quell any such rebellion, just in case.
Orwell includes a well thought-out essay essay on the subject in “1984.”
June 15th, 2009 at 7:45 pmSenate GOP Blocking Obama Nominees In Attempt To Delay Health Care And Climate Legislation
Why isn’t this breaking news?
Health care IS at the top of the list of importance to the people. The survival of business and personal lives are counting on a reform.
This should show all the degree our corporate media is invested in insurance, big pharma….
June 15th, 2009 at 7:50 pmJust think. The Democrats allowed the likes of John Yoo to be confirmed. As I have said before, come August Obama needs to make a bunch of recess appointments. Granted, these people could only serve until January 2011 when a new Congress is seated.
We do know that Clinton had some judicial nominees from his first term that never were given a hearing and Bush ended up filling those openings. Republicans just don’t feel that electons have consequences unless it is a Republican that wins. They could care less about America. All they care about is whatever it takes to win an election. The voters need to once again punish the Republicans for their selfish views.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:51 pmRealityCheck Says:
Has more to do with him cheating…but of course he will get away with it because he is a DemocRAT.
Well, since you obviously have absolutely, positively NO proof that Franken cheated this is just more posturing on your part. Are you so afraid of facts that you refuse to go near them?
As far as the main story goes…what’s good for the goose…is good for the gander. You had you’re fun while we tried to get our people confirmed…now the show is on the other foot! Sucks to be you!
“Your” is the possessive form of “you”, while “you’re” is a contraction for “you are.” That’s a free tip you might want to start using to add just a little bit of intelligence to your posts. As for the people the Democrats fought against, there were serious questions about their fitness. The republicans are not in the least bit serious and are obstructing purely for the sake of obstructing. There are no higher principles involved here, no worthy causes to fight for. This is just the Republicans refusing to accept the fact that they are in the minority (for good reasons) and they can no longer have their way.
I for one, would be happy if every Republican incumbent were to lose his or her next election. I know it won’t happen because there are parts of our country where the people are too ill-informed to vote in their best interests, but still, it would be nice.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:51 pmThe American public recognizes that Obama is working hard to improve the nation, whereas the GOP has resigned itself to serve as a speed-bump on the road to progress.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:55 pmInstead of jumping on Harry Ried about the procedure, read the g*dd*m*ed article. The wingnuts know they can hold up cloture because of the sixty vote requirement. Norm Coleman told the MN GOP this weekend his move is to assist by not allowing the sixtieth democrat to be seated. The Rethuglican scumbags are playing games. They screwed up everything in this country and they do not want the democrats to fix things. It will make them look even more lame.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:12 pmwatchdog Says:
Just quoting your favorite wingnut blogs doesn’t count as having an opinion, bub. If I wanted to read that crap I’d be there, not here.
.
RealityCheck Says:
Has more to do with him cheating…but of course he will get away with it because he is a DemocRAT.
Didn’t cheat. A court looked into it, no wrongdoing was found. In fact, Coleman has been given massive latitude to file frivolous complaints, and they’ve all been proven false in court.
Why do you hate the law?
.
Wayne Ant Schneider Says:
I for one, would be happy if every Republican incumbent were to lose his or her next election.
Me too. However this game that Reid and Pelosi are playing – allowing Republicans to screw everything up so they can lose their seats – is way too slow for me. There are a number of key issues that they’ve allowed the R’s to derail specifically because they realize the GOP is trying to commit suicide. It’s been working so far – it got us 2006 and 2008, but some of the issues they’ve effectively sacrificed are too important to play with.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:24 pmIn most cases I wouldn’t advise that he do something Bush did to get around Congress, but the Republicans are being buttheads, it’s five months into President Obama’s presidency, and I think he should just put all his nominees to work during the recess. Phuck ‘em.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:27 pmFour words — recess appointments
June 15th, 2009 at 8:31 pmAIG [insurance giant] Chief Executive Officer Maurice “Hank” Greenberg may have improperly took $4.3 billion in stock from the company in 2005,
Thanks Hank
June 15th, 2009 at 8:33 pmRealityCheck could I convince you to put ‘Alternative’ in front of your moniker?
June 15th, 2009 at 8:33 pmLife would be so much better if we had less republicans in the Congress.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:33 pmThe Democrats did this to Bush. Now the Republicans do it to Obama. Who cares, its politics.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:35 pmJorduSpeaks Says:
Please be civil. Comments like these are hardly constructive. They merely serve to embolden those with whom you disagree.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
______________
Shut up, moron. Go embolden yourself.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:42 pmI’m sure our stupid pet trolls can provide a list of Chimpy’s nominees who were blocked by secret, anonymous, holds.
