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Had I been Harry Reid, would have given them 4 options.
1. "Talking filibusters - with 41 Senators being present to vote against cloture at all times."
2. "Since you whined so much 8-10 years ago that GWB's nominees weren't getting an "up-or-down" vote, you get your wish - ALL Presidential nominees get an "up-or-down" vote - no filibusters allowed."
3. (The "NFL" Rule.) "You get 2 filibusters during each calendar month, on anything you want. That means you have 48 of them in this term of Congress. Choose wisely."
And if you don't like any of the above, then
4. The "Nuclear Option." "No more filibusters. I'm sick and tired of fooling around with you jerks."
I believe the deal to not really change the filibuster rules was made when Vice President Biden and Senator McConnell were making the Fiscal Cliff Deal. Filibuster reform was one of the concessions the Obama administration will not talk about just like the tax breaks for NASCAR and other corporations. Senator Reid is being forced to take the blame.
DIANHOW WROTE: "Reid CAVED to McConnell Dems won the election.. or did we ? Why is Mcconnell still calling the shots ? Politics sucks but its only game in town SO we must ALL push them to do whats right Speak out now and often www.congress.org www.whitehouse.gov Give em Hell "
Simply excellent advice! THANK YOU DIANHOW! I just thought it deserved repeating!
There! I just sent off a letter to the President and all my representatives. Your turn~Tag! Your It!
DAVID ABBOT WROTE: "You should show a little more respect for Harry Reed. I mean, he's got no spine, no balls, no guts, and no hutzpah, and yet there he is, day after day, somehow working his tail off while accomplishing virtually nothing. Not many people could do that. "
Dave, you left out no vision, no passion, no conviction, no charisma, no pursuation, no determination, and no self respect. Aside from that we all must give him credit for dressing himself in the morning and shaving himself without cutting his own throat. (Unless, that's the next mistake that's on his agenda. I wouldn't be surprised.) After all, he so very consistent at screwing up everything he attempts.
His unique ability to eat without a "gut" and walk upright without a "spine" also amazes me. Thanks for pointing that out. I guess he's not the complete loser I thought he was after all.
You are so right about his ability to accomplish "virtually nothing" on a daily basis. In that respect perhaps we should bestow upon him the title of "The Most Least Accomplished Senate Majority Leader of ALL TIME!!" We the People should have a Certificate of Accomplishment drawn up to that affect, have it framed, and sent to his office. I'm sure he would treasure it and display it proudly. He also has no shame!
Harry Reid is not only a weak and spineless "leader." He's stupid. He gave away his most important -- his ONLY -- tool. If he had passed filibuster reform, the Republicans would have had to negotiate (read: give ground) ON EVERY SINGLE BILL!!! Every day, Harry Reid would have had a new, powerful point of leverage to use against anyone who challenged him. EVERY SINGLE DAY, the Republicans would have had to "play nice" out of fear of what he would do. Today he's weak and powerless, and they will treat him that way. For a couple weeks, he had power and it went completely to his head. They begged and pleaded, promising that this time it would be different. Now the game's over. His power is over. His term as majority leader is over. And he accomplished nothing. Hope he's not expecting gratitude from people who stood outside in harsh weather trying to get people registered to vote.
Most people know right from wrong, but what do you do when laws are passed makng right wrong and wrong right?
Jussmartenuf ~ I love that post, It cracked me up. Short, to the point, well said and absolutely true. Best of all I learned a new word -- Harry "Milquetoast" Reid. Kinda catchy don't you think? I could fill in that blank myself with a plethora of other words, but that one fits him perfectly. What a disappointment?!? If I had received Harry Reid as a Christmas present I would demand the receipt from whoever gave him to me so I could take him back and get a refund. That one trick Pony caves in faster than a stick of butter in a microwave.
With all due respect, Harry "Milquetoast" Reid should surrender his seat to Bernie Sanders. The sooner the better! In addition, he should resign from the Senate and seek work that better suits his character--something like a substitute teacher for special ed students!
Unless he grows a spine quickly, he's ensured that history will remember him as the most ineffective wuss that ever walked the halls of Congress!
nr16020 WROTE: "They are not all losers. Senator Bernie Sanders is not. Also, one of the few great ones, Congressman Dennis Kucinich WAS "tossed out" and he (and we) DEFINITELY doesn't deserve that."
You are right! I stand corrected. Pardon my rage and blind emotional output. Thanks for the flash of reason!
OLD BLUE WROTE: "Any ideas on how to talk congress into passing a constitutional amendment reversing Citizens United when most of them are on the same payroll as John Roberts?"
Yes Old Blue I do have an idea. We The People have to join together and exercise our power to amend the constitution our self. First we have to find a legal way to make that happen. Participating in the "Move To Amend" group that Thom also endorses is a great start.
Here is the link to their site: https://movetoamend.org/
I see no other way. However, I firmly believe that it can and will be done!
