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Update: Senior GOP Source Responds To 'Hardball' Plan to Break Dem's Iran Filibuster
Townhall ^ | 9/11/2015 | Guy Benson

Posted on 09/11/2015 11:54:04 AM PDT by conservativejoy

A senior Senate Republican leadership source reached out to discuss the case I laid out this morning concerning a possible path to breaking Democrats' Iran deal filibuster. He said Majority Leader McConnell will schedule another cloture vote early next week, likely on Tuesday.

If and when that fails (assuming none of the 42 filibustering Democrats relent), GOP leadership is considering a number of options, including forcing votes on one or more highly-charged amendments related to the Iran deal. This maneuver would respond to Democrats' politicized posturing in kind, contriving scenarios in which filibuster-sustaining votes would be politically painful to cast, and could be used in future attack ads. The aide declined to provide details on the substance of these potential amendments.

As for whether upper chamber Republicans are girding for a bruising fight in which all Senate business is ground to a halt until Democrats cease their obstruction of an up-or-down Iran vote, the source demurred.

Leadership is keen on moving other items to the floor in the coming weeks, including a ban on late-term abortions, as well as a government funding bill. With the clock ticking toward a potential partial government shutdown, the time frame for a protracted battle over what ultimately amounts to a symbolic vote is limited, he said. McConnell has stated repeatedly that Congressional Republicans will not allow another government shutdown, a move critics have blasted as preemptive disarmament.

The aide also said that a key difference between the sex trafficking filibuster brawl Republicans won this spring and the current scenario is that Democratic members actually wanted to pass the trafficking legislation, whereas they've lined up against the Iran deal disapproval resolution.

Point taken, but I'd argue that obstructing an Iran vote is uniquely precarious for Democrats. The Senate voted 98-1 to demand a say over the deal, with yes votes coming from all 42 Senators who've now joined a filibuster to prevent their own legislative body from having that say.

As I've detailed in my original post, the American people have turned sharply against the nuclear agreement, and a supermajority of voters believes Congress must approve of the deal before it's implemented. The House just voted against the deal by a 107-vote margin, with more than two dozen Democrats joining the opposition.

It's true President Obama's power grab has guaranteed that his unilateral accord will go into effect without Congress' approval. But Senate Democrats have cynically decided to strip themselves of a vote on the matter altogether -- all to spare Obama the procedural humiliation of overruling the legislative branch's bipartisan rejection of his reckless policy.

Democrats should be made to defend this unpopular stance, publicly and often. Their arguments are weak, and the public isn't inclined to buy their feeble talking points.

Such a reckoning won't occur unless Republicans really force the issue, which unfortunately requires manufacturing some political theater to cut through the noise. Speeches, statements, and press availabilities won't suffice.

If GOP leadership is unwilling to exploit their control over the legislative agenda -- afforded to them by voters in 2014 -- in order to fight on an issue of enormous geopolitical and national security consequence, and on which they enjoy a substantial public opinion advantage, what is the point of having a majority? I'll leave you with Marco Rubio's take on Fox News earlier today. Spot on:

"We should be creative about doing everything possible -- if there was ever an issue on which we would stop everything to focus on something like a laser, it would be this. And instead, I get the sense that it's like, 'let's have a couple votes then let's move on to the next issue. This thing is done with.'"


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: 114th; iran; iraniannukes; israel; johnboehner; kentucky; lebanon; mitchmcconnell; ohio; speakerboehner; speakerjohnboehner; waronterror
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To: A CA Guy

Its simple Mitch just suspend the filibuster rule like Reid would and then invoke the nuclear option and kill the thing with 51 votes. Just like Reid would.


21 posted on 09/11/2015 1:11:38 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you never should have dropped)
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To: Georgia Girl 2

That’s the difference between mob trained and country club trained politicians....


22 posted on 09/11/2015 1:12:35 PM PDT by nascarnation (Impeach, convict, deport)
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To: nascarnation

Yep and that’s why the pubbies always get their hat handed to them. They hate Donald Trump for street fighting and winning.


23 posted on 09/11/2015 1:27:27 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you never should have dropped)
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To: Georgia Girl 2

Someone needs to put that into the face of Mitch and rub a whole bunch.


24 posted on 09/11/2015 1:37:04 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God Bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Mr. K

Hardball? More like Nerf ball.