Remember, provide links or it didn’t happen.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:47 pmThis is why political parties should be illegal.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:53 pmWhile you’re at it, stupid trolls, how many elected Democrats called Alito or Roberts “racists”.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:55 pmSam Says:
——————————————————————————–
The Democrats did this to Bush. Now the Republicans do it to Obama. Who cares, its politics.
===========================================================
Give me one example, genius. My memory is not what it use to be. When did the Democratic Minority obstruct Bush appointments and legislation. You opened you stupid mouth. Give me an example.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:04 pmRemember when George Bush fired all those US Attorneys for political reasons? I do.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:11 pmThat’s what I get for urging civility. I guess I must be new to politics, the internet, or both.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:23 pmColeman has been ordered by the Supreme Court to pay $95,000 to Franken. I don’t think that would have happened had Franken stolen the election or cheated.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:23 pmPlease be civil. Comments like these are hardly constructive. They merely serve to embolden those with whom you disagree.
RC doesn’t know how to be civil. He’s a bitter old man who just comes here to cause trouble.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:27 pmWhat does it matter what the AMA wants? They dont sell insurance.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:30 pmEvery single one of us should be sending emails to our Senators and Rep’s giving them notice that if they keep using this stalling process we WILL VOTE THEM OUT!!! That is the only thing that the Republicans understand.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:31 pmSam Says:
The Democrats did this to Bush.
I’m sorry, when did Bush not get everything he wanted? Name the judicial or cabinet appointment, please. Everything Bush asked Congress for slid through like it was greased. Except for Meiers, which even R’s admit was just plain dumb.
.
Sam Says:
Who cares, its politics.
I care. That’s part of why I’m here. Politics affect our lives in a very real way. If you don’t understand that, look at the world around you. Then look again. Then realize you’re a f**king moron who can’t understand how things work, and therefore shouldn’t be pontificating on subjects best left to your betters.
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JorduSpeaks Says:
That’s what I get for urging civility.
Civility happens by accident around here sometimes. My advice: stick to your guns and get yourself some respect instead.
.
Xisithrus Says:
What does it matter what the AMA wants? They dont sell insurance.
Doctors get the kickbacks.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:37 pmMarie, the photo in the following link brings tears of joy to my eyes!…
http://www.clotheslineblog.com/node/1039
*sniff sniff* It’s almost over, Marie! They’re folding up the chairs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 15th, 2009 at 9:38 pmThey’re lobbyists who back the GOP. It’s no different than K Street being important to the GOP…they don’t sell anything really….just pay out a bunch of money to manipulate legislation in their favor, which almost always hurts Americans and rewards those at the top of the food chain.
Get it now?
June 15th, 2009 at 9:39 pmKayInMaine says:
June 15th, 2009 at 9:41 pmGod, I hope you’re right Kay. There is just enough of a rump GNOP in the Senate that enables them to do what they’re doing with the President’s nominees. Once Franken is seated, hopefully, the silliness will end.
That’s what I get for urging civility. I guess I must be new to politics, the internet, or both.
With a self-important-sounding name like “JorduSpeaks,” one immediately wonders at the motivation for commenting.
Or was this an attempt at self-imprecation?
I usually don’t preface my stuff with “barflyspeaks,” like it’s some really authoritative viewpoint.
That’s one reason I’m “barfly.”
My posts (usually) sink or swim, from their own intellectual content (or lack thereof), not some affectation that might be wholly unearned, as far as seeming intellectual accomplishment goes.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:41 pmMy motivation is simply to add to the discussion.
My handle is simply a combination of two songs I enjoy, “Jordu” and “Brownie Speaks”, both by the great Clifford Brown. I don’t particularly see the relevance of my chosen handle, but I thank you for your interest.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:50 pmAll my money is on Franken. Even the right wingers in Minnesota want Norm to concede and stop being such an arsehole!
We just have to be patient. ;-)
June 15th, 2009 at 10:04 pmGive me one example, genius,
June 15th, 2009 at 10:11 pmEstrada and John Bolton.
I think it’s time the Democrats start playing a little political hardball. Second I hope they have a memory, paybacks are warrented, bury the Republicans, and make it quick!
