[Remember the Trade Center!!]
(12/17/02)
Posted on 12/18/2002 4:20:13 AM PST by Chairman_December_19th_Society
We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail! [President Bush]
Good morning!! Do not let the victims of the attacks on New York and Washington, nor the brave members of our Nation's military who have given their lives to protect our freedom, die in vain!!
In response to the 12,000-page Iraqi declaration, one unnamed Administration official has termed the report "an incredible joke."
Senator Lott vowed to fight for his position as Majority Leader. New GOP elections are set for January 6 in the Senate to decide the matter.
Hitlery is likely to get the position of the Criminal Party's Senate Steering Committee - a group in charge of positioning Senators and the party as a whole for the 2004 election cycle by shaping the attack lines on the GOP.
The United States is concerned the situation in Venezuela could deteriorate rapidly. Already, crude oil prices are back over $30/bbl.
France claims it has arrested three men who plotting a WMD attack using either chemical or biological weapons.
MacDonalds is expected to post its first quarterly loss in its history.
And British meteorologists claim that 2002 will end up being the second warmest year worldwide since records started being kept more than 140 years ago. (Of course, this would require readers of the UK Independent to accept there are both records for everywhere in the world and they have been kept for 140 years.)
For AMERICA - The Right Way, I remain yours in the Cause, the Chairman.
I'm hoping that President Bush can find the silver lining in this mess and we can have a decent dialog about race.We have here the Chinese word for "crisis": it is formed of the characters "danger" and "opportunity."
I really like Bush's speech at Philly (here). It was consistent and correct. It's hard to gauge the impact of a speech. If it blends with established posture, it goes unnoticed. If it jumps and startles, it is likely unsound, or a departure (we saw much of this with Clinton). If it stands out, it is because it defines. Bush's inaugural address and this one, to me, are multipliers; the product is strong for the harmony of its parts. I don't think another speech is necessary now. We will definitively see it in the State of the Union Address.
Aren't we all curious as to who will represent the Senate that evening! And what his mood will be?
[Btw: expect a major announcement in the State of the Union address on alternative fuels research, a la moon launch, to coincide with war in Iraq]
Those of you that have a phone number for me are still good on the phone number.
/john
I'll try and find the article later this evening about Trent Lott moving up the elections for Majority Leader. He struck while the iron was hot, and sewed it up early.Can't wait to hear more! I'm also curious as to Common Tator's contention that Bush tried to overrule the "new rules." I'm not so sure, but I'd love to know one way or the other.
From Hopes by Democrats For Filibusters Fade; Rosenbaum, David e; The New York Times; Nov 18, 2002; A.16 (I can't link it as it's from a subscriber source):
The question of what can be passed by the Senate by a simple majority and what requires a super majority of 60 votes revolves around rules so arcane that few lawmakers have mastered them.Hmmm.Boiled down to their essence, here is how the rules work: Every year, Congress is supposed to approve a big budget measure called a reconciliation bill. (Why it is called this and why there is no such bill this year are another story.)
Congressional leaders can fold into the reconciliation bill almost any measures involving revenues or involving spending increases or decreases for entitlement programs, programs like Social Security and Medicare under which government benefits are paid automatically to everyone eligible.
Reconciliation bills and their components cannot be filibustered. They can be passed in the Senate by as few as 50 votes and the tie-breaking vote of the vice president. This is how President Bill Clinton's tax increase was approved in 1993. President Bush's tax cuts were adopted last year in a reconciliation bill.
Nothing on a change in rules. Everything on unanimity in Lott's selection as floor leader.
At the beginning of each Congress, or within one week thereafter, a Republican Party Conference shall be held. At that Conference there should be elected the following officers...There was not a new Congress when Lott was elected floor leader. It was during the short, "lame duck" session of the old Congress. As I read it, this rule states that the election will follow the new Congress.
Somewhere, an exception or a new rule was made. It was, I suspect, to accomodate the new majority that followed the election of Sen. Talent. It would also seem unnecessary to have such an election, as the existing "minority" officers could have slid into their "majority" status. The caucus leaders are the same whether the party is in the majority or not.
