[Owen]

Bush asked for a clean bill. Period. The House can lean on that. Conference will report out a clean bill and then another loaded with not just this AWB extension, but other amendments that are killers for even Dems. There will be so much dirt on the 2nd bill that it won't even reach the president because the Dems themselves will kill it. Then he'll get the first one, the clean bill to sign that both houses passed. This is the optimal political scenario.

The alternative is the House can delay any bill coming to the floor at all. The clock can run out, and if the bill is worded well, it can be arranged so it is the Dems that force the clock to run out because they would not support the bill so arranged. There are tons of things that can be done like that -- for example exempting any company from the lawsuit immunity that are in Dem districts.

No way the WH does anything controversial with this bill. Why should they? The Dems will push it if it can cost Bush votes and will be vocal about it, but we control the agenda and we can bring forward only the bills we want to make us look good.

Now then, all you alleged hyper conservatives who want to vote Bush out of office because the GOP Congress can protect you -- have a look at what a gutless GOP Senate will mean for Kerry court nominees -- and get on the phone to the GOP campaign headquarters and start volunteering to get Bush re-elected. This entire debacle is what happens if you don't do that. Voting is not enough. You have to GOTV for Bush to prevent this disaster.

[Sabertooth]

Bush asked for a clean bill. Period. The House can lean on that. Conference will report out a clean bill and then another loaded with not just this AWB extension, but other amendments that are killers for even Dems. There will be so much dirt on the 2nd bill that it won't even reach the president because the Dems themselves will kill it. Then he'll get the first one, the clean bill to sign that both houses passed. This is the optimal political scenario.

The alternative is the House can delay any bill coming to the floor at all. The clock can run out, and if the bill is worded well, it can be arranged so it is the Dems that force the clock to run out because they would not support the bill so arranged. There are tons of things that can be done like that -- for example exempting any company from the lawsuit immunity that are in Dem districts.

No way the WH does anything controversial with this bill. Why should they? The Dems will push it if it can cost Bush votes and will be vocal about it, but we control the agenda and we can bring forward only the bills we want to make us look good.

Conveniently Forgetting Recent events, Dr. Pangloss?

[ought-six]

"...but we control the agenda and we can bring forward only the bills we want to make us look good."

Are you on drugs? The Pubbies surrendered control of the agenda to the Dims some time ago, especially in the Senate. The Pubbie senate leadership is an utter embarrassment.

[El Gato]

Bush asked for a clean bill. Period.

Not quite, he asked that no amendments be passed that would delay passage. Now that those amendment have been added, and assuming the amended bill passes the Senate, he will likely press for passage of the bill as is, rather than delay it. A nice convienient vehicle for the AWB that he said before the 2000 elections and repeatedly since through his spokespersons that he want's to sign.

[griffin]

I thought Hatch said this topic would never get to a vote on the senate floor.

(sarcasm=on)
Nice.
(sarcasm=off), (anger=on)

[Big Mack]

What diff will it make who picks the "supreems"? seems like some of the worst smelling ones were nominated by Repub presidents.