Reid Has Taken The First Shot

[Annie]

I get a feeling this is going to get ugly. I hope Frist can make it clear that the GOP didn't start the nuclear option. There is going to be a huge backlash to this:

http://frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?F...Detail&PressRelease_id=1942&Month=5&Year=2005

DEMOCRATS SHUT DOWN SENATE COMMITTEES


Senator Bill Frist, M.D.
May 18th, 2005 - WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s Communication Director Bob Stevenson today made the following statement in response to the Senate Democrats’ refusal to grant consent, effectively shutting down the Senate’s committees and preventing them from meeting after 11:30 a.m..


“What a difference a day makes. Less than 24 hours after he complained the Senate is ignoring issues important to Americans, Democrat Leader Harry Reid today threatened progress on an energy bill, a jobs bill, disaster relief, and a closed intelligence meeting.


“To close down the committees over the judges issue is not only counterproductive, it could hurt Americans looking for work or suffering at the gas pumps.


“Despite any differences over the judges, the American people want their government to continue working on issues important to them. They want the Senate to do its job.


“Despite his suggestions to the contrary, Senator Reid’s actions speak volumes. It would appear the Democrats’ threat to shut down the Senate has already begun.”

 

[Adam's Apple]

I hope you're right, Kathianne. The people should get up in arms over these shenanigans, but will they? If as many people wrote their reps in Washington as watch "American Idol" in a single week, I'll bet we would see major changes in the way elected people in Washington behave.

 

[Annie]

I hope you're right, Kathianne. The people should get up in arms over these shenanigans, but will they? If as many people wrote their reps in Washington as watch "American Idol" in a single week, I'll bet we would see major changes in the way elected people in Washington behave.

The shutting down of the government is serious. How much so? Ask Newt Gingrich, who overplayed his hand back when.

The dems threaten to do that.
The GOP threatens to kill filibusters.

The GOP has to make it clear they didn't take the first shot.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

how is it that frist didn't fire the first shot?

 

[Annie]

Frist has not called for a vote to change the rules. Reid IS shutting down committees, stopping business from being done. Threat is NOT action.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

seeing how this is information pulled off of frists website itself, I'll just chalk it up to more rhetoric and spin. thanks though.

 

[Annie]

seeing how this is information pulled off of frists website itself, I'll just chalk it up to more rhetoric and spin. thanks though.

I figured what the heck, the LA Times should be liberal enough for ya:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationw...19may19,0,662640.story?coll=la-home-headlines

In the session's opening minutes, Reid declined to agree to the usual courtesy of waiving a Senate rule requiring committees to limit meetings to two hours while the chamber is in session.

As a result, several panels had to adjourn hearings after two hours. The Banking Committee was forced to postpone the confirmation hearing of Ben S. Bernanke as a member of the president's Council of Economic Advisors, and the Homeland Security Committee had to postpone a confirmation hearing for Linda M. Springer as director of the Office of Personnel Management.

 

[Adam's Apple]

Yes, shutting down the government is serious business, and there should be a big backlash from the public, as you indicated, Kathianne, but will there be? Or will people just accept it as business as usual? This tug of war between the Democrats and Republicans will continue until the people make it CRYSTAL CLEAR that they want it stopped. It remains to be seen if the voters are interested enough to do that.

 

[Annie]

Yes, shutting down the government is serious business, and there should be a big backlash from the public, as you indicated, Kathianne, but will there be? Or will people just accept it as business as usual? This tug of war between the Democrats and Republicans will continue until the people make it CRYSTAL CLEAR that they want it stopped. It remains to be seen if the voters are interested enough to do that.

If it causes them to notice, yes. Again, remember when the Republicans did it.

 

[no1tovote4]

My wife expressed her opinion on this matter. She believes it is two groups of children throwing the "not-me!" option around after one side takes their ball and goes home. And one side is standing there with only a bat...

Their parents ask them what happened, who caused them to get angry and every kid involved says, "Not me!"

She is mostly upset that the Senate is acting like children than she is that the Government has shut down. Of course, she is largely Libertarian like I and having a Government not invading more of my personal territory is a good thing. While they're deadlocked and acting like children they aren't making any more laws about nose hair trimming and perfume wearing and we can generally get along without them pretty well.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Yes. Judging which side is varying from the norm THE MOST and being THE MOST childish is just not pc. Judgement is wrong, rationality is evil, eat not from the tree of knowledge.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

If it causes them to notice, yes. Again, remember when the Republicans did it.

If it hits them where it matters - in the paycheck - then they'll notice. Otherwise I doubt that too many will take notice. And guess whose side the media is on?

 

[no1tovote4]

Yes. Judging which side is varying from the norm THE MOST and being THE MOST childish is just not pc. Judgement is wrong, rationality is evil, eat not from the tree of knowledge.

Right, I worry about PC oh soooo much.