Frist Rescinds Recess Threat, Will Allow Senate Full Week Off

Roll Call ^ | 2/13/03 | Paul Kane

[PhiKapMom]

Will you and the rest stop this sniping at Republicans and Frist -- you don't know what you are talking about when it comes to politics. First sign of a problem and all of you jump! Talk about backbone -- get some backbone on here!!

[G Larry]

Naw....let the Dem's continue to mess in their rice bowl.

Wait until they see the heat they get on the Sunday a.m. talk shows....(ya! even the 4 lib networks.)

[cynicom]

Phi...

Glad to see that as usual you and you alone have all the answers. Other than that, you have nothing to offer as does Frist.

[TLBSHOW]

The back bone would be to not allow the rats a week off. Again I say pathetic!

[cynicom]

TLB....Some here are unable to comprehend the fact that this a "conservative forum", not a republican cheerleading group. Politics is not their forte.

[PhiKapMom]

Howlin -- this one is for you!

TLBSHOW -- You have stepped over the line -- I have been avoiding your posts for sometime now but this latest attack on the Republicans as liberals does it! You have about the least amount of political savvy that I have ever witnessed on here. This is not a full fleged filibuster and they will not be forced to do that until after the recess. Mitch McConnell has not returned from his surgery or has that fact escaped you. You have proved once and for all that you are not with Republicans so in the future do us all a favor and not try to be one of us. You have just outed yourself once again on this thread by calling Republicans liberals.

[Cousin Eddie]

This is absolutely correct. Between McConnell and the other senator who's wife is going under the knife (and I don't care what any of you say, I'd leave DC for my wife's operation also), we only have 49 remaining...a tie with the democrats. There is a parliamentary move that could cripple the Estrada process.

OTOH, recessing for a week allows McConnell and the other guy to get back in town, and the Repubs can continue with the debate.

Remember, when you're ahead, sometimes you call timeout to ice the other player by making them think about it (free throws, field goals, etc.).

[TLBSHOW]

Reminds me of being at the super bowl and in the middle of a great one at that and then oops the wives call and the players run off the field. We will be back in a week is heard on the loud speaker! Even Rush came back from a golf game to do work... Any idea what these people get paid per week?

LOL

[onedoug]

The Senate is a pestulant congregation of cowards anyway,
thus it shouldn't surprise anyone that they'd run away...from anything.

[TLBSHOW]

You don't stop a great win in the middle!

[deport]

they are all liberals!

---

And what are you?

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

Eddie, a perfect analogy. This is going to force the Rats to go home and explain to their folks why they are holding up the election of this good man. This is perfect rope-a-dope.

[Wait4Truth]

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!

[LurkerNoMore!]

I'm so glad you're a Freeper! Thanks for the info.

[sam_paine]

good. The less they're there, the less they can screw up!

The definition of Progressive or Liberalism is a radical departure from past principles. As long as they're filibustering or out of town, the NET effect is CONSERVATIVE!!!

[rwfromkansas]

This is the first time I have been disappointed. He has done a bang-up job so far.

I think he should have stayed the course with this threat.

[TLBSHOW]

The nation is in crisis we are about to go to war and you want to gang up on me because people we elected to do a damn job want to go home in the middle of that job.

Not that anything has been done anyways with the rats holding it up, but this is a pathetic thing when we have a chance to slam the rats but good!

Again what are we paying them a week?

[CA Conservative]

Sorry for not noting that the GOP would lose the cloture vote.

Your knowledge of the process is a little off.

First, cloture is the procedure used to end debate. If the Dems are the ones filibustering, the Repubs would be the ones to request a cloture vote. If anyone, Repub or Dem, tried to invoke cloture right now, it would lose. But that really doesn't matter, because you can try to invoke cloture as many times as you like, as long as the filibuster is still proceeding.

Second, if Frist kept the Senate in session, they would all have to be available, unless excused by Frist (both Dems and Repubs.) So the scenario you described could not happen.

Third, in the event someone notes the absence of a quorum, a quorum call is held. If there is not a quorum (a majority of the whole number of senators, or 51 senators), the sergeant at arms would compel the sentaors to attend until a quorum is reached. This can process can include sending police or marshalls to pick up the senators and deliver them to the senate floor. Until a quorum exists, no other business can be considered, except a move to adjourn.

So the most the Dems could do in a situation such as you describe, if a quorum did not exist, would be to move to adjourn the session and go home for the week. They could not file and vote on a cloture motion (the motion has to be filed 2 days before the vote anyway.)

[rwfromkansas]

While this is the first disappointing act by Frist; he has done a wonderful job so far, I think we should consider the possibility that the Republicans wanted the time off and asked Frist to let them have it despite the horrible RAT behavior. It is possible.

[mombonn]

ALL -- Send the RATs back to their States and let the Hispanics get their shot at them.

LOL, Michael Barone just said the same thing at the end of Special Report. You are a step ahead, PKM!