Are you listening to Biden on the Senate floor? Nuclear Option speech. NOW

[in_cog_ni_to]

I think it's almost over, but when it repeats...you must listen to it! Great speech!

It's on C-SPAN 2. :hi:

[The Witch]

1. "WHAT HAVE WE BECOME?"

"Can we not see that this nation is divided into Red and Blue states and we need a Purple heart, not a red heart or a blue heart?"

[jojo54]

2. He's really been hell bent lately.

Think he's gearing up for a nomination in '08?...just a question.

[ms liberty]

3. Yes and he is so AWESOME!!

He's quickly becoming my favorite senator, and my fav for 08 so far.

He said something that gave me an idea...

I'm in NC, he just mentioned NC senators on the floor and something about how they would be stripping me of my rights as a member of the minority party if they go thru with the nuke option. (and yes you did call it the nuke option first Hatch you puke - Trent Lott coined the term) So if a GOP senator votes for the nuke option, can those of us in the minority party of their state recall or impeach a senator who votes for it?

Anyone out there know the answer to this? Is it something we'd want to do?

[napi21]

7. I'm sure you could recall a Senator, however, there are always

a mandatory minimum # of signatures needed to do it, so it would be impossible to do without a lot of Pubs joining in your opinion. I doubt that's going to happen!

[FreedomAngel82]

19. It might

Look at all the raiting's lately on everything. The republicans aren't very high in numbers. I'd try anyways if it happens. What would happen if the Senator is impeached though? Would their challenger get the seat??

[napi21]

23. I doubt it. Your Gov. would probably appoint an interim replacement

to finish out the term. Same procedure as when a Rep or Sen dies while in office. If you have a Pub Gov. you can be sure you'd get a Pub replacement.

[DanCa]

4. I was impressed

What was the analogy he kept using about saucers and cooling down? I missed the first the part of it.

[bunkerbuster1]

10. Didn't hear Biden, but the "cooling saucer" analogy is an old one

Think it goes back to the founding fathers. The idea being you can spill some of your hot beverage onto a saucer and allow it to cool rather than trying to drink it when it's too hot.

that's what Senate debate is supposed to be about. Before we do anything too nuts, you hope one guy is going to stand up and say "hang on, let's talk about this," i.e. filibuster.

It's also the only thing that keeps the Senate from being an utterly undemocratic gentlemen's club, like some high-powered House of Lords.

[DanCa]

11. Thank you

That was what Biden's speech was about that the founding father intended that the house and senate be seperate bodies from each other. I never thought I would live long enough to say this but I miss a two party system.

[napi21]

5. Joe is a good orator, and does well atchanging minds with

reason. Hatchet man Hatch was up right after him, and all you heard was comoplaints about the Dems calling it a neuclear option, and that he calls it the Byrd option because he was the Sen who used it FOUR times!

I'm sure not giving up, but we cannot do this alone. We have to hope the few remaining rational Pub Senators will prevail.

[Mandate My Ass]

6. Hatch: Constitutionally suspect if a majority does it

moreso a minority , partisan minority does it.

Told it is part andc parcel of how Senate does business.

Current filibusters target bipartisan approved judges.

What dems claim: Vt Senator chart : REpubs have defeated many nominees by cloture vote.

It turns out only 6 of 19 were judicial nominations. Senate confirmed five of those 6.

Sen Robt Griffen had impeccable reputation. Never desire tofilibuster justice Fordyce but had enough voted to defeat him up and down. Votes were bipartisan.

How can a confirmed nomination be called a blocked nomination.

Sen Durbin named 5 which had been filibustered. Not one a precedent for what is happening today.

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. Biden pointed out that when you look at the

numbers.....DEMOCRATS are supported by THE MAJORITY of people in this country. NOT the repukes. I saw a post about that here on DU, but didn't save it. I wonder if Biden's staff reads DU? ;)

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Yep

Majority report's blog had the numbers up so I posted them. The republicans don't care though. They have divorced themselves from reality. On SS the democrats were winning.

[in_cog_ni_to]

9. Yay! Durbin is going to speak...........after Dole. : (

:puke:

[seemslikeadream]

13. DURBIN SETS THEM STRAIGHT!

Trent Lott coined the phrase Nuclear Option

[in_cog_ni_to]

14. He is so awesome. "They know they don't have the votes to end the

filibuster, so they are changing the rules in the middle of the game because Cheney said he would vote for the change." Durbin ROCKS! :yourock:

[seemslikeadream]

20. Dick is my Senator too!

:yourock: :yourock:

[cry baby]

22. Didn't he say that that the process of killing the filibuster...

would be as follows: One senator would be asking Cheney for the rules to be changed and Cheney would decree that the rules are now changed. Durbin was saying they would break the rules to change the rules. Did anyone else hear that? If that is so, the senators won't even get to vote on the rules change.

[seemslikeadream]

25. I heard someone say yesterday

that the parlimentarian will be asked what the rule is, she will tell Cheney and then he will ignore it.

[FreedomAngel82]

27. What would happen

if they changed the rules? Can they do that?

[cry baby]

29. They will nuke the filibuster - and Durbin said that they would

be breaking the rules if they go about it this way. I don't know the senate rules that well. Anybody else know?

[in_cog_ni_to]

12. DURBIN!!!!! "Trent Lott coined the phrase."

"Nuclear Option." :bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce: LOL! I LOVE MY SENATOR! I emailed him and suggested he point out that Trent Lott actually coined the phrase "Nuclear Option" and make sure the people know where it came from. :bounce: He did it! Go Dick! :bounce:

[DanCa]

15. Durbin is awesome

I met Durbin in washington when I was lobbying with parkinson's action network. He is the most genuine charming and gentle person you'd ever met. He even had his aid give us tour of capitol hill. The guy is a class act all the way thru and thru.

[in_cog_ni_to]

16. I've never met him.

and I live in Illinois and email the guy DAILY. ;) He always has struck me as a "teddy bear" type with a backbone, of course. :) It's nice to know he's as kind as I always thought he was. :loveya:

[FreedomAngel82]

28. Nice

That's class.

[FreedomAngel82]

17. Are they just

aruging or are they going to vote on it today??

[in_cog_ni_to]

21. No, this is just the morning debate.

The last I heard, the Nulear Option would come up on May 9.

[seabeyond]

18. thanks all, listening to you, so appreciate all you are posting n/t

[ms liberty]

26. I just called both my Senators (Dole & Burr)

and told them that although I had never been an activist, if they voted for this nuclear option it would drive me to being an activist and doing all in my power to defeat them in any future election. I also pointed out that Trent Lott coined the term in the late 90's and I remembered him using it then. I added that I was sick and tired of their using religon to divide the country and their tactics were responsible for my being harassed by people who disagree with me. (parenthetically: my new car was keyed, Kerry bumper stickers covered with W stickers - or torn off, I've been cussed at and treated in a hostile manner) I told them this was wrong and they were in the wrong too. Now I'm going to call Joe Biden's office and tell him that he is THE MAN!!!

[FreedomAngel82]

30. Horrible

They're not doing anything about our divide in this country. Kerry was concerned about that in the election and talked to Bush about it but he doesn't give a damn. I'm sick of them using my religious beliefs as well but it falls on deaf ears.