June 15th, 2009 at 10:22 pmJohn Bolton was one of the most un-diplomatic men in American history. He had no business going anywhere near the United Nations, let alone being our Ambassador there. Please, only a hopeless fool would defend that man.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:23 pmThe first three words as the lead in for this story, says it all. SENATE GOP BLOCKING. This all they do. This is all they do regarding everything that this administration tries to do. The GOP contributes nothing but NO. JUST NO. They are truly the party of NO.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:29 pmSorry, stupid troll. Estrada and Bolton were both the subjects of filibusters. They were not blocked by anonymous “holds”.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:32 pmGlobal warming alarmists naively believe the rest of the world will fold up their tents and become true converts to the cause, regardless the costs and their conflicting interests.
That brings us to today’s Global Warming Quote of the Day:
What’s amazing is that even as Japan and Europe begin reneging on previous promises to sacrifice their own wellbeing to save the earth from another dreaded portion of a degree higher temperature in the distant future, the U.S. Congress plunges ahead. And just think, it’ll only cost our economy a mere pittance:
Golly. We just can’t understand why other nations wouldn’t be in a similar hurry to slit their collective economic throats. Only in Congress.
http://orangepunch.freedomblogging.com/category/environment/
June 15th, 2009 at 10:48 pmhttp://orangepunch.freedomblogging.com/category/environment/
June 15th, 2009 at 10:50 pmI see marwick has found himself a nice, quiet corner where he can mutter “global warming is a hoax” to himself over and over.
Best let him be.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:02 pmThe troll actually raises a, somewhat, relevant point. Changing what we burn and how/why we burn it is going to involve up-front costs and investments.
However, his copy-paste doesn’t figure in the returns on that investment. And, of course, it absolutely ignores the worst possible case of human civilization coming to an end when the World’s ecosystems collapse.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:02 pmAnd, worst of all, it’s completely unrelated to the topic of discussion. Most likely because he or she is spamming for her or his own blog.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:08 pmActually, by troll standards, that was topical. After all, “climate” is in the headline.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:13 pmSam Says:
Give me one example, genius,
Estrada and John Bolton.
John Bolton was a dumber idea than Harriet Meiers (see below).
I don’t know who “Estrada” was. Eric? No, Miguel. I guess it’s “do the wingnut’s homework for them” time again, ain’t it? The bane of all geeks… This guy was nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals. So we’re not even talking about a cabinet post, OK.
Let’s focus on why Estrada was opposed. Wikipedia?
Bold mine. So they openly opposed him up front because of nonexistent qualifications. OK, fine. Just like Meiers, Bush attempted to nominate someone with not-even-remotely-in-the-ballpark qualifications and got shot down immediately.
So what was your complaint again?
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Wayne Ant Schneider Says:
John Bolton was one of the most un-diplomatic men in American history. He had no business going anywhere near the United Nations, let alone being our Ambassador there
I can’t imagine why this guy should get any job with the word “diplomat” or “diplomatic” in the title. He’s completely the opposite of that, in all respects.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:16 pmI don’t particularly see the relevance of my chosen handle, but I thank you for your interest.
It’s that we get a lot of self-important conservative losers here, and they seem to prefer egotistical names, like “proud,” and “American patriot.” Your handle seems similar, in that your obscure reference is easily misread as egotistical blather. I’ve been here awhile, so forgive me if I misread you. Except that you seem to be attempting to posit conservative memes:
It wasn’t cute when the Democrats were doing it during the Bush years, and it’s not cute when the Republicans do it now.
If you lived throught that era, (as you must have), you’d remember that very few republican appointees were rejected, making your assertion seem overblown, to say the least.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:23 pmOr are you really a progressive, and I’ve totally misread you??
Why introduce climate change legislation at all when there is no threat from climate change? Climate change is a made-up hoax.
And you wonder why jobs are going to China and India. LOL. Their scientists disagree with the US liberals on so-called “climate change.”
June 16th, 2009 at 1:08 amShouldn’t any intelligent human oppose climate change legislation when climate change is a made-up hoax?
