SENATE ESTRADA FILIBUSTER (Live Thread)

[RobFromGa]

Senate Takes Up Estrada again-- 930am EST

Up Now...

C-SPAN2 Internet Link

[PhiKapMom]

Work out of the house for the most part and usually have the Senate on the in the background on CSPAN. Started noticing shortly after Hillary was elected and Senators like the Widow Carnahan, Murry and others started stopping by Hillary and should would nod and then they would vote -- didn't take long to figure out they were stopping by her to see how to vote.

Then I noticed Sen Breaux coming down the aisle more and more with Republicans. Very seldom have I seen in on the floor of the Senate hear her. Doubt if he would cross the aisle but Senator Breaux has been a long time friend of the Bush Family. I put Breaux in the same category as Sam Nunn and David Boren, two former Senators, who would cross the aisle to vote with Repubicans.

In fact David Boren was right there in the fight to confirm Thomas and retired early from the Senate when Clinton was in power for a short time! Boren also called the first night of Monica for clinton to resign! He is our President at the University of Oklahoma and ran Anita Hill off from the OU Law School!

People like Breaux, Nunn, and Boren are examples of Democrats that I could disagree with but still respect! Not many left in the Senate and after Miller goes, there will be one less.

The Democrat Party has totally become Clintonized!

[hardhead]

Wouldn't it be great to have a street-fighter like Rove as head of the RNC?

[hoosiermama]

Thanks for the information. Am going to have to be gone again today. Will check back in in twelve hour. Boo

I hope I miss really good things and that we have a new judge by then. However, really expect at least one all nighter.

Please 'ping' me to any juicy tidbits during the day. I'll catch up later.

[Mo1]

Bork was Solicitor General during Watergate. At the Saturday Night Massacre, after AG Richardson and Deputy AG Ruckelshaus resigned rather than carry out Nixon's order to fire Archibald Cox, SG Bork became acting AG and fired Cox. A picture of him with his beard appeared on the front pages of the papers -- first time I remember hearing his name or seeing his face.

Thanks for that info .. I don't have a lot of knowledge of the watergate days except of what I've read. I was in 3 grade when that all hit the fan.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

PhiKapMom, I think this is the procedural situation:

The Senate rules allow unlimited debate on any matter. The agreed upon manner for drawing debate to a close is a cloute vote. Cloture coming from a word meaning "to close." The side seeking to continue debate through filibuster must retain control of the floor. On the other hand, the side fighting the filibuster will seek any procedural advantage to bring the matter to a vote.

My knowledge of Senate rules is rusty, however, the quorum call can be used as a shield or a sword. The suggestion of an absense of a quorum is a procedural matter not subject to debate. Once suggested, the clerk calls the role. Only when a senator gets UC that the vote be suspended will the vote be stopped.

When the quorum call is used to stall or get a Senator to the floor for a debate or presentation, the procedure is a form of shield, buying time until the Senator arrives. In a filibuster, the quorum call can be used as a sword. If not enough GOP senators are nearby, the Democrats could use the quorum call to get an adjournment so their side can get some rest. If not enough Democratic senators are nearby, the GOP can use the quorum call to bring the matter being filibustered to an early vote.

As a result, the quorum call in a filibuster is a device to gauge the discipline of each side. That's the reason why in the historic filibusters of the past, senators brought cots and such to the capitol. In a real sense it becomes a war of attrition. At this point, Frist was merely gauging the strength of his opposition. It will cause the Democrats to have to keep their troops on the ready day or night.

Look to see these quorum calls late into the night for some time. I would imagine that Frist, et al will slowly ratchet up the pressure as the days go by.

When war starts in Iraq, the pressure will become even more intense. I can picture staffs having to call Dem Senator Foghorn out of bed with his mistress at 3:00 am. That could begin to irritate the Senator and make him question the wisdom of the Dem leadership. That might peal away a couple of senators.

