It's time Republicans learned to play hardball (Strom Thurmond filibustered for 24 hours)

townhall ^ | February 26, 2003 | Linda Chavez

[patriciaruth]

waiting for an answer

I suspect you'll get your answer when the "go-no go" decision for the war with Saddam is given. Right now, that is dependent whether Turkey forces us to Plan B or allows us to go with Plan A.

[TLBSHOW]

bttt

[A Citizen Reporter]

Deport,

In how many notes can you name this tune? (You even get dueling songs!)

A) Frist is caving to the Rats.

B) Bush (Powell) is caving to the Turks.

[justshe]

If I understand the 'rules' correctly, we aren't in an ACTUAL filibuster yet. What we have at the moment is an 'open debate', which is why you see the Senate conducting other business, switching off between the Dems and the Republicans, recessing, and going home at night. A true filibuster would involve one party speaking continuously and refusing to yield the floor to the other party.

Every time....and it has to be up to 10 times now...Frist calls for a vote on the nomination, the Dems object (essentially saying they want more debate).

Now....Frist can call for cloture (close off the debate).

In order to do this the following must happen:

1. Wait two days after a filibuster begins.

2. Obtain sixteen signatures on a motion to invoke cloture.

3. Wait another two days before the Senate can vote on cloture.

4. Make sure that three-fifths of the Senate (sixty Senators) vote to end debate.

5. Endure an additional thirty hours of debate before the final roll call vote on cloture.

It's those pesky 60 votes we are seeking at this point.

[TLBSHOW]

Democrats say they will filibuster until they get more information from the nominee about his legal views. Democrats have complained that Estrada is a stealth nominee who refuses to state his positions on issues that are likely to face the court.

Republicans have long considered that a bluff and Tuesday they called it, offering to compile a written list of additional questions from both parties to pose to the nominee.

"I will work toward getting answers to any reasonable list of questions that can be worked out on both sides of the aisle," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.On Wednesday, Bush repeated the offer, saying he would make

Estrada available to any senator who had questions despite what he called a "double standard" placed on the nominee.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,79594,00.html

[justshe]

Shoot.....gave away the answer by posting to an earlier post! :-(

Sorry...but you KNOW he wouldn't have answered anyway. He's allergic to questions.

[justshe]

Most dishonest on either your part or the part of the reporter, TLB.

I watched the interaction where Frist offered to submit a list of questions (agreed to by both parties). The Dems refused it....which is EXACTLY what Frist knew they would do.

It was just another way to show how obstructive the Dems are while the Republicans are making every effort to cooperate. It was a made for TV news cycle moment. And Frist played his hand beautifully.

[I Am Not A Mod]

Free Republic Highlights, 2/28/03

[William McKinley]

The problem with that is that, while being a made for TV moment, it didn't show up much on TV. I watch a lot of news, and I still have not seen it.

[Cate]

time for us to gear up and email, write, phone call over the weekend. We can keep the heat on them! I've started this morning sending emails to some of our favorites.

[TLBSHOW]

bttt

[TLBSHOW]

What time does the Senate start today?

[deport]

Shoot.....gave away the answer by posting to an earlier post! :-(

---

No not really as I was asking the 'gifted one' just how he was going to force the dems to debate when they don't have to? As long as they have 41 votes they don't have to do anything more than keep someone available to offer objections to unanimous request. The 24/7 debate tactic is when they don't have enough votes to kill a cloture vote thus they will talk it to death or try. But right now they can kill a cloture vote.... so no need to talk 24/7 and no need to agree to a vote unless they so choose.

But the 'gifted one' keeps saying make them talk. All I'm asking him is how do you do it? So far he's unable to formulate a coherent thought as to how it's done. He needs a cut/paste answer and he hasn't found one yet, it seems.

[TLBSHOW]

when do they start todays session?

[deport]

Does it start today? I don't think so. So you'll have to wait until noon on Monday, Mar. 3 before it's back in session.

Maybe by then you can have a method to keep the dems on the floor talking 24/7. If so maybe you can fax it to Sen. Frist. He'd appreciate it I'm sure.

[TLBSHOW]

Nothing today? Another holiday.........

[cynicom]

TLB...Boy are you politically devoid....

Ole Bill Frist, "Bushs man in the Senate", has got a grand strategy going here whereby he is outfoxing the dems. Any day now, Ole Bill will spring his trap, and, zap the dems will be defeated. Ole Bill is going to whip the Senate into shape any day now.

Just be patient, you just are not capable of grasping this grande maneuver that Bill is pulling off here.

[woofie]

Dick(Cheney) and I were talking about all this and he suggested TLB might be the right man to run the Senate for a while ....do you agree?

[ACAC]

You are wrong. Just because Frist forces the Dems to stay in session all night is not going to change any votes. It would actually backfire and make the Dems dig in even more.

[TLBSHOW]

LOL