Now Barney Frank and the Dems are for the Nuclear Option
by Greg Knapp
Take a listen to Barney Frank saying “God didn’t invent the filibuster.”
Remember way back in 2003 when the Republicans were looking to rewrite the senate rules so the Dems couldn’t filibuster judicial nominees?
Partisan disagreement over judicial nominations is so intense that senators couldn’t even agree on the title of Mr. Cornyn’s hearing: “Judicial Nominations, Filibusters and the Constitution: When a majority is denied its right to consent.”"The title suggests that [the hearing] may be intended to turn up the heat rather than cool things down,” said Sen. Russell D. Feingold, Wisconsin Democrat, who warned that any effort to change Senate rules “will be met with stiff resistance.”As with the country’s actual nuclear arsenal, there is a form of mutually assured destruction here, too.The only thing holding Republicans back from breaking the filibuster this way is knowing that the same weapon will be used against them someday in the future when the roles are reversed. “The old bears in the Senate want to preserve their ability to filibuster the Democrats in the future,” said one key Senate aide, who also stressed that such a maneuver would only be used to break filibusters involving executive nominees.”If the Democrats take back the Senate — God forbid — the first 10 things they bring up will be anathema to us but they’ll say [forget] you, we have our 51 votes.”
The left and the media went nuts over the “nuclear option.” Yes, the term was inexpertly coined by the Republicans, but critics made it sound like it would be an unprecedented attack on “bipartisanship,” truth, justice and the American Way. The reality is that the Democrats did something similar in 1975 .
It’s been more than a quarter century since a simple majority of the U.S. Senate has employed a parliamentary procedure ominously known as the “nuclear option” to effect a change in the body’s Standing Rules. Back then, in 1975, it was a bare Democratic majority that mustered the will to force a change in Rule XXII, the “cloture rule,” decreasing the number of votes required to break a filibuster from two-thirds of the Senate, or 67 votes, to the current level of three-fifths of the body, or 60 votes.
It looks like Nancy Pelosi wants the senate to do it again now that Marcia Martha Coakley has lost.
“Let’s remove all doubt, we will have healthcare one way or another,” Pelosi said during an event in San Francisco on Monday. “Certainly the dynamic would change depending on what happens in Massachusetts. Just the question about how we would proceed. But it doesn’t mean we won’t have a health care bill.”
To recap: When the Republicans were in the majority and wanted to do away with filibusters only for judicial nominees it was derided as apocalyptic, extremist, hardball politics. Now that Democrats are looking to get rid of filibusters for ALL legislation, including health care “reform” that makes up 1/6th of our economy, it’s called “reconciliation” and is a perfectly reasonable thing to do since the Republicans are being so difficult and Massachusetts didn’t elect a Democrat to replace Ted Kennedy.
Scott Brown won. Now the Democrats might just not count the votes too quickly and wait until health care “reform” is passed. Nice.
With the unpopularity of Obamacare growing, Democrats need to look out for a giant backlash if they force it through with the nuclear option or election shenanigans.
Update: Some good news – a few Democrats are getting the message and want to halt all health “reform” votes until Brown is seated.
Sen. Jim Webb (D -VA) “In many ways the campaign in Massachusetts became a referendum not only on health care reform but also on the openness and integrity of our government process. It is vital that we restore the respect of the American people in our system of government and in our leaders. To that end, I believe it would only be fair and prudent that we suspend further votes on health care legislation until Senator-elect Brown is seated.”
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208 Comments
Nuclear option me arse.
They are into anything that allows them to cling to a shred of credability, and gives them a shred of legitimacy. Put a fork in 'em, they are finito.
Ah, a nuclear blast. A beautiful thing.
And you could like one of those babies off under the Democratic leadership and their lead bottoms wouldn't feel a thing. They wouldn't hear a thing, either, which is why they are writing about the loss in Massachusetts* as a win.
*yes Coakley staff, that's how it's spelled.
I used to think the democrats were just out of touch or trying to hide something. But now I've come to the conclusion these ellitist democrats are really stupid. And you just can't fix stupid. As loud as the country is yelling at them, they can't be that deaf, so it has to be stupidity.
