De-Post Turtle-ization
Posted on 09/15/2015 4:34:19 PM PDT by Dave346
Mitch McConnell is looking for payback.
The Senate majority leader is preparing to challenge Democrats with proposals that would force Iran to recognize Israel as a state and release Americans held in Iran as the Senate minority continues to filibuster an effort to scuttle President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Tehran.
The Kentucky Republican wants political consequences for the 42 Senate Democrats who support the nuclear agreement and are rejecting McConnell’s attempts to pass a resolution disapproving of the Iran deal. And that retribution could come as soon as Thursday, when McConnell (R-Ky.) plans to force Democrats to take what the GOP views as a tough vote.
“Democrats seem to think they can end the discussion by blocking an up-or-down vote, then turn around and pretend they care deeply about Israel and human rights,” McConnell said on Tuesday evening. “Well if they vote again to deny the American people a final vote, they’ll have a chance to test the theory.”
McConnell’s chief rival, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), called the new twist by the GOP leader a “charade.”
“The Republicans have lost. They lost this measure. And we should move on to something else,” Reid said.
Presidential candidates and GOP Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida were among the senators pushing the proposals to force Iran to recognize Israel as a state and secure the release of four Americans detained in Iran earlier this year as part of the congressional review law. Those efforts collapsed in a procedural car wreck this spring, as Democrats successfully maneuvered away from having to vote on whether the Iran deal should include references to hostages and Israel.
Democrats and the White House say that those two items are important but outside the scope of the Iran negotiations, which focused mostly on a complex nuclear monitoring scheme that would be implemented in return for relaxing some sanctions levied on Iran by global powers. But McConnell says there’s no reason not to link the nuclear deal with Israel and human rights and he's ready to hold it over Democrats' heads as Cruz, Rubio and the rest of the GOP field prepare for Wednesday night's debate.
“I will file on an amendment that would prevent the President from lifting sanctions until Iran meets two simple benchmarks: It must formally recognize Israel’s right to exist, and it must release the American citizens being held in Iranian custody,” McConnell said. “Linkage is appropriate, and in this negotiation would have been wise."
The turtle moves.
The Democrats will filibuster it and McConnell will shelve it.
See, see you mean-old right-wing monsters! McConnell’s fighting for us, I tell ya! < /S >
Ho hum.
How about the nuclear option and move it to 51 votes!
That’s if he wants to play hardball.
The Dems think that Americans won’t vote on this issue, so then why do they filibuster it? Why not have the courage of their convictions to put it to a vote?
Total cowardice.
Talk about a day late and about 200 billion short ..!!!!
I hope Trump’s comments about the prisoners which were left behind by Obama .. embarrasses McConnell and Boehner.
Filthy, yellow-bellied COWARD, you throw us CRUMBS? You throw Israel under the bus and pretend you’re not helping to drive the bus?
You should feel shame, Senator McConnell. Yet you feel nothing but fear of this president and contempt for the voters.
I see that it’s a tough filibuster for the Dems, but... so what?
At best it will result in a Senate vote down of disapproval- which won’t hurt them and will lend some authenticity to Obama’s deal.
Mitch seems determined to legitimize Obama’s deal IMO.
De-Post Turtle-ization
Kabuki theater.
check cleared
these are amendments, not the cloture vote
Oh no! Republicans would never use the nuclear option. That would not be nice. It’s not whether you save the country, it’s how polite you are.
Slow turtles get run over.
If only!
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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