Harry Reid grows a pair
Harry Reid grows a pair
#1Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 3:14pm
After years of the GOP blocking Obama appointees at historic levels, today the Dems voted to change their rules to allow approval by a simple majority.
I expect spontaneous combustion to begin at Fox 'News' any moment now.
#2Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 3:17pmIt's only for judicial nominees though, if I'm not mistaken.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#3Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 3:23pmThe democrats never blocked GOP nominees right? Records show they blocked GWB much more but I guess that is allowed.
#4Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 3:33pm
Here's a handy article about the change and what it means:
Long story short: filibusters can be broken by a simple majority vote of 51 senators.
Appointees can be confirmed with the same majority vote.
This doesn't affect legislation or Supreme Court appointees.
This is what happened.
Liza's Headband
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
#6Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 5:58pmI can't stand political charts that make no sense. What have they "blocked?" Judicial appointees? Bills? Supreme Court appointees? A little more description and some context would be nice...
#7Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 6:06pm
Well, charts by definition are pretty much visuals in lieu of text. And I think it's clear that "nominees" doesn't mean bills.
But I'm sure you can find the information elsewhere in a format you prefer.
Liza's Headband
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
#8Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 6:07pmWOW, Sorry Reg. I totally didn't see "Nominees." I think I might need glasses...
#9Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 6:08pmI'm sure there are some subtleties that this chart doesn't convey. But before I posted it, I did find similar figures elsewhere.
wonkit
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
#10Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 8:18pmIf I had to choose between the wisdom and foresight of Thomas Jefferson and Harry Reid, no contest.
wonkit
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
#12Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 8:36pmHow facile. I am talking about writing the rules for the Senate of the United States. If you want to change the subject, go ahead.
#13Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 8:39pm
Oh, come on! That wasn't funny?
Updated On: 11/21/13 at 08:39 PM
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#14Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 9:05pmThis rule had nothing to do with Thomas Jefferson. It only dated TO 1975.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#15Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 11:08pm
Amazing that back in 2005 Obama & Reid opposed stripping the filibuster rule. I guess when you are the one doing the stripping it is OK.
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#16Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/21/13 at 11:23pmYou're not even man enough that you were completely wrong in you post about W being blocked more than Obama? Do you really wonder why you lose the respect of the smart people here?
#17Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/22/13 at 7:18amActually, it's fair to say that Dem obstructionism had reached new heights in the Bush years, though their numbers now seem paltry. However, at that time there were enough moderates on both sides to work out an informal arrangement to avoid rule changes. Since 'moderate' is now a dirty word in the GOP, and it is political suicide in that party to even give the appearance of cooperating with the Dems, there is no longer any option but changing the rule.
mikey2573
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/28/10
#18Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/22/13 at 7:53am
This change in the Senate rules is a raw abuse of power and will destroy the very checks and balances our founding fathers put in place to prevent absolute power by any one branch of government. It is more about POWER than fairness. The American people want less partisanship in Washington DC. If they choose to change the rules and put an end to Democratic debate, then the fighting and the bitterness and the gridlock will only get worse.
It iw wrong for one party - be it Republican or Democrat - to change the rules in the middle of the game so that they can make all the decisions while the other party is told to sit down and keep quiet.
The Founding Fathers established the filibuster as a means of protecting the minority from the tyranny of the majority -- and that protection, with some changes, has been in place for over 200 years.
If the right of free and open debate is taken away from the minority party, the already partisan atmosphere in Washington will be poisoned to the point where no one will be able to agree on anything. That doesn't serve anyone's best interests, and it certainly isn't what the patriots who founded this democracy had in mind.
#19Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/22/13 at 8:38am
"This change in the Senate rules is a raw abuse of power and will destroy the very checks and balances our founding fathers put in place to prevent absolute power by any one branch of government."
You mean the kind of power the GOP controlled house has now? The kind of power that has blocked countless bills supported by a majority?
#20Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/22/13 at 8:38am
"This change in the Senate rules is a raw abuse of power and will destroy the very checks and balances our founding fathers put in place to prevent absolute power by any one branch of government."
You mean the kind of power the GOP controlled house has now? The kind of power that has blocked countless bills supported by a majority?
#21Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/22/13 at 10:22am
This change only affects Presidential nominees. ONLY AFFECTS PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES. How many times do we have to type this before you guys understand?
It may come back to bite us later, but for now, Dems will take it.
This is not Obama sweeping a magic wand where he becomes King of the Universe.
#22Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/22/13 at 10:24amThere is nothing in the Constitution about a filibuster, and it wasn't created by the Founding Fathers. If anything, a simple up/down vote is more in line with their vision.
Liza's Headband
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
#23Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/22/13 at 10:24am
Judicial Nominees, actually. It's a huge symbolic shift. But, in reality, it's not that massive of a change. And it can always be overturned later.
ETA: my point being that everyone, Republicans specifically, need to chill.
Updated On: 11/22/13 at 10:24 AM
mikey2573
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/28/10
#23Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/24/13 at 7:45pmJust for the record,in my previous post on this thread, every word I wrote was a quote from one Sen. Barack Obama in 2005.
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#24Harry Reid grows a pair
Posted: 11/24/13 at 8:05pmYou want a cracker?
Videos