We have seen what this country would be like under a DEMOCRATIC FACIST government this past year with no checks and balances to ultimate power…….
Now with the lose of the DEMOCRATIC SUPER MAJORITY we hear the DEMOCRATS say……
"Oh…..we're sorry…..we'll be more moderate and listen to our citizens……. "
DEMOCRATS ARE JUST TRYING TO SAVE THEIR ARSES……
FOOL ME ONCE……SHAME ON YOU…….FOOL ME TWICE……..SHAME ON ME…..
WE ARE THROWING OFF THE CHAINS AND ARE RUNNING FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PLANTATION.
Psst.
On another topic, did you all hear that another airline filed for bankruptcy?
Air America is dead.
And as the purty stewardesses, Randi Rhodes and Rachel Maddow said: Thank you for listening. Buh bye……….
Let me get this right it was Ok when they could filibuster but now that they can't they want to change the rules. Jeezus America when are you going to WAKE THE H*LL UP? I saw a headline on Fox News Poll "Fox News Poll: Americans deeply divided on whether to re-elect Congress, Obama — or vote everyone out" I mean really is it that difficult are you that dense at this point? Still haven't rec'd an explanation on this from Brown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L7n8vyz0xk
VOTE THEM ALL OUT AT THIS POINT or do you insist on continuing on with doin the same old thing expecting a different outcome?!
Your playing their game… STOP and play your game through http://www.savingtherepublic.com
Remember this is not about Healthcare …..this is about Power.
Kill the Bill – period.
The dems are like a bunch of teenagers…….it's all about them and what they want no matter what the consequences are.
I say, to hell with them all…
Where is the opposition shouting about this? Republicans/conservatives we are listening but all we hear is the chirping of the crickets.
I find it hard to believe they will give up as easily as we have been hearing the past few days. The Obama saying 'don't ram this through', feh.
Watch what they do, not what they say.
Go ahead you idiots MAKE MY DAY. I dare you!
Cowboy… I KNOW she has a female name but……does anybody REALLY know if she is a female or male ?
Arrogance
"Now Barney Frank and the Dems are for the Nuclear Option"
Really…Like they haven't tossed (their salad) this "option" around before? I think it's painfully obvious that this party/administration/agenda will stop at nothing (almost nothing realistically) to jam through what every they feel they can (get away with) with the dwindling majority they still enjoy. The tracks are nearing an end for this train, and the caboose ain't big enough for all of em' to fit…! It will be interesting to watch the cars of the Democratic party go off the cliff one, by one, by one…!
Come Nov the entire democrat party will be nuked.
What about ONE Senator holding up a vote on E-VERIFY!!!
NJ Sen. Menedez is stopping the bill from coming to a vote becaust IT WILL PASS!!
" DEMOCRATIC FACIST "
Has a certain ring to it, and truth. I'm so f'n tired of hearing "well the Reps did it' or the Dems did it", or Bush bla bla bla. Damn children, out of control, spoiled delinquent children. We need to take them all to the woodshed !
ah barney, if we could only figure out which end you are talking out of…ooops my bad he's always talking out of his butt….
Now we got Barny Frank speaking on behalf of God — don't stand too close to Barny, lighting bolts can be hazardous to your health.
Does that mean Janeane Garafolo is out of a job? Yay!!
NJ is trying to recall Menendez.
…"the scorpion replied, "If I try to kill you, then I would die too, for you see I cannot swim!" …"Halfway across the scorpion stings…"
"You fool!" croaked the frog, "Now we shall both die! Why on earth did you do that?" The scorpion shrugged, and did a little jig on the drownings frog's back. "I could not help myself. It is my nature."
Obama, Barney and the rest of the hard core left are starting to do that little jig, wonder how many Democrat frogs will be willing to join in?
