Posted on 02/09/2011 3:09:10 AM PST by broken_arrow1
It was the Congressional version of never count your chickens before they're hatched.
And when you do on Capitol Hill, you can sometimes lose a vote.
The newly-minted House Republican leadership botched a vote Tuesday night when it presumed it had the necessary support to reauthorize the Patriot Act, the anti-terrorism law imposed after September 11th.
The GOP expected little trouble with the bill. So Republicans brought the Patriot Act to the floor under a special procedure that requires a two-thirds vote for passage. It's a maneuver that's typically reserved for non-controversial legislation or bills that carry wide support.
Renewing that Patriot Act had certainly had wide support. 277 members voted in favor of the measure compared to just 148 nays.
But that's short of the two-thirds supermajority. Which means the House defeated the bill.
With 425 members voting, 284 yea votes were necessary to cross the two-thirds threshold for passage. 26 Republicans voted against renewing the law.
Democrats opposed to the Patriot Act were gleeful at the GOP miscalculation.
"Look at the ‘Don't Tread on Me flag.' It doesn't say don't tread on me, but it's okay if you spy," said Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), one of the most ardent opponents of the Patriot Act. "What the Republican leadership didn't count on is that they have some new members who are freshmen who are conservative, libertarian, who really do believe in civil liberties."
Eight Republicans whom the GOP regards as freshmen voted against the reauthorization. That's precisely the number of yea votes Republicans needed to pass the bill.
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) used to set the schedule when Democrats were in the majority and is familiar with floor meltdowns like the one Tuesday night.
But despite the misstep, Republicans blamed Democrats for the defeat.
(Excerpt) Read more at politics.blogs.foxnews.com ...
I beg your pardon? What the hell are you talking about? Where did I say anything like that?
I agree, time to end the Patriot Act. Obama is likely using it t spy on US citizens who are his political opponents.
I am glad its defeated.
Get rid of it, in the dumper!!!
well your statements seem to support him, thats what he has been arguing.
You truly are paranoid. The only thing I said to “him” was in regards to the number of gun owners in America.
I'm sure Hussein Baraka and his comrades are shaking in their boots, and will stop whatever they are doing out of respect for the rule of law.
The good guys, however, just got the cuffs put on, and that means WE ARE LESS SAFE because a handful of GOP douchebags had to prove a point.
Next time 3000 or more Americans are slaughtered by a bunch of ragheads, lets make sure to not to forget to put the blame as well on the GOP douchebags.
Yes I am paranoid but what does that have to do with this?
I would say he pretty much ate your lunch on the issue of the police state and gun confiscation though. But to take it from that and ask me if I support “letting our govt get away with anything they want” is a huge leap of logic and no small amount of melodrama.
It explains why you're such a Drama Queen.
January 11, 2011 2:54:37 AM EST · 27 of 35 jd777 to Jack Black they Slander the tea party in order to prevent it from accomplishing its aims It won't work!
Shuck and jive this, you Neocon!
The passengers of the last plane to go down on 9/11 did far more to stop terrorism than any acts since. The used true Homeland Security tactics. How many terrorist serving in GITMO have faced a military tribunal much less death? He created a mess. His nation building or No Contractors Left Behind Project in Iraq made it possible for Iran to do as they willed.
Do you think Iran would be a threat today had Bush made Iraq a military mission instead of a nation building one? It was obvious after the second night of bombing we had been had. Meaning infrastructure was left in place. I think our troops will be spilling more blood there within a generation because of our nation building. This time they will face a much more advanced military. Bush ignored several thousand years of M.E./Islamic Culture. That was a huge blunder and arrogance on the part of his so called brilliant advisors.
One Charismatic Cleric steps up to power which is a probability and Iraq is going to be a far greater military threat then Saddam ever wished to be. This will have been done with our tax dollars. Had he ordered the Pentagon to level the place {as is the real purpose for going to war} and left it smoldering we'd be in far better shape than where we are today.
“If it was a 9 year old boy maybe he could get a job with the Catholic Church.”
It was a nine yr old girl....dont you know your own faith?
He married her at age 6..
Tabari VII:7 “The Prophet married Aisha in Mecca three years before the Hijrah, after the death of Khadija. At the time she was six.”
“By the way Abraham married his sister. Is he not A prophet of the One God.?”
Nice try...
“They are surely Infidels who say Christ, the Messiah is God.” (5:72)
Drama queens like you always have an opinion, doesn’t mean much though. Perhaps you are willing to give your God given rights away, I prefer to keep mine.
Muhammad (pig feces upon him) created Islam because the Christians and Jews refused to make him a prophet of their religions.
Islam rejects Jesus as Gods Son because that would not leave a place for the pig lover.
Sorry I am late on this subject. Sadly this was my fear. ‘TARP’ Boehner does not seem competent. As crazy as Pelosi sounded, she always knew when she had the votes, unlike this guy. I always said it was a mistake to keep him. I hope things get better, a bad start.
In the end times, JESUS (ISA) shall return to earth - so when he does - we will see what he says.
Won't we?
Sorry Rome, I have become very sensitive aboutextra costitutional search and seizurepowers, with these fascists in office, the Obama Regime.
I would feel uncomfortable at all if we had a conservative patriot president , but with tis bunch? Its very hard to beoieve they will not abuse the extraordinary powers of the Patriot Act.If there is a slaughter, then we go to war, full out. NO more of tis community organizing stuff.
And they call themselves conservatives
Well - guess what? - That's not what our constitution abides!
In the name of THOMAS JEFFERSON - our first true conservative - I curse them and all their acts!
God bless those who voted to repeal the blasted Patriot Act!
Right you are. Lets home the morons in Congress kill this damn bill. Its a threat to the security of all Americans and sets the stage for government suppression of any form of legitimate political dissent.
Especially chilling is Fascist Napolitano’s concern with “domestic” Terrorist groups. By refusal - ONCE AGAIN - to identify ISLAM as the enemy, AND her previous notorious statements about veterans, pro-Second Amendment supporters, anti-abortionists,anti-globalists, etc as domestic terror threats, we should be concerned.
EVERY YEAR, the Federal Government has been pouring BILLIONS of dollars into the funding of hardened security centers in every County in the Union. One can only wonder what the hell they are planning? Each one of these could be federalized to provide a wedge by Obama and his security forces to crush any legitimate opposition to his rule.
These measures are way and above any necessary to provide defense against the few Islamists while failing to address the continued threat of these people infiltrating every level of government and thrusting across our Southern Borders.
How stupid have Americans become?
Thanks d-back. FYI trisham, I’ve been lurking on FR for close to 10 years....and post sporadically now, as grad school does that to you.
And personally I am surprised by Bachmann, she knows more than ever what the govt. especially This govt. can do....
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