Not that anyone's watching, but the Senate has shut down

Politico ^ | 6/4/08 | Martin Kady II

[Dawnsblood]

McConnell has essentially shut down the Senate floor this afternoon by forcing the Senate clerk to read aloud the entire 500 page global warming bill. So if legislative language is your thing, turn on C-SPAN and watch the Senate at its best, or worst, depending on your perspective.

McConnell (R-Ky.) believes Reid (D-Nev.) has backtracked on a promise to clear a significant number of Republican judicial nominees, but Democrats are becoming more and more hesitant to give Bush judges a lifelong appointment to the federal bench in the waning months of this White House.

"The Democratic majority has refused to honor its commitments," McConnell said. "It apparently believes that commitments do not matter in the United States Senate, and that actions do not have consequences."

One of those consquences, apparently, is a complete shut down of the Senate.

Here's a snippet of the full response from Reid spokesman Jim Manley on the Republican maneuver.

"Devoid of ideas for addressing global warming and unwilling to work with us to strengthen our weakening economy and energy policy, Republicans have now resorted to changing the subject with inaccurate attacks.

“Senator Reid pledged a good-faith effort to have the Senate consider three court of appeals nominees before the Memorial Day recess, with the explicit caveat that achieving that goal depended on Republican cooperation. The Senate did, in fact, confirm Virginia Supreme Court Judge Steven Agee to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in May, and Chairman Leahy expedited Judiciary Committee consideration of two nominees to Michigan seats on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. These nominations were the result of many years of negotiation between the White House and the Michigan Senators."

[Dawnsblood]

Good for McConnell!

[Kozak]

Good. The more those fools are paralyzed the less damage they can do to the nation.

[DoughtyOne]

I'm sure all the good little Senators left as soon as the reading began. They don't want to know what's in it. They want plausible deniability.

[Bahbah]

I’ve been watching on and off all afternoon.

The clerks are still reading the bill. LOL.

[marron]

These nominations were the result of many years of negotiation between the White House and the Michigan Senators."

Many years of negotiations? Just to get a judge approved?

[Michael.SF.]

These nominations were the result of many years of negotiation between the White House and the Michigan Senators."

YEARS ???

The Democrats will claim, with a straight face, that Republicans are guilty of obstructionism, yet they do this w/o repercussions.

[CarolinaGOP]

Perhaps we should all contact Senator McConnell and encourage him in his efforts!

[maine-iac7]

REAd this this morning. Hooray for McConnell - I hope they keep doing this..............

[inkling]

Those poor clerks. What a miserable job...

[Michael.SF.]

I’ve been watching on and off all afternoon.

In between naps?

[Man50D]

The clerks are still reading the bill.

Hopefully they will lose their place and have to start all over again.

[Hildy]

Yea, miserable jobs...wonder how much they get paid?

[Hildy]

Yea, miserable jobs...wonder how much they get paid?

[TomGuy]

That is a silly waste of time.

It only delays the inevitable.

[Enterprise]

I just wish they had fought like this for judges and energy starting in 2000.

[Biggirl]

Good!

[Enchante]

"These nominations were the result of many years of negotiation between the White House and the Michigan Senators."

MANY YEARS of negotiation?? Yes, that is what the "advice and consent" clause in the US Constitution has become for these depraved, vicious Demagogues. How can any Demagogue leader or spokesflunky say that phrase without choking on it? Because they are vicious anti-constitutional scum.

[villagerjoel]

-Yea, miserable jobs...wonder how much they get paid?-

“The current salary (2008) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $169300 per year.”

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa031200a.htm

[firewalk]

*big grin*

[Balding_Eagle]

“The current salary (2008) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $169300 per year.”

Don't forget that they are also legally allowed to use Insider Trading information gleaned from holding hearings to buy and sell publically traded stocks and bonds.