From the B-Cast yesterday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5VLeBhzE3Y
Man…I could easily go in about 10 different comedic directions with that…But I shall refrain…
Make no mistake. It's that last shred of power that they're fervently clinging to. They are done, but just as in the Cuban Missile Crisis, I don't believe that most Americans know how close we really came to total annihilation. We are still standing on the brink of destruction. We need to take several steps back and then do an about face and start to run.
Sen. Jim Webb (D -VA) “In many ways the campaign in Massachusetts became a referendum not only on health care reform but also on the openness and integrity of our government process. It is vital that we restore the respect of the American people in our system of government and in our leaders. To that end, I believe it would only be fair and prudent that we suspend further votes on health care legislation until Senator-elect Brown is seated.”
As a native Virginian, I will not rest until this turncoat SOB is out of office. He is a self-serving power-monger who sold his soul to the highest bidder (the Dems), and he is a disgrace to the Old Dominion. We are coming for you, Jim Webb. Can you here us? We are coming and you can't stop us. You are through. You just don't know it yet. Tell your buddy Warner we're coming for him too. You both
votedtoted the party line on this sham and we won't forget. Elephants have long memories. We're coming for you both.So are Ron Reagan, Montel Williams, and when Al Franken gets kicked out of the Senate, he will have no where to go…….
Yes.
In all seriousness, I do not believe that many people knew exactly how close we truly were to annihilation.
I could not agree with you more. We need to take a step back, draw a breath, do an about face and charge with bayonettes fixed, and ram them through, ending this debacle once and for all.
OK.
Stick around.
We Will.
Reconciliation is not some communist plot. Brother Knapp here conveniently forgets to mention that Republicans used reconciliation to pass the Bush tax cuts. They never got 60 votes in the senate for that. The worm has turned.
Last year the filibuster was use 140 times, as opposed to a typical year where it gets used maybe 50 times. It was never designed to require 60 votes for every vote. You abuse it and you will lose it.
It's not over. You talk as though you have won something, but this is a war and the Dems in congress know how the game is played. There will be health care reform. Whether it is piece by piece or in a massive bill.
You have misread the election in Massachusetts. Americans still want health care reform, they just don't want that senate bill without a public option.
You are not "the country". You are part of the bottom 20 percent. But nice try.
[...] World View: Dems To Obama On Health Care: Game Over, Man, Game Over Greg Knapp, Big Government: Now Barney Frank and the Dems are for the Nuclear Option Patterico’s Pontifications: Did Obama Get Massachusetts’ Message? (Updated x3) Scared [...]
I encourage the Dems. to use that procedure to see where they will end up. They will be exterminated forever their party will be dead. It sould be considered a political kamikaze action along as treasonous. We will prosecute each an everyone of them with swift justice who dare attempt this action against the American people.
Getting kind of cocky here I think. Dare I say arrogant? Keep it up and you will see how quickly the worm does turn.
If they want a public option so much, why didn't they vote for Coakley? She supports the public option.
So what are you trying to say? Don't be afraid that we will think less of you, just say it.
Thanx!
That was hillarious.
There is still a left wing presence on the airwaves. Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann and Ed Schultz are not affected by the Air America bankruptcy. And you can still catch Rachel every night on MSNBC at 8 p.m. central. So we are not going anywhere.
Next time you cash your social security check, be sure to thank a progressive.
You are one angry little guy. You should get some therapy… a bit of anger management.
I talk as though I have won something? No. Not yet. I knew if you continued to blather and babble incoherently, that odds were we would agree on something. We finally have.
This is war.
War is not nice.
Of course, being the expert military pilot that you are, you would know that, eh?
One thing they don't teach you prissy fly boys, that is how to fight in the gutter.
Who is giving up? My friend, the only thing that has happened is the giant is awakened. You only get to sneak up on someone once. It only gets harder from here on in…
Lets lay down the line and place the bets.
How long before they pull the plug on MSNBC?
It won't be around 180 days from now.
Where did you get your law degree? Political disagreements are not indictable offenses… no matter how much they pis-s you off. Sorry.
So what are you trying to say? Come on out and say it. I couldn't possibly think any less of you, so don't be such a coward.
