Senate holds 12-second session to block Bush

[cal04]

Source: CNN

In one of the shortest session in its history, the Senate's final session of the year lasted a total of 12 seconds Monday.

Only one senator, Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island, was in the chamber to gavel open the Senate and adjourn it until January 3.

Monday's event was the latest in a series of "pro forma" sessions the Senate has called. Pro forma means "for the sake of formality" and these micro sessions are part of the last political scuffle between the White House and the Democratic-led Congress.

Democrats are keeping the Senate in session to block President Bush from making any recess appointments. During congressional recesses, a constitutional mechanism allows the president to fill top government posts for up to one year without Senate confirmation.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/31/senate.pro.forma/index.html?eref=rss_politics

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[Kutjara]

1. I really think this demonstrates that the Democrats...

...are the party of small government. One guy, twelve seconds: that's what I call efficient governance.

[high density]

6. lol

Well it does get the efficient job done of blocking Bush.

[mzmolly]

23. Hey that's good!

;)

[onehandle]

39. Ha ha! Good one. nt

[Xenotime]

58. We are small but we look like asses.

[Kutjara]

61. I like small asses.

Did I say that out loud?

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

2. God,what games they play.

[IndyOp]

7. This is a good play in an important game - it is to keep Bush from

making "recess appointments" to people who are objectionable to Democrats to important committees.

:hi:

[trotsky]

9. I disagree. This in no way is a game.

It's a shrewd political move that keeps us from getting saddled by the likes of another Bolton or some other crony via the recess appointment.

[razorman]

32. The only problem is that this sets a precedent.

This will legitimize the tactic, and justify its use by Republicans some day, when there is a Republican congress trying to block a Democratic president's recess appointments. These things run in cycles, so it will happen.

[aggiesal]

34. You're right, it may happen, but ...

No administration has abused the recess appointments
like this administration. They got away with it during
the Republican congress from 2001 to 2007, but because
of these "GAMES", they can't do it anymore.

And don't think the WH wasn't monitoring if this manuever
got done.

[trotsky]

36. Let 'em do it.

Repukes have changed and bent the rules for years and the Dems were "too nice" to pull 99% of those same tricks when they had the chance. Totally worth it to block *'s last opportunity to put cretins in important positions.

[frogcycle]

45. BS BS BS BS

this has been done before. It is not "setting a precedent". "Recess appointments" are provided for in the Constitution to deal with potential emergencies, when Congress was anticipated to convene for only a limited portion of the year, and travel from distant states like Maine and Georgia was several days horseback ride. Recess appointments are NOT supposed to be a means of appointing patently unacceptable people - in bush's case some who had ALREADY BEEN REJECTED - and getting around the Senate confirmation prescribed in the Constitution.

Fuck bush and the horse he rode in on. They should block his every move. The republicans declared openly that their intent was to prevent the dems from accomplishing anything, and they have already set a record for number of filibusters in a session, with the session only half over. Fuck bush, the republican senators, every neocon currently scurrying to find a rock to hide under, bush's lying SCOTUS appointees, all of his cabinet, his harridan of a mother and the bastard who sired him.

Worring about "setting a precedent" with these scum is like trying to be polite to the hyenas tearing you limb from limb, saying "nice doggie" in hopes they'll lie down and play dead.

Whether this happened or not, if the tables are turned some day, you can bet your sweet ass it will happen. Fuck the Golden Rule too, at least with this crowd. With these bastards it's "Do unto others before they do unto you."

[razorman]

55. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done. Just be aware that the other side will use the tactic, too.

Like filibusters, which have been used often by both sides. BTW, I believe that a filibuster should have to be an honest-to-God old-time filibuster, where the congresscritter has to stay up and talk the whole time, like in "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington". This modern method of simply declaring a filibuster and everyone going home is bullshit. Make the bastards actually do some work.

[sendero]

63. As if..

... the Repukes need a precedent. Puhlease.

[sendero]

62. Exactly....

.... its one of the few effective things they have done to reign Bush in.

[JerseygirlCT]

44. Oh I agree. All those recess appointments...

It's childish and unnecessary.

[Honeycombe8]

56. It is unfortunate that the Dems needed to do that. But Bush has proven that they did. Kudos ...

to the Dems for having the cajones to follow thru on their plan to keep Bush from appointing unacceptable people to posts!
:headbang:

[aquart]

3. Rhode Island should be very proud.

Sheldon Whitehouse and now Jack Reed...for a small state they contribute a lot to keeping this nation democratic.

[bdamomma]

8. as a Rhode Islander speaking for myself I am very happy

we have Senators Reed and Whitehouse, Whitehouse continues to impress me very much.

[aquart]

10. So far as I'm concerned, he's a hot ticket.

I don't make a point of watching the others, but Whitehouse is a treat not to be missed.

[rocktivity]

33. With a name like Whitehouse, he HAS TO BE good!

:rofl:
rocknation

[aquart]

48. After the last seven years?

[Captain Hilts]

13. Two GREAT senators! Time out for 'Gansett! nt

[sallyseven]

37. Yes they do. I am a former RI person

but now I live in MA. I admire them just as much as Ted & John Kerry.

[rodeodance]

4. but the WH has decreaded that they are NOT in session--therefore the pocket veto of the defense bill

[mediaman007]

14. Well, that will become Bush's* problem when he asks for a bill

and the Congress tells him that he has one. The Senate can't very well back down or they will never be able to use the "pro forma" sessions again.

I can't see the Democrats backing down on this one. Hopefully, its a confrontation that they have planned for.

[harmonicon]

18. Nothing's ever stopped them from backing down and caving to Bush before! What's to stop them now?

[mediaman007]

26. Because its a new year? The year of the donkey? :-•

[Myrina]

35. ... actually, its the year of the Rat ...

