CNN reporting that Dems could bypass Bunning,

[dgibby]

but don't want to. According to CNN's Dana Bash, Democrats could bypass Sen.Bunning in just a matter of a few days, but don't want to because they are using his intransigence for political reasons.


If this is true, we are beyond screwn.:nuke:

[Arkana]

1. Reid's already said he's going directly to the permanent fix

rather than the temporary one that Bunning is blocking. Due to some procedural rule, Bunning can't block the permanent one. My guess is the permanent one will be passed by the end of the week.

Also, why are we listening to CNN now? They suck goat balls.

[tonysam]

2. I read that, too.

EUI will have to be extended until at least the end of this year.

[dgibby]

4. I hope you're right.

This needs to get fixed yesterday.

As for CNN, I flip back and forth between them and MSNBC.

[onenote]

8. I believe you are correct -- reid's strategy as i understand it

I'm not 100 percent (or anything close) certain but what I think is happening is that the matters that are the subject of the temporary extenders bill that Bunning is holding up will be addressed this week in a larger piece of legislation that includes some jobs proposals that the repubs aren't that crazy about. But they are going to be hard pressed to fight the bill if it means keeping the benefits shut off longer.

It goes back to the end of the year when permanent extensions of COBRA, UI, the satellite bill etc. were supposed to be part of a year end approps bill but got yanked out at the last minute and instead there was a simple 60 day extender for those expiring provisions. Those provisions were then going to be included in the comprehensive jobs bill but when the repubs made some noise about objecting to some of the provisions in the jobs bill, Reid split the jobs bill up, taking out various provisions, including the permanent extenders. The idea was to put those back in a second jobs bill. Because there was no way to get the second jobs bill done before the original 60 day extenders bill ran out, the plan was to adopt another 30 or 60 day extender -- that's the bill that Bunning is jamming up. So instead of doing the temporary fix, the idea is to go straight to jobs bill number two which has the permanent extension and ram it home as soon as possible, knowing that if the repubs try to block it, they may be blamed for stopping the extension of UI benefits, COBRA, etc.

Again, I'm not positive that is the history/strategy, but its what I understand it to be.

[laughingliberal]

9. That was what I read, also

I think it's the right way to go. Then, we don't face another asshole next time.

[Better Believe It]

3. Democrats could stop Bunning today if they wanted to.

Senator Reid has the power to make Bunning engage in a real filibuster on the Senate floor thereby ending his fake "procedural" filibuster.

[Unvanguard]

6. The problem is that a cloture vote doesn't actually end debate immediately.

It makes sense to go for a permanent solution.

[Better Believe It]

12. They can make him filibuster ..... could have done it yesterday and today it would be over.

[Barack_America]

5. NEWSFLASH: The GOP could put an end to this too. nt

[Supersedeas]

15. that's not even on CNN or Dana Bash's radar (McCain creditialed)

[tsuki]

7. CNN reporting:

1. Dems don't by-pass Repubs - political reasons

2. Dems do by-pass Repubs - subverting democracy

CNN, the Tweedle-Dee-Dumb of News.

[DevonRex]

10. Good lord. First, do you believe CNN now? Second, it DOES accentuate

how fucking greedy and evil the republicans are. Third, they're gonna go straight for the permanent fix.

I think your tinfoil is wrapped too tightly. You need some blood flow to that brain of yours.

[dgibby]

14. Can you read?

I said "if". I believe that would be the operative word. There is nothing wrong with my brain, the blood flow is just fine, and I have no problem recognizing unnecessary nastiness when I see it. Welcome to ignore.

[Winterblues]

11. Sounds like CNN is using it to bash Democrats instead of Democrats using it.

CNN has very little credibility left IMO.

[Pirate Smile]

13. If Bunning would stop, this could be voted on immediately. If Dems go through the process of a

cloture vote then it has to go through a bunch of steps. Wait 3 days, 30 hours, blah, blah, blah.

They can do it but this is why the Senate has screeched to a stop. All the actions previously done by unanimous consent are now filibustered which makes it take days and days, weeks, to pass the most basic, simple legislation or approve appointments or judges. The Democrats have just been going along with the process. Republicans had agreed to let this bill go to a vote without all those steps when Bunning decided to be the dick he is. Democrats don't want to give Republicans cover for what they are doing and have been doing all year.

If they are going to jump through all the hoops to get it to a vote, Harry, obviously, wants to include some additional "job/aid to the unemployed" legislation dealing with the same issues that Democrats need to get passed. This embarrassment to Republicans may help us get additional legislation passed along with it. They were planning on filibustering it. Perhaps we can pick up enough votes to get to 60.

edit to add - from what I've seen, Harry plans on making this retroactive so, hopefully, it will keep people who would fall off the rolls on them instead.