Liberal Groups Want Longer Lame Duck to Confirm Nominees

Roll Call ^ | December 1, 2014 | Niels Lesniewski

[C19fan]

A coalition of largely liberal organizations has written a letter asking the Senate to extend the lame duck to allow as many of President Barack Obama’s nominees to win confirmation before Republicans take control of the chamber.

The 33 signatories of the new letter include the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, the Communications Workers of America, the NAACP, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Public Citizen.

The letter, sent Monday to Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., calls for prolonging the second session of the 113th Congress to help clear the nomination decks, a move that would no doubt draw criticism from Republicans. The letter comes from the Fix the Senate Now coalition, a group that has advocated for a substantial overhaul of the Senate’s rules.

[C19fan]

There should be a constitutional amendment to eliminate the Lame Duck. There is no reason in this era of modern transportation to have Lame Duck sessions. They do not this crap in Parliamentary systems.

[goldstategop]

Before 1933, defeated lawmakers could stay in office another four months.

The Twentieth Amendment corrected the problem by slashing the time left to serve after the November election to two months.

But a lame duck session is still possible.

[ClearCase_guy]

Mitch McConnell might agree to this — IF he can also get illegal immigrant amnesty passed.

[pepsionice]

I think most people would prefer to see a spring session of 100 days, and a fall session of 45 days...then end the House and Senate by 1 December entirely for the year unless the President mandates them to stay around.

There’s just nothing really being accomplished....except stupid interviews on various networks and bragging by both parties on how they tricked each other, or will screw the other party over in the next election.

[Texas Eagle]

Sure. Why not. Another chance for John Boehner and Mitch McConnell to show how far they are willing to go to prove they aren’t obstructionists or racists or....hey, I got an idea, how about after the new Congress is sworn in, the Republicans share power with DemocRATS? You know, let them run certain committees like Appropriations, Ways and Means, Judicial, Foreign Affairs, Homosexual Affairs, Cosby Affairs, etc.

[Iron Munro]

Rules? We don't need no stinkin' rules!

[MrB]

Amazing how the rules “need” to be ignored when the left’s agenda is at stake.

[JPG]

These must be the same people who wanted Bush to resign after the '08 election so Obama could be sworn in early to get right to work on fixing the 'mess'.

As misguided as they may be, the left is relentless---they never retreat; never give up.

[Mr. K]

The GOP should do EVERYTHING it can to make sure nothing gets done from now until next Congress

Up to and including locking doors and “accidentally” leaving the keys in their other pants pocket they left at home, and having pizza’s sent to dem senators offices, and anything else that will keep them from actually doing stuff

[Travis McGee]

[Slings and Arrows]

> These must be the same people who wanted Bush to resign after the ‘08 election so Obama could be sworn in early to get right to work on fixing the ‘mess’.

“The issue is never the issue. The issue is the revolution.”
—David Horowitz, quoting unnamed SDS leader.

[smokingfrog]

I know what I would say if I were Mitch McConnell. ...

[cripplecreek]

And I want to eliminate the lame duck altogether.

[Dilbert San Diego]

We could question why Congress has evolved into being in session year round.

Does the public benefit from Congress being in session year round?

The 20th amendment moved up the swearing in of the new Congress and President from March 4th to January. We could have another amendment to move up closer to the November election day. Otherwise you end up with what we see now, where a lame duck session of Congress is still in office for two months after election day, and the outgoing office holders take their last shots on their way out the door.

[smalltownslick]

They should end Election day or the day before.

[pepsionice]

The year round schedule today....simply provides ample TV interview sessions for these guys all year round.

I’d even go and question why the Senate needs to get into the tax-code writing business...why the Senate needs to vote on budget proposals by the House...and why the Senate even needs two guys from each state. There’s lots of ways to really carve out the mess here, and effectively run the US government. Personally, whatever budget the House passes...should be the final word, with neither the President or the House saying much about this or having veto/vote power.

[Obadiah]

That is a great quote. It is great because it accurately rips open the deception that is the Democtat/Marxist Party.

[Slings and Arrows]

I push it every chance I get - it really should be more widely known.

[cripplecreek]

“The issue is never the issue. The issue is the revolution.”

Yup. Like Eric Holder now talking about racial profiling that was never even alleged in the brown case. Or the fact that he's got an ongoing dead end investigation against George Zimmerman who will now be joined by Wilson. He knows neither case will go anywhere and doesn't really want them to as long as they can be used to further the "revolution".

When these people are out of office, we still must lean on congress and the courts to go after them for prosecution.

[Din Maker]

Mitch McConnell might agree to this — IF he can also get illegal immigrant amnesty passed.
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The people of KY gave America that sorry, p.o.s. for another six years, so...... we deserve what we get.