So Harry Reid rejects the Republican compromises in the jobs bill, pares it down to just the essentials which are very popular, doesn't rely on vote counting for once and puts the bill up for cloture and magically the Democrats overcome a filibuster gaining 5 Republican votes giving the bill an up or down vote.
Mind you ConservaDem extraordinaire, and a real asshole IMHO on a personal level, Ben Nelson voted against it, AND Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg was out with illness.
Almost makes you think that maybe Harry Reid should put Republicans on the spot more often....
Showing posts with label cloture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cloture. Show all posts
Monday, February 22, 2010
Saturday, November 21, 2009
A Lesson Not Learned
There was a remarkable political lesson last year that wasn't really learned because of subsequent events. However someone should point this lesson out to Harry Reid as we head into a cloture vote tonight just to start debate on health care reform, and then head into a final cloture vote later.
Last year with the financial markets on the edge of collapse the House held a vote for TARP. At the time the people of this country were made aware of how dire of a circumstance we were in and how easily we could have slipped into a depression. A couple of big name financial firms had already essential been vaporized and more were right over the horizon.
In the midst of this some of the Republicans in the House decided to vote against TARP. At the time I don't know if their leadership had miscounted or were stabbed in the back by some of their caucus but the result was the bill came up short of the votes needed to pass and chaos on the floor of the House ensued. What happened next was utterly predictable.
The markets fell sharply and GOP members of the House were raked over the coals for being insufficiently serious about the problem our nation was facing. In the end this episode probably as much as anything else helped to sweep Democrats into both halls of Congress in major majorities last year. When push came to shove it appeared to most anyone that these Republicans were more interested in playing politics than fixing a problem, and they paid for it.
Now the problem of course is that TARP has been such a PR disaster on a lot of fronts and Democrats have been so fucking inept at defending it even at all that nobody really wants to look back at the days that led up to its actual passage. If they did then they would remember that Republicans were so surprised but the country's reaction to their fuckery on the first vote that they panicked. All of a sudden McCain was suspending his campaign and on the second vote some off those Republicans who just couldn't find their way to voting for it the first time got on board to take the heat off. What that means is that when there is a crisis in this country and people play games like not voting to at least attempt to fix the problem, the American people are not going to be happy. The important thing is that in the end the fix actualy works and can be sold on an ongoing basis.
Which brings us to health care reform and a few corporatist Democratic Senators who are holding out for sweeteners.
Here is what Harry Reid should say to each and every one of them: "Fuck you, pay me!"
What I mean is he should literally tell them to step the fuck off and bring the bill up for a cloture vote tonight and dare them to vote against cloture. Dare them to put their careers in the Senate on the line by refusing to even allow the Senate to debate health care reform, a reform that an overwhelming majority of Americans agree we need even if they don't agree what it should entail. Dare the sorry muthafuckas to totally abandon the base of their party and join with the Republicans.
Matter of fact, double dare them.
See the thing of it is, this can be what they like to call these days a "teachable moment". There is no rule that says Harry Reid can't bring the bill back again in the next few days and put it up for debate again. Basically the bill has to truly be defeated for that to happen and he still has to the power to keep bringing it back. But what some of these assholes need to see is what will happen to their poll numbers if they should happen to vote against cloture.
I am thinking specifically of Blanche Lincoln who is fighting to get reelected next year, but her poll numbers would also be an example to her corporatist bretheren like Mary Landrieu and Ben Nelson. Its about time we stopped caving these assholes and instead putting their ass on the spot and making THEM cave. Fuck it, if they have the balls to say no when the bill is up for cloture then so be it, let them live with the consequences for a few days.
But my money is on them folding like a bad hand and from that point on they will be dealing fom a point of weakness.
If Harry Reid never stands up to them you can expect that every single item on the Democratic agenda will go through the same bunch of bullshit. And we already have seen what the result is when that happens, just take a look at the stimulus bill. Had we punched their asses in the throat earlier this year and rammed through a better bill then its highly likely that all the economic numbers, including unemployment, would look substantially better. Instead we gave them practically everything they wanted, fucked up the bill, and now the Democratic brand is damaged because of it.