[Miss Marple]

Good morning! I am assuming that the system is slow for everyone today. I also have seen a few disrupters. I think we are under Rat attack.

Anyway, I have a few suggestions for the live thread today if the system is slow.

We should avoid pictures and graphics for those who have slow dial-up systems.

Also, I think we should try to stagger who reports on what each Senator says. I will take a couple of Rats as a public service to the forum, and others can transcribe some of the Republicans. That way we won't all be posting duplicate information on what Hatch says, for example.

This might not be necessary as they may get the system back up to speed before noon, but if it is necessary I thought this might help. Do you guys think this is an ok plan? Let me know.

[TJC]

Thanks

[PhiKapMom]

Sometime during the President's speech, the Republicans led by Sen Hatch took over the Senate floor.

In the process of asking a question of Senator Hatch, Durbin waved around papers he said had been released by DOJ from the Solicitor General's office. Turned out those were illegal papers dating back to Watergate and had to do with Bork. Naturally we all immediately think Hillary who worked for Archibald Cox.

Senator Frist then started calling for a Quorum Call and when a Quorum wasn't present did the customary Sgt of Arms call for Senators to come in for a vote. He tried to get a vote and Daschle objected. After this went back and forth Senator Frist said Senators would be speaking followed by Sessions giving a wonderful presentation of the facts and then Lindsey Graham. Then Sen Frist came back to the floor took care of morning business and proceeded to go on the attack reading letters into the Congressional record.

It looks like Sen Frist fired the shot across the bow that RATs cannot rest because they do not know when he will call the Senate back in session.

Earlier in the evening Leahy said that Estrada was rich and didn't need the job of Judge which could be filled by someone else who needed a job. Guess that means Hispanics who make a success of themselves are not wanted for Government jobs!

Short synopsis!

[aristeides]

And they speak no French there....

Have you ever heard the dialect spoken in the Valle d'Aosta?

[PhiKapMom]

Think I am going to keep a running detail of important things that go on when the Senate returns and then do a synopsis so I don't have to go back and figure out what happened. My yellow legal pad is right beside me and this time I am using it.

Will definitely ping you!

[aristeides]

Good and decent people- liberals and conservatives will be forever barred from the judiciary. The big "losers" (of course---as usual) will be the American people.

I don't think that's what the result will be. I think what will happen is that recess appointments will become the normal way to appoint federal judges. Thus, there will be de facto term limits on those judges. I'm not so sure that's a bad idea.

[aristeides]

I sometimes think the Clintons are Republican moles within the DemocRAT Party. From their effects, they might as well be.

[PhiKapMom]

We should avoid pictures and graphics for those who have slow dial-up systems.

Absolutely -- this is slower than mollases today and I have a cable modem. I like your idea of switching off reporting on the Senator speaking and giving a synopsis of what was said hitting the key points.

Makes a difference if the system is running normally but this is slow this morning!

RAT disruptors seem to be everywhere I have been this morning!

[Howlin]

Earlier in the evening Leahy said that Estrada was rich and didn't need the job of Judge which could be filled by someone else who needed a job.

No kidding??

I will start a new thread shortly -- it may not help, but, hey, this one is LONG!

[PhiKapMom]

LOL!!!!!!!! Moles in the RAT Party! I love it!

[nina0113]

Can you post those Senate phone numbers again? I couldn't call yesterday because I work on a helpdesk & couldn't be logged out that long but today I'm home sick.

[PhiKapMom]

GREAT IDEA! New thread works for me!

I have requested a copy of Leahy's comments so hope I can get them up. It was unbelieveable!

[woodyinscc]

Good morning!

Is FR having problems this morn? It took me 5 tries to get
the URL. I have cable and it is usually wham bam!

[PhiKapMom]

Good Morning back at you!

FR is running very, very slow this morning! I have a cable modem as well.

[freebilly]

Have you ever heard the dialect spoken in the Valle d'Aosta?

You're about to say the "F" word, aren't you?