Reid to Keep Senate in Session to Prevent Recess Appointments

Roll Call ^ | 16 Nov 07 | Erin P. Billings

[seanmerc]

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has decided to keep the chamber in session over the Thanksgiving break to block President Bush from making any unsavory recess appointments while Senators are out of town.

[janereinheimer]

Wouldn’t he need a quorum? I mean, can he say that the Senate is in session if a quorum isn’t present? If that’s the case, I think the Senators ought to go on home and be with their families on Thanksgiving Day.

Bush’s possible — or not— appointments are going to be all that earth shattering. It’s only a year until election day anyway. Then we’re going to see big turnovers, I think. Or I hope. Is Harry Reid up for re-election in 2008?

[Bitsy]

Bush should just let Reid know that, if Reid does this, Bush is prepared to call a special session of Congress to keep them in session all the way through January 2009

Man, wouldn’t that be a kick?

[maine-iac7]

I think we should see her attendance record for the last year

[maine-iac7]

I love those "without debate"s - if you try this farce, you'll have to follow the rules, harry, NO DEBATE

[ZULU]

Well, SOME districts will have something to be happy about. Their COngresscritter will not be polluting the local atmosphere with his odious presence.

Methinks Lord Harry Reid of the House of Lords is a bit concerned. Too bad!!!

[uncbob]

ROFL! Could that work? Could Cheney call one and then declare the Senate adjurned de facto when no one shows?

Isn't he the president of the senate

[Fresh Wind]

I’m sure Reid vigorously opposed Clinton’s recess appointments too.

[Jean S]

Reid is a tiny little man with way too much power. Since when is a constitutional action “unsavory”?

[montag813]

Bush can just laugh, and then do it over Christmas.

[deport]

I’m sure Reid vigorously opposed Clinton’s recess appointments too.

---

I think President Clinton had better cooperation from the Senate and got a lot of his appointees confirmed.....

The Numbers so far of recess appts:

President George HW Bush --  167
President William Clinton -- 139
President George W Bush  --  171 [through June 4, 2007]

[shield]

Actually, we need a chicken poooing...that’d say it perfectly.....

[Christian4Bush]

Bush’s possible — or not— appointments are going to be all that earth shattering. It’s only a year until election day anyway. Then we’re going to see big turnovers, I think. Or I hope. Is Harry Reid up for re-election in 2008?

2010

[bbruit]

“pro forma session - A brief meeting (sometimes only several seconds) of the Senate in which no business is conducted. It is held usually to satisfy the constitutional obligation that neither chamber can adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other.”

http://www.senate.gov/reference/glossary_term/pro_forma_session.htm

[STARWISE]

He's such a

And I'll eat part of ole crusty if she's within 15 miles of a kitchen.

[Carry_Okie]

Quorum calls, seven days a week.

That'll go over big in campaign season.

[EODGUY]

“4. Whenever upon such roll call it shall be ascertained
that a quorum is not present, a majority of the Senators
present may direct the Sergeant at Arms to request, and,
when necessary, to compel the attendance of the absent
Senators, which order shall be determined without debate;
and pending its execution, and until a quorum shall be
present, no debate nor motion, except to adjourn, or to recess pursuant to a previous order entered by unanimous
consent, shall be in order.”

OK. Let’s say President Bush notifies that little punk Reid that he is going to make recess appointments.....not idenfying anyone by name. Dingy scrambes his staff and the Sergeant at Arms and summons the troops back to the Capitol. Meanwhile, as soon as President Bush hangs up the phone after notifying Reid of the recess appointments, he boards Air Force One and heads for Crawford. Once the senate has finally returned to Washington, President Bush may just decide not to make any appointments and not notify Reid.

Perhaps the same thing might occur over the Christmas break, but Air Force One may head to Crawford without the President on board in the event members of the senate turn off their pagers to prevent being recalled to Washington.

Of course, with a few exceptions, the administration could make its intentions known to the Republican members of the senate. The possibilities are endless.

Reid has to remember that if you want to play games, remember who owns the ball.

EODGUY

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Let’s see if I’ve got it right. President Bush will be in Crawford celebrating Thanksgiving with his family and friends, while Reid will be in Washington D.C. celebrating nothing and being with no one. And Reid's colleagues will be doing the same. Reid is lower than whale sh*t at the bottom of the ocean.

[xtinct]

Get the net!!! ... Harry Reid is insane.

[clintonh8r]

10-to-1 it doesn’t happen

[glock rocks]

Looking at Thanksgiving as a holiday... it’s in reverence to the Almighty in the personal sense, and a national holiday in reverence to the Almighty for our republic...

Neither would fit into the mindset of the left, so no big surprise.