So Harry Reid just go back and google the headlines after that House vote last year. The get on the floor tonight with confidence and put the bright lights on the ConservaDems and make them follow through on their hollow threats while the world is watching.
Trust me on this, they wont be able to take the heat.
Last year with the financial markets on the edge of collapse the House held a vote for TARP. At the time the people of this country were made aware of how dire of a circumstance we were in and how easily we could have slipped into a depression. A couple of big name financial firms had already essential been vaporized and more were right over the horizon.
In the midst of this some of the Republicans in the House decided to vote against TARP. At the time I don't know if their leadership had miscounted or were stabbed in the back by some of their caucus but the result was the bill came up short of the votes needed to pass and chaos on the floor of the House ensued. What happened next was utterly predictable.
The markets fell sharply and GOP members of the House were raked over the coals for being insufficiently serious about the problem our nation was facing. In the end this episode probably as much as anything else helped to sweep Democrats into both halls of Congress in major majorities last year. When push came to shove it appeared to most anyone that these Republicans were more interested in playing politics than fixing a problem, and they paid for it.
Now the problem of course is that TARP has been such a PR disaster on a lot of fronts and Democrats have been so fucking inept at defending it even at all that nobody really wants to look back at the days that led up to its actual passage. If they did then they would remember that Republicans were so surprised but the country's reaction to their fuckery on the first vote that they panicked. All of a sudden McCain was suspending his campaign and on the second vote some off those Republicans who just couldn't find their way to voting for it the first time got on board to take the heat off. What that means is that when there is a crisis in this country and people play games like not voting to at least attempt to fix the problem, the American people are not going to be happy. The important thing is that in the end the fix actualy works and can be sold on an ongoing basis.
Which brings us to health care reform and a few corporatist Democratic Senators who are holding out for sweeteners.
Here is what Harry Reid should say to each and every one of them: "Fuck you, pay me!"
What I mean is he should literally tell them to step the fuck off and bring the bill up for a cloture vote tonight and dare them to vote against cloture. Dare them to put their careers in the Senate on the line by refusing to even allow the Senate to debate health care reform, a reform that an overwhelming majority of Americans agree we need even if they don't agree what it should entail. Dare the sorry muthafuckas to totally abandon the base of their party and join with the Republicans.
Matter of fact, double dare them.
See the thing of it is, this can be what they like to call these days a "teachable moment". There is no rule that says Harry Reid can't bring the bill back again in the next few days and put it up for debate again. Basically the bill has to truly be defeated for that to happen and he still has to the power to keep bringing it back. But what some of these assholes need to see is what will happen to their poll numbers if they should happen to vote against cloture.
I am thinking specifically of Blanche Lincoln who is fighting to get reelected next year, but her poll numbers would also be an example to her corporatist bretheren like Mary Landrieu and Ben Nelson. Its about time we stopped caving these assholes and instead putting their ass on the spot and making THEM cave. Fuck it, if they have the balls to say no when the bill is up for cloture then so be it, let them live with the consequences for a few days.
But my money is on them folding like a bad hand and from that point on they will be dealing fom a point of weakness.
If Harry Reid never stands up to them you can expect that every single item on the Democratic agenda will go through the same bunch of bullshit. And we already have seen what the result is when that happens, just take a look at the stimulus bill. Had we punched their asses in the throat earlier this year and rammed through a better bill then its highly likely that all the economic numbers, including unemployment, would look substantially better. Instead we gave them practically everything they wanted, fucked up the bill, and now the Democratic brand is damaged because of it.
So Harry Reid just go back and google the headlines after that House vote last year. The get on the floor tonight with confidence and put the bright lights on the ConservaDems and make them follow through on their hollow threats while the world is watching.
Trust me on this, they wont be able to take the heat.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
If We Can't Shame Them, Shun Them!
If every state Democratic Party decided to shun any Democrat in Congress who is trying to hold up health care reform, I wonder what kind of response we could get....