The most popular Conservative word is :NO!".
You are absolutely right BobCox! It's their basic philosophy of life that they learned from Nancy, "Just say NO!"
Harry Reid can be such a milquetoast of a disappointment. It is little wonder he could barely get past the flat earther Sharon Angle in the last election.
Come on Harry, you were supposed to stop the minority rule of the senate. You should give up your position to someone with the proper character to do it, someone like Bernie Sanders.
The most popular Conservative word is :NO!".
Congress proves once again how useless they are at real reform.
Obviously they are not going to back themselves into a corner unless the general public gets loud enough.
I dont see people in the U.S. taking time to protest outside buildings or slowing tracking(like the U.K. protest and gets reform!) anytime soon.
Reform will not happen until people get mad enough to protest in large numbers,sorry.
Well I guess it's a moot point by now, thanks to Harry-the-wimp Reid. This is only the latest example of why I'm so fed-up with the Democratic Party. They drop the ball, time & again... Consequently we're still stuck with Baby Bush's tax cuts for wealthy welfare queens, and filibuster obstructionism remains fully intact. Swell. Our democracy is dying, one paper cut at a time...
I think maybe it's time for us to learn Spanish, and immigrate to Puerto Rico. - Aliceinwonderland
DAnneMarc,
My opinion: every physical process has an emotional corollary; the emotional corollary of a woman having periods is that if she has unfinished emotional business, it often tends to outpicture at that time. A distinct advantage, from my viewpoint, because it is an unmistakable reminder that can be used to wonderful advantage.
Of the 20,000 women I have been with... Oh geez, there I go again, mistaking myself for Wilt Chamberlain. Let me start over: of the few women I have been with, I have noticed that if I treat her with love or at least with respect during the month and make a clear and consistent effort to talk about and resolve any emotional imbalances between us- including any necessary apologies (usually I have at least a few of those to make!), her period would come and go just fine. The exceptional conflagrations that have occurred in spite of my best efforts (when I have applied my best effort...) have been in my opinion still the result of unfinished emotional business, but not unfinished business with me; rather it was typically stuff about her relationships with her parents. The conflagratious blowups can typically be predicted astrologically by looking at progressions and transits to the natal chart, which is advantageous because then both parties can prepare, and you know what the boy scouts say: dig a trench around your tent, and then when it rains most of the water goes around your tent.
So basically what I'm saying is that when she blows up at me, I try to look at my behavior during the preceding month, and usually the connection is pretty clear.
It makes the Democrats look weak and underscores beliefs that they are not much better than Republicans. It's hard to back a party that does not back the president and the people's mandate. A strong liberal 3rd party could start making real in-roads right now, if there was one. Or a major move to put up real progressives and throw all the bums out, democrats and republicans who have forgotten why they are elected. At the very least Nevada needs to find a strong progressive candidate for senate, because Harry Reid may end up losing his seat after making so much noise about reforming the rules and wimping out.
Actually, LSD, Psilocybin and other psychedelics have been shown to be very effective in psychotherapy. The research conducted before research on psychedelics was banned in 1967 brought great results in psychedelic psychotherapy. Criminals reformed, alcoholics abstained and people with great ranges of personal problems found great improvement. The subjects attributed their melioration to "cosmic religious experience, increased self confidence, increased self awareness and a reorientation of values".
You should show a little more respect for Harry Reed. I mean, he's got no spine, no balls, no guts, and no hutzpah, and yet there he is, day after day, somehow working his tail off while accomplishing virtually nothing. Not many people could do that.
A four year vacation for Obama? Why, then he would have racked up almost as much vacation time as Bush did.
So, ronsonntag, how do you propose fixing this mess? Given your grave indictment of two of the three branches of government, it seems to me we're up the creek already. Any ideas on how to talk congress into passing a constitutional amendment reversing Citizens United when most of them are on the same payroll as John Roberts?
41 votes control the Senate. This is not Democracy!
They are not all losers. Senator Bernie Sanders is not. Also, one of the few great ones, Congressman Dennis Kucinich WAS "tossed out" and he (and we) DEFINITELY doesn't deserve that.
ronsonntag~I concur!
Do you really believe that Harry Reid did not run this filibuster agreement with Mitch McConnell by the White House for their approval? Have you heard any comments trashing Reid from the White House for caving on filibuster reform? Why do you think that the Obama administration appointed big conservative corporate lawyers Lanny Breuer and Eric Holder to (not) prosecute Wall Street crimes and conservative economists Geitner and Sumners to fix our economy?
Something really, really, really is wrong here. I have been a big defender of this President and willing to look the other way and accept the excuses for anti-progressive, liberal policies because of the obstruction of the Republicans. But, I've reached my limit.
WTF did Harry do to help advance anything which would assist our country and its citizens? Absolutely nothing. Thanks, Harry, for nothing!