25 posted on 09/11/2015 1:49:38 PM PDT by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners. And to the NSA trolls, FU)
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To: Anitius Severinus Boethius

Hey, Anitius,

I agree. Let’s get those cameras running and make the Dems talk about this crappy Iran Deal until they are hoarse. Some high-powered “stage-lights” might add to the “ambiance”.

Since the Dems insist on having a “debate”, let’s give it to them — in spades.

Whenever one Obama-fool wraps up his recital of WH talking points (”not perfect...after intense study...avoids war...etc”) and prepares to hand the microphone to another Democrat, have someone like Ted Cruz or some other quick-thinking Republican speak instead to deliver a short rebuttal of the prior remarks, something like:

“I refer to my esteemed college, Senator Murphy of Connecticut. He has just said that the “inspections”, which are described in this deal to keep Iran from cheating and building nuclear bombs, are “unprecedented”.

“I agree! Allowing well-documented cheaters like Iran to “self-report” that they have NOT cheated truly is unprecedented! Some would say that making such a concession to fanatics who loudly march around shouting “Death to America!” is incredibly STUPID and NAIVE, but I won’t. No, self-inspection is NOT stupid! It is INSANE! And that’s why I oppose this “deal”. I am NOT insane!

Now I yield to allow the ever-wacky Senator Boxer from Mexifornia to explain herself....”


26 posted on 09/11/2015 3:24:32 PM PDT by pfony1 (Let's welcome some Democrat congressmen into the Republican party and OVERRIDE!)
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To: conservativejoy
Hardball is calling it a treaty and proceeding as such.

-PJ

27 posted on 09/11/2015 3:32:24 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)
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To: Political Junkie Too

You’re right. That should have been done from the get go. Instead they allowed the Lawless One to define it as he wished. Just damn.


28 posted on 09/11/2015 3:50:52 PM PDT by conservativejoy (We Can Elect Ted Cruz! Pray Hard, Work Hard, Trust God!)
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To: conservativejoy
They can still do it. They have advice and consent, not just consent. They can call it a treaty regardless of what Obama says.

-PJ

29 posted on 09/11/2015 3:53:29 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)
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To: Political Junkie Too

It would have already been done if we had any leadership. McConnell’s not worried. He just got re elected last year, the worthless old #@%&!


30 posted on 09/11/2015 3:56:08 PM PDT by conservativejoy (We Can Elect Ted Cruz! Pray Hard, Work Hard, Trust God!)
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To: A CA Guy

Trump as President IMO will by force of will and some mocking put Mitch and Boehner on a path to righteousness. LOL!


31 posted on 09/11/2015 4:26:44 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you never should have dropped)
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To: Georgia Girl 2

I hope he would threaten to primary them and back opposition should they continue to back-stab the country.


32 posted on 09/11/2015 8:10:58 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God Bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: conservativejoy

Why would we believe the GOPe crap-weasels now?


33 posted on 09/12/2015 1:59:19 AM PDT by AdaGray
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To: conservativejoy

The GOP will never fight this seriously. “One reason is money – and the pressure from a venal world business lobby to gain access to the Iranian market.”

http://www.conservativehq.com/article/21089-how-much-k-street-blood-money-bob-corker-getting-iran-deal


34 posted on 09/12/2015 2:06:55 AM PDT by AdaGray
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To: conservativejoy

The GOP will never fight this seriously. “One reason is money – and the pressure from a venal world business lobby to gain access to the Iranian market.”

http://www.conservativehq.com/article/21089-how-much-k-street-blood-money-bob-corker-getting-iran-deal


35 posted on 09/12/2015 2:07:17 AM PDT by AdaGray
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To: AdaGray

U.S. technology companies are already salivating because Iran has the potential to be a boom market for tech companies. The majority of the population is under 30 and well educated, and over half the country has access to the Internet.

And aircraft companies, such as Ex – Im Bank-loving Boeing, will be allowed, with certain restrictions, to apply for licenses to export civilian aircraft, so, too, could any other consumer goods manufacturing company.

European media outlets are referring to Iran as the "new El Dorado," the "chance of a century," and the "last untapped market.” We wonder how much of the blood money to be made from tapping the market of the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, and the supplier of the improvised explosive devices that killed and maimed hundreds of Americans in Iraq, will flow to Senator Bob Corker and others who have betrayed America’s national security, because it seems to us that only thirty pieces of silver from some international conglomerate could cause Bob Corker to defy the plain language of his own bill.


1 Timothy 6:10 King James Version (KJV)

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

36 posted on 09/12/2015 2:42:17 AM PDT by Bratch
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