Well we have our first test case, corporatist Dem Mary Landrieu:
Good on Palm Beach for making a stand. Hell we won't demand that Landrieu vote for the health care reform bill, but she should for DAMN SURE be willing to commit to voting for cloture. That is the least she could do. And until she and the rest of her corporatist Dem partners commit to that then they should be treated like red headed step children.
Well we have our first test case, corporatist Dem Mary Landrieu:
Democratic Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu is out as keynote speaker for the Palm Beach County Democratic Party’s annual fund-raising dinner next week because party leaders dislike her stance on health care reform, county Democratic Chairman Mark Alan Siegel said today.
Landrieu, a moderate who recently described herself as “extremely concerned about a government-run, taxpayer-funded, national public plan,” has not committed to voting to cut off a likely Republican filibuster and forcing a vote on the legislation.
Democrats need 60 votes to invoke “cloture” and force a vote.
“We just didn’t want to have a keynote speaker who’s not committed to cloture. It would have just been wrong,” said Siegel, who said party higher-ups and rank-and-file members had voiced displeasure with the choice of Landrieu as a keynoter.
Good on Palm Beach for making a stand. Hell we won't demand that Landrieu vote for the health care reform bill, but she should for DAMN SURE be willing to commit to voting for cloture. That is the least she could do. And until she and the rest of her corporatist Dem partners commit to that then they should be treated like red headed step children.
Monday, November 2, 2009
An Unlikely Hero
I haven't had a lot of good to say about Roland Burris since he accepted his Senate seat from the tainted Rod Blagojevich, but I always give credit where credit is due. And as far as I can tell out of all of the 60 Senators that caucus with the Democrats, Roland Burris is the ONLY one who has come out and said unequivically that he will not vote for a health care reform bill that does not include a public option. Now to be sure he hasn't gone as far as his ideological opposite in Joe LIEberman in saying he would filibuster the bill if it doesn't include a public option. But the truth is if there were 9 other actual Democrats who claim they are for a public option would come out and say the same thing that Burris has said then any talk of trying to get cloture would be moot. Instead of trying to pandering to the LIEberman party of one, Harry Reid would HAVE to find a way to pass the bill without taking out the public option. I don't give a damn what Burris has done up to this point, on this issue he is doing the right thing.
If only we could get a few more "reputable" Democrats who are for health care reform to do the same damn thing...
If only we could get a few more "reputable" Democrats who are for health care reform to do the same damn thing...
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The REAL Question We Should Be Asking
I know that since Joe LIEberman pissed in the punch yesterday many of us on the left have been apoplectic over it. By in large the questions have been asked over and over again to the effect of "What will they do about Joe LIEberman?". Meaning what will Harry Reid do? Will he threaten LIEberman with his seniority and committee chairmanships? What will President Obama do? Threaten to campaign against him and run him out of the party and politics? Cut off all of his earmarks?
That is all find and good, and if you have read this blog for any period of time you know that I have no problem and in fact encourage Democratic leadership to cut LIEberman off at the knees. And that was before he was threatening a filibuster. But here is the thing, there is another way of looking at this.
It is time to ask what are our progressive leaders in the Senate willing to do to counter LIEberman? He has pledged to join a filibuster if there is a public option in the bill. Is there a Democrat in the Senate who has the courage to now come out and say that THEY will filibuster any bill that does not have one?
This is a very important question and it goes to the heart of whether Joe LIEberman will be allowed to ruin this health care reform bill. You see if our side is not willing to show that we will be just as strong in our advocacy for the public option as he will be in his opposition to the public option just who do you think President Obama and Harry Reid are going to defer to? They will defer to the person or persons that they feel most threaten the passage of the bill. And until we are sitting on that equal platform we will not be taken seriously.
So if you are worried about Joe LIEberman and his opposition to the public option our path should be clear. We need to pressure all of the proponents of a public option in the Senate to come out with their own statements about cloture. Its really that simple. It is time to meet fire with fire and prove that progressives in the Senate are not just all talk. Getting Harry Reid to put a public option in the bill was basically just the first step. Now we have to put pressure on people like Chuck Schumer and Jay Rockerfeller to draw a line in the sand to show that we won't allow it to be removed.
