[Sal]

As the experience with the OAS Convention and the U.N. Protocol illustrates, anyinternational treaties in this areawould not bind theUnited States unless these documents were acted on favorably by the U.S. Senate, if the President decided to transmit the treaty to the Senate for its consideration.

The problem is that per senate rules a treaty can be voted on in the Senate with as few as three senators voting (so you can get a 2/3 vote) and one presiding. It can be done with a voice vote.

Remember Lott during the Shamnesty mess saying that we can put anything we want through. I only heard it reported one time, but it's true.

Lott was majority leader when the Desertification Treaty (gave a little more power over our land to the UN) was signed by Clinton, sent to the Senate and was confirmed by a voice vote. We still don't know how many were there to vote or exactly who they were. Larry Craig was asked about how this was done and he answered at the time, "At the request of the leadership."

This treaty was buried by Richard Douglas, the majority counsel, in a bundle of other treaties of little lasting importance such as agreements with other countries for return of stolen property or to settle common place legalities. It is possible that the senators present didn't know what they were voting on.

When the issue was pushed with larry Craig, he said he had written a letter to Senator Helms and Helms had responded and everything was OK. Because Helms was our biggest defender of our sovereignty and against the UN, we all trusted him totally. (BTW I don't think we ever heard Helms himself say so.) Larry Craig's voting record was so exemplary (before Shamnesty) that nobody really forced the issue.

Bottom line is we probably have no idea what "treaties" were "considered" and confirmed by the Senate...

Phsstpok, this is what I was referring to in one of the Sunday threads about possible blackmail going way back. I do NOT know that happened, but Craig was never totally forthcoming (maybe he didn't know) and a lot of his reassurances were fishy--at least IMO.

[processing please hold]

The problem is that per senate rules a treaty can be voted on in the Senate with as few as three senators voting (so you can get a 2/3 vote) and one presiding. It can be done with a voice vote.

Also remember, L.O.S.T. They should vote on it's ratification in 2-3 weeks. Some of our leaders want to throw our country away with both hands.

Bottom line is we probably have no idea what "treaties" were "considered" and confirmed by the Senate...

Did you know that we signed over 460 treaties last year, give or take a couple of treaties. Bush is pushing for 35 treaties and I can't for the life of me find out what they are. But they're very important to him.