Ahhh coming from the mouth that is fed by govt subsidies.
1) I dont collect SS
2) It was originally created for govt workers (at least that is what I was taught, then again history is now questionable since we are now seeing how embedded progressives are in American society and history)
3) You have pretty much associated yourself with some of the biggest dirtbags in history. Why not pack your bags and go to Venezuela, Cuba, Iran etc where your radical views are welcomed.
Its pretty clear you are an agent of one of the leftist or really progressive groups. So who is signing your checks to troll the net? Hmm Media Matters, ACORN, SEIU, Soros, DNC????
So Jim Webb makes you soooo angry. He's a war hero so the traitor or coward label won't stick. So I guess you will just have to beat him on the issues. Not a Republican strong suit.
You are just full of wishful thinking. We are not going anywhere and will fight ignorance every step of the way. So if you are hoping for the party to give up you are going to be very disappointed.
Any use of the nuclear option at this point in the game is too late. The Dems would then be seen for all the underhanded, malicious, and arrogant bastards that they are and would only make their case worse. At some point obama will step in and say enough.
Ditto, us too from Northern Neck.
Hummmm I think they got the nuclear option and it blew up in their face.
Go get Porky Barney, he's a disgrace to the Dems. He caused the housing rash with his honey's Fannie may and Freedie mac. Greedy bastaard. He likes to blame Bush but he was in bed with fannie, freddie and his honey,which caused our economy to crash with the housing industry. So much for pillow talk. Make the creep squeel in the voting booth. Fire his fat ass.
Reconciliation is used for solely for budget measures. The tax cuts are part of the budget. Large parts of this bill have absolutely nothing to do with it.
The Dems know they're going down. If they actually used the nuclear option, then they won't have filibuster power when they're the minority. Somehow, I can't see them doing that.
please we need some comedy tonight…
Who is sneaking up on anyone? We told them how we would vote (I did so personally, many times and I know how many of us did exactly the same thing over the phone, in emails and letters, in person etc, etc, etc. You cannot deny this!), we voted this way in NJ and in VA and then the people continue to make good on their promise to rid the country of statist authoritarian power mad leftists.
And yet, you say of us 'it only gets harder'? You are a fool! It only gets harder for the likes of you to lie to the willing, as they are obviously far less willing than you have been counting on. I mean come on sir, Massachusetts has a Republican Senator now! Massachusetts! Only an Obama could have given us this gift!
I will tell you I happened to have the pleasure of watching the election results in a hotel bar in Massachusetts and to be able to gloat along with the people who made this vote possible. What a good week it has been indeed!
And to you, my statist friend, you continue to refuse to respond to the many questions I have asked of you directly. This is telling of your both your conviction and your intellect. You are a looter only, not really worthy of this discourse, but the week has put me in such a good fucking mood that I indulge you.
Now screw off.
How did they get a picture of Barney Frank's sphincter?
You know what? You people who think you can do military service and the gates of Heaven will swing wide so God can kiss your ass for your "good deeds" make me want to puke. I also served my country. The difference between us is that I view it as service while you view it as a payment for future favors. You disgust me on levels I can hardly communicate. Jim Webb is no "hero". He is a flip flopper of epic proportions and you are a gigantic hemorrhoid on the world's sphincter. You live with that, Mr. "I'm so happy".
I bet you thought we'd never win in Boston, either. You are about to have your eyelids ripped off. You won't have any choice but to see what's headed your way in the next two years. I hope you choke on it.
Well you lefties think that any emotion is not a good thing unless it comes from you guys, I haven't hung NO-Bama if effigy like you lefties did when you were angry with GWB. I haven't called for killing anyone like you lefties have. All I have said is you lefties are a bunch of A holes, and that is the truth so what is wrong with that?
I however would like to see the socialist pigs rot in hell, but you dont believe in God and therefore cannot believe in hell, so whats the beef?
pst….I am not angry at this point and I assure you you dont want to see this 6'2" 235 lb little boy angry !
God bless you. We are going to take a broom to this state and the whole country to boot! I'm glad you're on board.
