Senate Republicans Threaten to Block Start of Debate on Iraq

[Judi Lynn]

Senate Republicans Threaten to Block Start of Debate on Iraq

By Nicholas Johnston and Laura Litvan

Feb. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Republicans will block the start of debate on a nonbinding resolution opposing President George W. Bush's Iraq strategy unless two Republican alternatives are also considered.

Democrats, who control the chamber 51-49, need the votes of 60 senators to begin debate on Monday on a resolution expressing opposition to Bush's plan to send 21,500 more U.S. troops to Iraq. McConnell said all Republicans will vote against starting debate unless Democrats consent to consider other measures.

``We insist on a process that allows several different approaches on our side to this issue,'' McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, told reporters in Washington. ``We have a lot to say about the process by which the matter is debated.''

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Democrats have united behind a resolution by Republican John Warner expressing opposition to Bush's strategy while stating that funds for troops already deployed will not be cut.
(snip/...)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a5ZVCHQiVGhk&refer=home



Senator McConnell

[C_U_L8R]

1. Let them vote against it

then make them vote against it again

over and over ...let the whole world know where they stand.
These republics know the public is not in their favor
and there is not a single politician who doesn't know
how to read polls. Call em on their bluff.. the republics will cave.

[Warren Stupidity]

11. yeah but we won't do that.

We've already compromised on the minimum wage bill, the stupid non-binding resolution has been watered down to near meaninglessness, and we will cave on this crap as well. The senate leadership is demonstrating once again that they have no spine.

This is all bullshit anyhow. End the war. Cut the funding. Save the cheerleader. Save the world. Congress has one power over the executive that it can wield without any constraint: vote against the funding bill. Veto proof. Filibuster proof. Just do it.

Hip hip hooray! A non binding near meaningless resolution of modest disapproval! Wow that took some courage.

[halobeam]

2. Why would they do that? Is it that they prefer to debate Iran?

Or is that too late to?:sarcasm:

Idiots.

[MGKrebs]

3. Blocking debate on a NONBINDING resolution.

It may be nonbinding in a legal sense, but it clearly has some power nonetheless.

[murielm99]

4. Let them stall.

Let them filibuster. Let them whine.

If the corporate media won't report on what they are doing, we will get the word out. We will pressure the media to report it, and send word out over the Internet.

Remember that old expression, "The whole world is watching."

Let everyone see them for who they are.

[ima_sinnic]

5. sheesh--all of this and it's just a stupid symbolic gesture

gee, don't stick your neck out or anything, don't risk having to take a stand on anything or dare to oppose the little chickenshit a-hole dumb@$$ who's got you pissing yourselves with fear. what a bunch of moronic LOSERS.

[darkstar7646]

6. Impeachment and War Crimes Trials are the only debate...

This is not solvable in the American system as it normally operates.

Someone has to get the ball rolling vis-a-vis impeachment. There can be no real debate otherwise.

[gratuitous]

7. You'd like to be heard, Mr. McConnell?

Well, win a majority of the seats in the Senate, and you can be heard all you want. Oh, that's right; you just had about 20 years in the driver's seat, and now you're not getting the time of day from the Majority Leader?

Reaping what you sow is a real bitch, ain't it? Sit down, shut up, and let the grown-ups run things, Mitch. You had your turn and fucked up royally.

[DemKR]

8. Give it a fair uppadown vote!!!

Whatever happened to that? Seems like every resolution coming through the Senate in the past month has been filibustered until the Republicans got what they wanted.

[C_U_L8R]

9. Yeah... up or down vote !!!

gawd i hate that meme.. but it sure is fun to shove it back down their nasty gullets

[ninkasi]

10. Why is it

that the majority of rightwingers don't have lips? Look at the photo on the left. Calling Swamp Rat, Swampy, come in, please. Is this one a reptile, too?