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Rand Paul suggests holding State of the Union in Senate
The Hill ^ | EMILY BIRNBAUM

Posted on 01/17/2019 7:40:45 AM PST by RandFan

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Thursday suggested President Trump hold his State of the Union address in the Senate after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) asked the president to postpone the Jan. 29 address amid the partial government shutdown.

"I think that’s a real affront to the American people," Paul said on "Fox & Friends," referring to Pelosi's request.

Pelosi made the surprise request on Wednesday, warning that staging the speech amid the partial shutdown — which has affected both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Secret Service — creates security risks.

Paul said denying the move would be the first time in U.S. history that the House denied the president a forum to speak and suggested Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) should host Trump.

"What I would suggest is — Senator McConnell’s in charge of the Senate; let’s host it in the Senate," Paul said. "This would be the first time in history that the House would deny the president the forum of speaking."

"If she’s going to do that, let’s hold it in the Senate," Paul concluded.

The "Fox & Friends" hosts asked the live audience if they would support holding the State of the Union speech in the Senate, and they clapped in response.

(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Kentucky
KEYWORDS: 116th; randpaul; randspam; shutdown; sotu; trumpsotu
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To: RKV

Five USSC justices skipped the State of the Union speech last year. Justice Thomas has only been to a few.


21 posted on 01/17/2019 8:07:11 AM PST by jjotto (Next week, BOOM!, for sure!)
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To: RKV

“If she says no to using the House floor, Trump needs to respect that. “

You may be correct technically, but I think politically the optics of having the president removed from a SOTU would be horrible for the Dems. I think that Trump is just the guy with the stone to do it. Then he could do his speech anywhere else and it would get a lot of attention. We would also be talking about censorship of conservatives.


22 posted on 01/17/2019 8:07:22 AM PST by grumpygresh (is this the Rubicon year? (I'm not talking about the wine))
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To: sparklite2
On the other hand, having it before a joint session gives the Dems an opportunity to make fools of themselves.

Exactly.

Further, the leader of the Leftist Dems may presently control the Legislative branch of the U.S., but she should not be allowed to dictate where or under what circumstances the President delivers the SOTU address - or even appear to so dictate.

23 posted on 01/17/2019 8:07:43 AM PST by frog in a pot (Result of many state bailouts? Taxpayers elsewhere in America get to finance the Left's growth.)
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To: RandFan
There are about 14 "undecideds" left in the country. Trump should go ahead and give another SOTU in the House.

The Slime will insist on making fools of themselves, to the Deep State's chagrin, because the media will have to defend the childish nonsense.

We get to watch the Notorious RBG get propped up in the front row like a cigar store Indian, so the whole country can gawk at the corpse. (She might even topple over and wouldn't THAT be a giggle?)

The Prez will get to look at his watch and calmly state that the federal RIFs will start in 5 minutes...

24 posted on 01/17/2019 8:10:28 AM PST by jonascord (First rule of the Dunning-Kruger Club is that you do not know you are in the Dunning-Kruger club.)
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To: RandFan

Great idea, it will make Pelosi look like the partisan fool that she is.


25 posted on 01/17/2019 8:11:01 AM PST by Bayan
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To: Trump.Deplorable

A 20,000 person Trump Rally sounds better Rand

I don’t agree. That would look like another Trump political rally, more easily ignored or downplayed by the media


26 posted on 01/17/2019 8:11:42 AM PST by rintintin (q)
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To: RandFan

The president can also shut the legislature down Rand. It is well within his constitutional authority to do.

“extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.”

LEGISLATIVE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT

AND he can take CARE of all the laws that they be faithfully executed. And read the rest!


27 posted on 01/17/2019 8:14:00 AM PST by crz
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To: grumpygresh

Pelosi is in charge of the House Chamber and she could simply keep it closed that evening, with lights out and doors locked


28 posted on 01/17/2019 8:14:44 AM PST by rintintin (q)
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To: RandFan

Sounds like a threat...security problems, from some deranged Democrat who will try to go John Wilkes Booth on President Trump.

