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SENATE ESTRADA FILIBUSTER (Live Thread)
Posted on 02/26/2003 6:33:24 AM PST by RobFromGa
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To: TJC
All I Know is that in california only an agendized item can be acted upon except in an emergency.
Sounds to me like they cleared the board of all other agenda Items so that the dems could not state that the senate was not doing all their work.
the agenda is set by the Republicans, so they will put a few items at the end of the agenda to vote on after they have worn out the dems each day.
I am an appointed commissioner (Republican) in Sonoma County, and a rare one at that
To: steelie
late night bump ...... to read this behemoth in the morning!
To: RightField
To: Balata
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the last thing said by Frist that they were going 'to adjourn into executive session until noon' and since there was no one there to object, they would essentially be in continous session until noon at which time the next order of business was Estrada? I think the last moments of the session involved Frist disposing of "non-controversial" business (i.e., without Dem objection), things that needed to get done. He then obtained agreement by unanimous consent [UC] to stand in adjournment until noon, at which time the Senate will resume debate on the Estrada nomination. Typically the party leaders have already agreed upon these non-controversial things off the floor. Moving them by UC is standard procedure.
Regarding there being no one to object, I'm not sure that was true. Both parties usually keep at least one senator as a sentry during major debates like this in case a senator of the other party brings something not previously agreed upon for approval under UC. After one surprise tonight, even the Dems wouldn't be foolish enough to not leave a sentry. Frist definitely surprised the other side with the quorum call, which he brought about with a motion to vote. I don't know which Dem was there as sentry but s/he probably objected. The quorum call thus ensued and the Dems were roused from their slumber. Quorum calls are usually stalling tactics, part of the collegiality of the Senate; tonight's was used as a counterattack. That's the beauty of the Frist surprise: Dems are using the rules of unlimited debate absent cloture to try to prevent a vote, so the GOP has answered by using the rules requiring a quorum.
To: freebilly
"I've got a son there, now. He's a linebacker on the football team. Go Bulldogs!"
Cool! I was the second generation in my family to go there and my high school age daughter is interested too :).
To: PhiKapMom
Was Phi Beta Kappa at Redlands...from your screen name, perhaps you are a fellow member? :)
Redlands is a beautiful town. I had an internship at the Kimberly Crest chateau (owned by the Kimberlys of Kimberly-Clark) that was a treat. What a gorgeous place to spend so much time.
Can't believe this thread has gone over 2000! I am sure looking forward to seeing what unfolds.
To: PhiKapMom; Havoc
What are the consequences for the dems having illegal, leaked documents from the Bork nomination? If proven true.
To: RobFromGa
Pffft.
They caved once it started snowing.
The GOP isn't going to fight a real fight. I'll believe it once they force the filibuster to be a real one....24/7!
To: Tex_GOP_Cruz
Thanks for your response. I just got the tail end of this tonight and it sounded very interesting.
It seems the Dems want people to think the R's, especially the Exec. branch, aren't cooperating because they're not releasing Estrada's notes. The R's OTOH, are going to make sure everyone knows it's the fillibuster by the D's that is bringing everything to a screeching halt.
The D's are going to go down kicking and screaming. They can't accept the fact they lost the election.
To: woodyinscc
The irony for the Dems is that they didn't nominate a Hispanic nor would they for the same reason that will never pass their lips. Most Latinos are Catholic and that equal pro-life and therefore unacceptable and the very reason that NARAL jumped on it when they discovered that his nomination was heading for the Senate floor. So much hot air about the party of equal access for ethnic and religious consideration.
To: Slyfox
Oh, that was mean. I could've done without the Hildebeast pic.
Ugh--her "speeches" have been soooooo embarrassing.
To: lawnguy
This is Wahar!
Or, as Sam Nunn used to say, Woh!
Or, as Troy Aikman used to say, it's time to "git rel"
To: MamaLucci
"dems taken by surprise"
Maybe they believed all that disinformation about closing up shop because of the snow, etc.
To: RobFromGa
Frist did the rollcall to establish that there was no quorum. Under the rules, if there is no quorum, then no business EXCEPT a motion for adjournment can be conducted until there is a quorum.
To: Torie
Filibusters are a totally pointless exercise.
Fighting filibusters requires going through totally pointless exercises.
To: sinkspur
I gotta believe the Repubilcans have a plan and they will carefully execute it.
The rules are complicated enough that it's probably not a good idea to jump to conclusions that the Republicans are caving when, as our discussion here has shown, we really don't understand very well what the rules are.
Without having a real grasp of the rules, I'd say we're not in a good position to judge tactics just yet.
My sense is that the Pubs are taking it to the Rats and will keep on until they win.
To: McGavin999
Absolutely. This was a warning shot, pure and simple.
To: Torie
The quorum call wasn't silly. It keeps the Rats from getting one over on the Republicans by adjourning the Senate for lack of a guorum.
To: wireplay
"We may be seeing a reverse filibuster"
That was my sense also. The Pubs seem to be talking to keep the Rats from taking the floor. The Pubs seem to be laying down the gauntlet and warning the Rats to think very hard about whether they really want to start a filibuster.
To: fightinJAG
Dear friend,
To date over 20,000 supporters of President Bush have signed our petition urging Democrats to end their filibuster of Miguel Estrada. This overwhelming show of support for the President has helped to create awareness among the American people about the Democrats continued obstruction.
Our Republican Senators remain steadfast in their determination to make sure that Miguel Estrada's nomination receives a vote before the full Senate. In fact I am certain that many Republican Senators were inspired by President Bush's radio address this past Saturday. In his address the President stated:
I nominated Miguel Estrada for the Court of Appeals because he's a man of talent and character who will be an excellent judge. Yet after 21 months, he still cannot get an up or down vote from the Senate. Democrats are stalling Miguel Estrada's nomination, while they search in vain for a reason to reject him. Some senators who once insisted that every appeals court nominee deserves a vote have abandoned that principle for partisan politics. Their tactics are unfair to the good man I have nominated, and unfaithful to the Senate's own obligations.
I call on the Senate Democratic leadership to stop playing politics, and permit a vote on Miguel Estrada's nomination. Let each Senator vote as he or she thinks best, but give the man a vote.
Let's keep the pressure on the Democrats. Below are three things you can do today to help put an end to this filibuster.
1) Sign our petition. If you have already done so please forward this message and tell others that they can sign our petition by visiting:
http://www.nrsc.org/index.cfm?FuseAction=SignUp.Home&Petition_id=41
2) Let Democrats know that their treatment of Miguel Estrada will not be forgotten. Write to Democrat Senators and let them know that you will be working to see that they are defeated in 2004. To see a list of vulnerable Democrat Senators as well as their contact information please visit:
http://www.nrsc.org/nrscweb/estrada/senators.shtml
3) DONATE TO THE NRSC. Your donation will go to making sure that we have the necessary resources to expand on our Senate Majority in 2004. To make a donation via our secure online server please visit:
https://donate.nrsc.org/index.cfm?mode=account&category_meta_id=349
Thank you for your support of the Republican Party. Together we can make America a better place to live, learn, work and raise our families.
With warm regards, I remain
Gratefully yours,
Senator George Allen
2,060
posted on
02/27/2003 3:39:06 AM PST
by
kcvl
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