Clearly, Lott moved quickly to consolidate his position with a special election. Nevertheless, I find no objections to it from the caucus or the White House in press reports from the time (Nov. 13).
That's ok. Men will take care of it on the morrow.
/john
I went back to reread what I'd posted to see if I had posted something to indicate to you that I don't understand the duration of a Session. I don't see it, if I did. But it is late, I've been on the road and in meetings all day. So if you think I did,,,, well,,, I guess I will need to arm wrestle you in hopes of maintaining my honor at the end of this post. :>)
I wasn't aware new Sessions originally began later in the year and were later moved back to January.
I believe a Session (Session=Congress) beginning in November shortly after the election could be problematic.
First, and foremost, successful candidates need time to get their life in order after a campaign. There are tons of things they need to get lined up before packing up and moving out for Session. There is staff to hire,,, it would be presumptious to do it before you won the election, especially for challengers or first time candidates. There are living arrangements that need to be made. There are Bills to be filed and quite honestly, some kick back time after a grueling campaign is a must before being sent to the meat gringer.
In addition, there is much for Leadership to accomplish before gaveling in. In my previous post I indicated there are committee assignments to be made, and if a seniority system is not in place for Committee Chairs, Chairmen need to be placed in slots where they will best compliment the entire caucus. (I'm drifting off into State Government, here,,, bear with me).
In many instances, Interest Groups use the time between November and the beginning of Session to meet with elected officials to plead their cases. This can be anyone from a School Boards to Regents institutions,, from Nursing Home administrators to Dentists. You name the cause,,, they'll have a request,,, money or policy. Push it or Stop it. Everybody wants something.
Bureaucrats need time to put together updated briefing materials (this is not a very good reason,,, but if I was a Bureaucrat, I would think so,,,,)
In short. Beginning a Session/Congress immediately after an election would not be in the best interest of much of anybody. It's not likely much could be accomplished until lots of other things were accomplished first.
Here are excerpts from some articles:
In early October, Lott had advanced the date of the Republican leadership elections from early December to November 18 and began aggressively seeking support for his re-election as the Republican leader. Nickles decision not to run came days after Lott disclosed he had garnered enough support to guarantee his re-election. (Makes it sound as if Lott was able to set the election date for ML by himself.)
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R) of Mississippi has advanced the date of the Republican leadership elections from early December to November 18. This is believed to be a bid to flush out and limit the time potential rivals will have to mount a campaign against the Republican Leader. U.S. Senator Don Nickles (R) of Oklahoma, who will step-down as Minority Whip at the end of this session, is rumored to be a likely candidate to challenge Lott. (From Gannett newswire)
From Robert Novak:
Sen. Trent Lott disregarded senatorial travel schedules when his staff let out the word that he plans to hold the Senate Republican leadership's election in mid-November instead of early December as scheduled, a change that might make it harder to replace him as Senate Republican leader. The problem is that two major congressional overseas trips conflict with Lott's new election date of Nov. 18. At that time, several senators are planning to attend the NATO meeting bringing in new members of the alliance, and the powerful Sen. Ted Stevens is taking fellow appropriators on a global inspection trip.
An earlier election date would give Sen. Don Nickles, now the deputy majority leader, less time to mount a challenge against Lott.
And from Roll Call:
"In a surprise move, Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) has abruptly advanced the date of Republican leadership elections by several weeks in what some GOP insiders believe is a bid to force the hand of Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK)," Roll Call reports. "There has been widespread speculation that Nickles will run against Lott for the top Republican spot, although the Oklahoman is keeping his own counsel about his plans."
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I'll have to do some more research tomorrow. What I don't know now is if the Majority Leader can call for an election at any time, or if he needs to have unanimous consent to do so. Lott may have worked to get the votes, given some favors out, and had the 26 votes to win, wanted to set the election early, and the senators knowing this, all voted to set the election early because they knew no one else could win. The Senate is really arcane...
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