BTW, if the secret service detail is not being paid and I were President Trump, I’d quietly cut them checks to cover the uncollected pay, to be paid back interest free when they are paid again.


29 posted on 01/17/2019 8:18:10 AM PST by JimRed ( TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
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To: RandFan

I think he should send the SOTU out by Twitter.


30 posted on 01/17/2019 8:22:10 AM PST by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust the Plan.)
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To: Sacajaweau
"Power" has clouded your judgment.

I still maintain that their primary goal is to deny President Trump a "win", regardless of the cost.

31 posted on 01/17/2019 8:23:20 AM PST by JimRed ( TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
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To: rintintin

Well good. Trump should make this a big deal of this. He should put Pelosi uncontrovertibly on the record stating that Trump is prohibited from entering the House. He should demand a written statement from her. We don’t want any wiggle room from the Dems re-writing of history (as is often done by the left) stating somehow that Trump didn’t want to give the speech at the House.

He should call this censorship of the first order, make this a big issue and include this in his SOTU.


32 posted on 01/17/2019 8:23:34 AM PST by grumpygresh (is this the Rubicon year? (I'm not talking about the wine))
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To: JimRed

BTW, if the secret service detail is not being paid and I were President Trump, I’d quietly cut them checks to cover the uncollected pay, to be paid back interest free when they are paid again.

I forgot to specify, personal checks from my own account.


33 posted on 01/17/2019 8:25:19 AM PST by JimRed ( TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
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To: bigbob

Two-three hundred tweets?


34 posted on 01/17/2019 8:26:43 AM PST by JimRed ( TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
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To: RKV

I sent this same suggestion to Mitch McConnell’s office via his senate contact page yesterday. I noted that the Senate is part of Congress. Nancy was using the word Congress when she meant just the House of Representatives in the note. Her petty politics shouldn’t change our traditions.


35 posted on 01/17/2019 8:27:43 AM PST by Waverunner (I'd like to welcome our new overlords, say hello to my little friend)
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To: RandFan

Hold it at the Border.


36 posted on 01/17/2019 8:27:51 AM PST by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart - I just don't tell anyone.)
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To: RKV

Not ignoring it at all. It’s the Dem’s House,
they make the rules.


37 posted on 01/17/2019 8:38:31 AM PST by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: rintintin
Pelosi is in charge of the House Chamber and she could simply keep it closed that evening, with lights out and doors locked.

That appears to be her prerogative, and that may be entirely reasonable - consider how distasteful it was when Obama visited the Supreme Court and remained leaning in an Alpha Dog commandeering and disrespectful manner on the CJ's chair.

Trump may not demand the House chamber be made available but McConnell might formally request a Joint Session which will refer to the existence of adequate security.

Pelosi will almost certainly disagree and Trump can then refer to the deep fracture that presently exists in our government - all based on the Dems desire for weakened U.S. border security.

A desire bolstered by the denial of certain government employee paychecks until Trump capitulates

38 posted on 01/17/2019 8:40:10 AM PST by frog in a pot (Result of many state bailouts? Taxpayers elsewhere in America get to finance the Left's growth.)
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To: rintintin

I don’t care what the media thinks

And yes, it would be political

And more fun to watch


39 posted on 01/17/2019 9:04:05 AM PST by Trump.Deplorable
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To: RandFan
"Thank you, Speaker P, for your concern. I've taken your suggestion seriously, and am delivering the State Of The Union address from the Oval Office. The House, Senate, and the poll reporter will receive transcripts of my address via postal mail after I have spoken."

Let Congress watch it on TV just like the rest of us.

And no pre-presentation releases to anyone.

40 posted on 01/17/2019 9:15:13 AM PST by asinclair (Political hot air is a renewable energy resource)
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