“It is obvious that anthropogenic global warming is not science at all, because a scientific theory makes non-obvious predictions which are then compared with observations that the average person can check for himself. As we both know from our own observations, AGW theory has spectacularly failed to do this. The theory has predicted steadily increasing global temperatures, and this has been refuted by experience. NOW the global warmers claim that the Earth will enter a cooling period. In other words, whether the ice caps melt, or expand — whatever happens — the AGW theorists claim it confirms their theory. A perfect example of a pseudo-science like astrology.” – Frank Tipler, mathematical physicist at Tulane University
“It is not possible to engage in rational discussion with irrational beliefs. It is also not possible to engage in rational discussion with those whose interest in the global warming bandwagon is as a way to make money or build a career.” – Prof. Jonathan Katz, Washington University
June 16th, 2009 at 1:13 amHahahahahahahaha! Still using a couple debunked, creationist, pseudo scientists as sources? Like I said last time, you would have better luck trusting Kent Hovind to prepare your tax return.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:22 amAt the time when the Bush appointees were a major focus of public attention, most of my attention was focused on academic pursuits. Due to the amount of hooplah raised by the right when Bush appointees were being threatened with filibuster, it may be possible that I overestimated the degree to which obstructionist tactics were being used.
As to my own political beliefs, I don’t like to conform to a single ideology, but rather explore issues from as many points of view as possible. What this means is that in heavily right-wing environments I will argue from the left, and in left-wing environments I will argue from the right.
I don’t see how the verb “speaks” comes off as comparable to “patriot” or “proud”, although I do admit the reference is somewhat obscure to those who don’t like hard bop jazz music as much as I do. I’m relatively new here (I just discovered the site through twitter), so I don’t know the extent to which “self important conservative losers” are a problem (although the conservatives I saw posting today seem to be the unthinking antagonistic sort). Nevertheless, I intend to continue reading the site and commenting when I think it interesting. I can’t promise we’ll always get along, but I do intend to make my posts thoughtful and reasonably polite.
Now, if it’s all the same to you, there are more important things to discuss than me.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:26 amabman57: “…the GOP has resigned itself to serve as a speed-bump on the road to progress…”
Mind if I amend the comment just a bit?
“the GOP is reveling in the opportunity to serve as those “severe tire damage” spikes on the road to doing anything sane or sensible”
June 16th, 2009 at 2:10 amClimate patterns are changing for the worse. What I am wondering, after watching a Science or History channel program on Krakatoa, and the “year with no Summer” that followed the volcano’s explosion, is: Would a similar explosion slow down Global Warming today?
Good Lord, Marwick, you are amazingly stupid.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:18 amFirst you pansies cried “Global Cooling” in the 70’s & early 80’s. Then we have had to put up with “Global Warming” scares since then. Now you have changed to “Climate Change.” What a bunch of crap.
The earth is an ever evolving planet…and just because it doesn’t fit into the way you picture it at the moment…doesn’t mean we need to put a “phony tax” on everything that breaths. Worry more about pollution like I do…then trying to dream up phony crap that doesn’t matter…except to Alpha Gores savings account!
Bunch of pantie waist.
June 16th, 2009 at 9:33 ammarwick Says:
Shouldn’t any intelligent human oppose climate change legislation when climate change is a made-up hoax?
An intelligent human wouldn’t come to that conclusion to begin with. A Republican might, if an oil company wanted him to.
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RealityCheck Says:
First you pansies cried “Global Cooling”
You really don’t get it that science revises its conclusions as it gathers more evidence, do you? This is the same line of attack that creationists use against evolution – that it changes its mind over time as we learn more. Later theories > earlier theories because they are based on more information.
June 16th, 2009 at 9:50 amIf “Think Progress” understands this ploy, why in the hell don’t the Democrats understnd it? We should see the Dems on the TV every night pushing back against this Repuke tatic but where are they?? Harry Reid must GO!!!! Give me a woman with a set of stones..(i.e. Pelosi or Clinton) Reid is a punk and the republicans know this.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:36 amWell, if Reid had started bringing up cloture motions on this back in, oh, February, when it first became clear the Republicans were interested in nothing other than obstruction, we might now have a few of these nominees through.
Ya gotta start sometime, Harry. Waiting for the Republicans to start “playing nice” is not a good game plan.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:35 pm“…search their conscience…” Sorry Harry, not possible, you’re talking to people with no conscience.
It’s time for Dems to stop playing nice. Treat the Reps like you would a recalcitrant kid. Tell them exactly what will happen if they don’t cooperate, give them a chance and then swoop down like a bird of prey if they keep doing the same dumb thing.
I know, I know that takes a spine and other vital body parts that Harry seems to lack, but a girl can dream can’t she?
June 16th, 2009 at 6:06 pmMarwick obviously read the memo that reality has a liberal bias.
This is a country of incredibly ignorant folks.
June 16th, 2009 at 6:10 pm