It is what it is.
That is all find and good, and if you have read this blog for any period of time you know that I have no problem and in fact encourage Democratic leadership to cut LIEberman off at the knees. And that was before he was threatening a filibuster. But here is the thing, there is another way of looking at this.
It is time to ask what are our progressive leaders in the Senate willing to do to counter LIEberman? He has pledged to join a filibuster if there is a public option in the bill. Is there a Democrat in the Senate who has the courage to now come out and say that THEY will filibuster any bill that does not have one?
This is a very important question and it goes to the heart of whether Joe LIEberman will be allowed to ruin this health care reform bill. You see if our side is not willing to show that we will be just as strong in our advocacy for the public option as he will be in his opposition to the public option just who do you think President Obama and Harry Reid are going to defer to? They will defer to the person or persons that they feel most threaten the passage of the bill. And until we are sitting on that equal platform we will not be taken seriously.
So if you are worried about Joe LIEberman and his opposition to the public option our path should be clear. We need to pressure all of the proponents of a public option in the Senate to come out with their own statements about cloture. Its really that simple. It is time to meet fire with fire and prove that progressives in the Senate are not just all talk. Getting Harry Reid to put a public option in the bill was basically just the first step. Now we have to put pressure on people like Chuck Schumer and Jay Rockerfeller to draw a line in the sand to show that we won't allow it to be removed.
It is what it is.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Breaking: Ladies And Gentlemen WE HAVE A PUBLIC OPTION!!!!!!!
Majority Leader Harry Reid just confirmed that we WILL have a public option with an opt out provision in the health care reform bill that gets voted on in the Senate. A lot of hard work, phone calls and emails have been heard. Remember, this is still not the end game. We still have to make sure all 60 Democrats vote for cloture and the bills in the House and Senate still have to be merged. But this is, to say the least, GREAT news for advocates of health care reform.
As much as I have called him out in the past in this case Leader Reid got it right.
As much as I have called him out in the past in this case Leader Reid got it right.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Its About Damn Time
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, consider your ass put on notice!
I FULLY endorse this move by Liberal and Progressive organizations. If we can't get Democratic legislation through with a super majority then its obvious that we can do just as well with 51 votes as we can with 60. It is time Reid was told what the consequences are for being a milque toast and selling out the base. If he wasn't up for the job he never should have taken it.
"If Harry Reid does not have the leadership skills to get 60 votes for cloture and give a Democratic president an up-or-down vote on health care, progressives will help defeat him in 2010, even if that means Republicans take that seat," said the head of one progressive organization, who's still working out the detail of the campaign. "There is no use for Reid's vote if 60 Democratic votes means nothing on cloture, and no use for Reid's leadership if his leadership is so blatantly ineffective."
That might not be such a troubling threat if Reid, who's up for re-election in 2010, wasn't suffering at the polls.
I FULLY endorse this move by Liberal and Progressive organizations. If we can't get Democratic legislation through with a super majority then its obvious that we can do just as well with 51 votes as we can with 60. It is time Reid was told what the consequences are for being a milque toast and selling out the base. If he wasn't up for the job he never should have taken it.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Senator Harkin Says We Have The Votes
John Amato over at Crooks and Liars has a really good post about Senator Harken's assertion to The Hill that he has 60 votes for the public option. Instead of trying to cut and paste judiciously I highly recommend you just go over there and prepare to get reinvigorated about the fight for a public option in health care reform!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Someone Got Their Balls Back
Its about damn time Mr Majority Leader!
A spokesman for Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) tells me that the senator is filing cloture on Harold Koh, the president’s nominee for State Department Legal Adviser, “right now.”
Credit Dave Weigel for breaking the story but honestly why in the hell did it take this long? It is ridiculous that any and everything the Democrats want to do is predicated on whether or not we can file cloture. That has never happened in the history of the Congress and as far as I am concerned one person is responsible, Harry Reid. Its great he finally found his gonads this time but when in the hell will Dawn Johnsen get her day?!