How 'bout them Cowboys, loser?
That would make sense as he has his head up his keester.
CB, I am game if we start with mikatollah first ! LOL
Yep. The only thing he's flying now is a red flag with a hammer and sickle on it.
Hopefully a nuclear option goes off in Barney's gerbil farm.
Why am I not surprised that you know all this stuff? Bwahaha!
We are coming for all of them. Not a single one of their supposedly 'safe' seats are safe any longer and they know it well as do we! The people have spoken and we will not stand down!
They have made a fatal mistake of showing their hand and they know it.
Bring it Barney!
Leave it to a puss like you to accuse someone else of being a coward.
He always talks out his butt because, like all other worms, he has a butt on both ends.
I'm glad you are so unhappy. Keep lying to yourself. Those lies will keep you warm at night! HA HA HA!
IT SEEMS LIKE YOU LIBTARDS MADE THAT WORM TURN IN 364 DAYS…..
THAT MIGHT BE A RECORD.
Is there ever any substance behind your attacks?
Come now, such a brilliant mind as yours must have something more substantiative than 'Not a Republican strong suit.'
I think your right. All you have to do is look at the numbers to see that there is no life in MSNBC. If you watch Mathews you will see there are no brains at MSNBC either.
The only worm here is you, so why don't you "turn" and don't let the door hit you on the way out, clown.
In a world full of infinite possibilities, you are very arrogant to rule it out. It could happen. Remember Scott Brown? You didn't see that coming either, did you?
Not to mention that it would never fly because the Republicans could gut the bill to the point of meaninglessness based on the existing rules. HA HA HA!
Nah.
She kepy her job wrasslin' gators down in the Everglades.
Do you mean Col Klink?
If the Democrats try using reconciliation, the Republicans will just gut the bill to the point of meaninglessness under the existing rules of reconciliation. If the Democrats try to stop them, it goes to the Supreme Court. Either way, we drag it out long enough to throw all the bums out and there's not thing one they can do about it!
THANK YOU SCOTT BROWN # 41 !
They x-rayed Nancy Pelosi's rectum.
LOL, I think Klink has more brains.
Guess we know why COl Klink has extra time to post his "progressive" thoughts with us here. His only savior now is MSNBC. Raechel and Olby are keeping him on life support.
No passengers, can't get off the ground and too much of baggage!
Hey JOCK, who do you thank for your retirement check? Never mind. I can imagine you doing your "Heil to Obama" on the 1st of every month.
mikatollah even thinks I am mad. He dosent even know what anger is, but if NO-Bama care is passed he will find out.
Yep, it's like having herpes. You never know when it;s going to return…and when it does, it's a pure nuisance. Right COL Klink?
OMG, ANOTHER war hero. Guess the latest definition of hero is to "don the uniform". You are a disgrace to all veterans, past and present.
And before you start ranting, I retired from the military 20 years ago.
How long is it going to be before the Democrat party implodes? The in fighting is starting and will be fun to watch while it escalates.
Howard Dean is that you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTEq_nDVxNU
gets really good (and deep) at 1:30
Maybe, Cpl Klinger would be more appropriate for his "progressive" nature, but smarter.
The rock has been turned and the cockroaches are on the run. Let's keep turning the rocks.
Harry, you nailed it! There was no 'surprise", unless of course anyone had their head up their arse. Your last paragraph is priceless
Looking, I agree. Underestimating them would be niave, evil never stops trying to find the weakest point of entry.
Mik, you're sounding like a 12 year old.
Damned, aharris, why should factual information get in the way of fly-boy's rants.
Amazing what a little Ex-lax can do for a libturd.
Time for more Botox treatments.
Oh, and a recent poll by a very reputable organization showed only 35% of Americans [a similar poll showed 39%] would elect Hussein if the election were held today. I'd be willing to bet most Americans would support impeachment.
Bingo, you just can't fix stupid. Stupid is something you have to earn your way out of one painful and difficult lesson at a time.
He should be impeached for signing away US sovereignty to Interpol.
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