Could Dems Learn A Thing Or Two From Republicons When It Comes to Stopping Bills?

[Me.]

Time after time bills the GOP don’t want are blocked, stopped, kicked to the curb, yet the Dems can’t seem to get the hang of how to make the Senate rules work for them. Or is it that they don’t want to?


GOP Blocks Senate Interrogation Bill

“WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans blocked a bill Friday that would restrict the interrogation methods the CIA can use against terrorism suspects.

The legislation, part of a measure authorizing the government's intelligence activities for 2008, had been approved a day earlier by the House and sent to the Senate for what was supposed to be final action. The bill would require the CIA to adhere to the Army's field manual on interrogation, which bans waterboarding, mock executions and other harsh interrogation methods.

Senate opponents of that provision, however, discovered a potentially fatal parliamentary flaw: The ban on harsh questioning tactics had not been in the original versions of the intelligence bill passed by the House and Senate. Instead, it was a last-minute addition during negotiations between the two sides to write a compromise bill, a move that could violate Senate rules. The rule is intended to protect legislation from last-minute amendments that neither house of Congress has had time to fully consider.

Although it's not unheard of for new language to be added in House-Senate negotiations, the rules allow such a move to be challenged and the language stripped from the bill.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20071214/intelligence-bill/

[Kutjara]

1. The Congressional Dems have learned everything they need to know.

How to take orders, how to say "three bags full," how to bend over backwards.

Nope, they look pretty well trained to me.

[jpgray]

2. Can Democrats magically turn into a unified, disciplined caucus?

My guess is "not quickly."

[Me.]

3. They Don't Have To Be Unified

To use parliamentary procedures, one or a few can be effective with secret holds,filibuster or whatever else is in the senate bag of tricks. As to whether or not they be unified, that question is up in the air. However, weak leadership makes that point moot.

[Rageneau]

4. How the hell did the Pukes pass all that bad legislation over the last 15 years?

Tax breaks for the wealthy and for oil companies...bankruptcy bill...Patriot Act... etc, etc.,

How did the Republicans get all this crappy legislation through, if all the Dems had to do to stop them is what the Pukes are doing today?

I really, really feel as if the Democratic Party leadership has sold me out.

[Me.]

5. Good Questions

And much to my point. You'd almost think there was 2 sets of rules. Well there may be now that I think on it, one for us (the country) and one for them.

As to the betrayal part, yes that feeling seeps in, creepy crawly like. It's unavoidable given the past year. We thought they'd stand by us. What I'm now wondering is how long before the joke is on them, all of the so called power elite. And I firmly believe it will be. There is a sense of frustration growing in the country that they seem impervious to. I'm waiting for the crescendo.

[PsN2Wind]

6. There are obviously two sets of rules

Remember the rePubs threatening the "nuclear option" that would change Senate Rules if they didn't get their way.

[Me.]

7. I Do

And wonder where our nuclear options are. We got them in and we still don't get anything. Well Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Fool me once , shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

[Robbien]

8. Remember. The Blue Dogs made a deal that Dems would not filibuster

When Dems were in the minority, Dems were filibustering. Then along comes the NewDems/BlueDogs who joined with GOPers and made the gang of 14 whose sole purpose was to get Dems not to interfere with GOPer bills. Dems agreed and GOPers got the Supremes it wanted, all the judges it wanted and all the laws it wanted. Dems got squat.

Whatever the Dems want to do, NewDems/BlueDogs will work with GOPers to make sure it is undermined.

[Me.]

11. Then It Seems The Term New Dem

is an oxymoron

[autorank]

9. The Republicans block them theyr way, the Dems block them in their own style.

That is to say, it appears that the Democrats at the higher levels just let this stuff go and won't fight. This president is limping out of office. Largely denied and disliked, he's having trouble getting anywhere. So we lay back and get nothing, don't even make a gesture.

Where's the value added in that?

:hi: K*R :evinlrin:= "Sign of the Huck"

[mmonk]

10. Nah. They can stop progressive legislation.

They also play vote substitution and strategy to try and fool people as good as their republican counterparts.

[laylah]

12. I doubt it...

they have learned the "Bend over, we'll drive" lesson quite well.

[spanone]

13. of course, you are assuming they Want to stop bills...i'm not so sure