A spokesman for Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) tells me that the senator is filing cloture on Harold Koh, the president’s nominee for State Department Legal Adviser, “right now.”
Credit Dave Weigel for breaking the story but honestly why in the hell did it take this long? It is ridiculous that any and everything the Democrats want to do is predicated on whether or not we can file cloture. That has never happened in the history of the Congress and as far as I am concerned one person is responsible, Harry Reid. Its great he finally found his gonads this time but when in the hell will Dawn Johnsen get her day?!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Cloture
Every since Arlen Specter crossed the aisle last week I have been trying to point out the advantages of the move for Democrats. The biggest plus as I saw it was that Specter would become a reliable vote to invoke cloture and overcome filibuster attempts by the GOP. I know that a lot of people on the left are pissed off by the things he have said since then but I steadily maintain that if Specter votes for cloture on big issues then him switching sides will be well worth it. Now I have also pointed out that Democrats in the Senate really didn't give up anything to have Specter cross the aisle and that if he doesn't get with the program he will probably get the brakes beat off him in a Democratic primary. But I digress.
The reason why I bring this up yet again is because of something Harry Reid said today on MSNBC. Check out the video.
Did you catch it? If not go back to about the 1:20 mark.
When speaking on Arlen Specter, Harry Reid made this statement.
Do you know what "procedural vote" means? Cloture, thats what. Now considering the amount of weaksauce Harry Reid exhibits on a regular basis you of course have to take this with a grain of salt. Still Reid made the statement with a confidence that seems to belie a deal having been made. Arlen Specter is no doubt a weasel and he has taken saying one thing and doing another to an artform. Still I don't care if he votes against certain measures as long as he votes for cloture and then as long as they get passed with a simple majority. This shouldn't make people jump up and shout but it should temper at least some of the dissappointment expressed thus far by the lefty blogosphere.
The reason why I bring this up yet again is because of something Harry Reid said today on MSNBC. Check out the video.
Did you catch it? If not go back to about the 1:20 mark.
When speaking on Arlen Specter, Harry Reid made this statement.
“On procedural votes he will be with us all the time”
Do you know what "procedural vote" means? Cloture, thats what. Now considering the amount of weaksauce Harry Reid exhibits on a regular basis you of course have to take this with a grain of salt. Still Reid made the statement with a confidence that seems to belie a deal having been made. Arlen Specter is no doubt a weasel and he has taken saying one thing and doing another to an artform. Still I don't care if he votes against certain measures as long as he votes for cloture and then as long as they get passed with a simple majority. This shouldn't make people jump up and shout but it should temper at least some of the dissappointment expressed thus far by the lefty blogosphere.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Nate Silver Slays Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid By The Numbers!
I can SAY Senator Reid is a bad majority leader all I want to but it will still come across as my opinion. Nate Silver on the other hand today has presented unambiguous statistical PROOF that Harry Reid has been an EPIC FAIL in leading the Democratic Congress for the last two years. I encourage you to go to his site and check out the utter PWNAGE but I will give you just a little appetizer before you go.
and Silver ends with
Hate to say I told ya so....
B.R. raises several interesting points, but they ultimately point back to one thing: Harry Reid has been exceptionally ineffective as the Democrats' majority leader.
The number of cloture votes skyrocketed in the 110th Congress following the Democratic takeover of the Senate and Reid's assumption of the majority leader position. The Senate voted on 112 cloture motions in the 110th, exactly double the number (56) of cloture votes in the 109th Congress, and two-and-a-half times as many as the average number of cloture votes (44) over the previous nine Congresses. Of these cloture motions, 51 were rejected (meaning that opponents of a bill succeeded in blocking an up-or-down vote) and 61 were passed.
and Silver ends with
The bottom line, however, is that the Republicans are filibustering more and more often because they can get away with it. If Reid can't get them to pay a greater public price, then the Democrats ought to find somebody else who can.
Hate to say I told ya so....
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