... and I've been waiting for the GOP funded subliminal "DemocRAT" campaign ads to start rolling again ... :puke:

[harmonicon]

50. I prefer "year of the cat" - nt.

[Seabiscuit]

29. Huh?

[underpants]

5. 9 seconds just the other day -Sen. Webb I think

Dec. 26th
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/vaapwire.apx.-content-articles-AP-2007-12-26-0039.html

[edbermac]

11. How many times can you say 'Fuck you, Bush' in 12 seconds?

:rofl:

[rasputin1952]

16. 23...I tried...too bad it won't get into the Congressional Record

though...

[theguvnorgc]

21. Huh

I got 26, but my "neutral observer" say that the final nine were "relatively unintelligible"; given the context however, we consider the study to be apt. Thank you.

[Captain Hilts]

12. Webb's session was 9 sec. long. nt

[Bunkie0913]

15. constitutional mechanism

Recess appointments appear to be the only constitutional mechanism the * administration recognizes.

[rasputin1952]

17. Except when they sit around the Crystal Ball for things like...

"signing statements"...

[kenfrequed]

25. which are HIGHLY questionable

A smaller federal court decision undermined line-item veto's as being unconstitutional-which is what these things most resemble.

[rasputin1952]

27. The other thing about "signing statements" is that they can be

nullified by an incoming president, (at least in theory).

Too bad we just can't nmullify everything this monstrosity of an administration has done to undermine the Constitution and the nation itself.

[annabanana]

19. These proforma sessions are THE BEST THING that the Democrats

have done down there in Foggy Bottom since the '06 turnover.

My fondest wish is that they make the Repugs dust off the old fashioned filibuster, take it off the blocks, roll it out of the garage and rev 'er up...

[ShaneGR]

31. Ermmm, just so you know, the R's have been using the fillibuster...

A LOT, just the media doesn't cover it. And our left doesn't cover it very well either.

[frogcycle]

46. annabanana said "old fashioned filibuster"

not just the threat, which in the current "gentlemen's rules" allows them just to stipulate 'I'd talk forever if I had to, so shove it up your ass' and then the dems do exactly that. The dems should require them to talk forever, with all the attendant ridicule in the press.

[annabanana]

54. The media doesn't cover it because it's a pro-forma filibuster..

They tip their hats and all go home. The great American distracted don't know there's been a filibuster because it doesn't look like Jimmy Stewart, all exhausted and sweaty, reading from the phone book for days and days...

We could FORCE the media to cover it, if we gave them something to look at. We should bring up SCHIP again.. a very popular program.. or the mandated leave time for the soldiers... and make the Republicans EXPOSE THEMSELVES to scrutiny..

Make them filibuster for days and days.. arguing against health care for children.. Make them do it so long that the media not only has to cover it.. they have to EXPLAIN IT..

America will be furious when they see this mass obstruction.

[humbled_opinion]

20. Well at least our Leaders get this one right...

Shall I dare to hope that they will finally get it together ...:dem:

[indimuse]

22. what ever it takes.

:eyes:

[mzmolly]

24. Great. This is the best short 'fight' I've seen since the famed Tyson K.O.

;) Go Harry and thank you Jack! :toast:

[ConcernedCanuk]

28. Good, but so sad

.
.
.

that the "powerful" United States of America have to keep their leader in check this way - -

don't think that China, Russia, and many others aren't chuckling at the limpdi*k "president" y'all got . .

[ShaneGR]

30. Sadly, the media doesn't frame it that well

This type of thing just doesn't happen. It does now.

[NashVegas]

38. I'm So Thankful to Those Who Stayed in DC Over the Holidays

to do this.

:yourock:

[More Than A Feeling]

40. Their time is improving!

Come on, we can get to single digits!:silly:

[sailor65]

41. What a joke

we're supposed to call them heroes because one stayed for 12 minutes?

You want to impress us? Haul ALL your asses in and actually DO something!

[geiger]

42. did he miss a flight?

[Presidentcokedupfratboy]

43. The Dems are just doing what they have to

in order to block any more awful Bush appointments.

[humbled_opinion]

47. Give em Hell

Harry Reid... lol too funny...:yourock:

[whistle]

49. So, out of defiance Shrub* can appoint anyone he wishes between now and

....the morning of January 3, 2008 when again the Senate opens for business. That will give the little prick some 60 hours free of Senate overrides, correct?

[Igel]

59. No, the Senate has to be in recess for a certain amount of time.

12/31 to 1/3 isn't enough.

Silly, however: Interim appts. cover most of the problem spots, and those positions where interim appts. aren't allowed are simply unfilled.

Like the FEC, which now lacks a quorum and can do nothing. The Senate has enough nominations (as for many other appts.) but has some snags in appointing them. Either they want to leverage refusing to vote on dem appts. to keep repubs or certain repubs from being appointed (result: nobody gets appointed), or they just don't want to bring the nominees up for a vote. They're apparently afraid that people would get appointed that the dem leadership doesn't want appointed.

[DissedByBush]

51. If only every Senate session were this short

We might actually be safe from these myriad laws bent on controlling us.

[jimlup]

52. Turn about is fair play!

Bush has ridiculus proceedural tactics his whole horrible 7 years. I'm glad to see dems able to fight his shit faced "temporary" appointments ...

[superconnected]

53. So much better than the republican congress having SECRET sessions

and voting in laws the public doesn't want.

I still think they should all be in prison for treason to the America for that.

[lisainmilo]

57. Nice....:)

I am glad! :thumbsup:

[Orsino]

60. But if they simply approve *'s nominations in fifteen seconds...

...is there any net gain?