Thursday, September 20, 2007

The Senate, in Action

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First, I want to thank my Beltway readers for following the discussion on this Blog -- I think the Valley has had some effect on the residents in the 69 miles. Is that why I'm gleeful? Keep reading.

It started earlier today, when Revolutionary Jimmy (the guy who likes Chavez and Castro) complained about the Senate not having enough votes on the Webb Amendment, and also voting to chastise Moveon.org for the General "Betray Us" Ad.

I explained to him regarding the Webb Amendment, the Senate Democrats opened the door when, as the Minority Party, decided to block President Bush's Judicial nominees by filibuster. When the GOP found itself as a minority party, they used the same rules against the Majority Democrats. If you don't want your policy decided by the Minority, don't open the door by blocking EVERY majority issue when the positions are reversed.

And regarding the Moveon ad votes (i.e. the Cornyn Amendment), I can thank all the Beltway Readers for giving the Democrats their first "Goldwater to Nixon" moment since the Sister Souljah moment in 1992.

The best way to fix the Senate impasse of 60 votes is simple: Allow a majority vote on all of President Bush's Judicial nominees, and never threaten to filibuster a President's prerogative to pick his people. It will be easier then finding 60 votes. Remember, even if the GOP does not win the Senate next year, all they need is 41 votes. Fix it now, and that number will not haunt the next Senate Majority.

13 comments:

  1. OMG this goldwater obsession of yours is like nails on a freakin' chalkboard. In perspective, none of your examples of a goldwater moment have come anywhere close to the level of severity of the original. Sister Souljah? Clinton's blowjob? Senator Gloryhole Craig? A newspaper ad? How do you compare such petty bullshit to a presidential ordered break in to the opposition party's offices and the destruction of evidence and still expect people to take you seriously? Where was the Goldwater moment over serious stuff like Iran/Contra or Cheney's energy Task Force or the Plame treason or any of Clinton's various fundraising scandals? An arch-conservative like Goldwater would be turning in his grave if he knew that his name was being dragged about in reference to such tabloid level trash politics.

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  2. The passage of the Cornyn Amdt demonstrates the ability of the Senate to adhere to Vice President Burr's admonishment to not allow the frenzy expressed by partisans from infecting the Senate because, when the House succumbs to the effects of the disorder caused by frenzy it falls to the Senate to mollify them.

    The Webb Amdt illustrates the increasing rift between moderates on both sets of the aisle, independents and the core of both parties.

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  3. Jason,

    The trend of the last few posts are how Democrats do not allow dissent within the party (i.e. Rep. Baird, Senator Lieberman); The Goldwater moments are about policing your side when it goes over the line. Tell me, when Bill Maher wishes Republicans dead, what Democrat is going to say "That is wrong," None.

    Every time a Republican Partisan, elected official, etc. says something that is offensive, Republicans do mea culpas for at least a month.

    When I was a Dem, there were no Democratic mea culpas. Since I've been a Republican (1992), there have been no Democratic mea culpas.

    This vote was the first Democratic party mea culpa since the Sister Souljah moment. The vote is a push for diversity of opinion within the Democratic party.

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  4. Everything in its own time. This is kind of interesting actually. I mean, one doesn't really think about politics in this context. I think that the senate has lost its collective mind. I think the state of society has really gone downhill and it's concerning.

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  5. JSF, as I've said before many times, this is all just masturbation. Shouldn't we be more concerned with what our elected officials DO than what private citizens and organizations SAY? All this hullaballoo over people saying things that offend the other side is just a stupid distraction. Until our government has fixed every problem facing our country, I don't want a single penny of my tax dollars wasted by these public employees getting involved in what other people are SAYING. Besides, there are plenty of bloggers like us on every side who are more than willing to point our fingers and bring attention to anything that we consider to be severe douchebaggery happening on the other side.

    Speaking of the actions of our Senators, I am deferring to your expertise on various parliamentary procedures back on my blog in regards to anonymously blocking legislation.

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  6. Jason,

    It might be....Undertand this, the next time Ann Coulter or any other GOP partisan, operative or elected official makes a mistake when speaking, then I don't want to hear how the GOP must give a Mea Culpa.

    The Democrats made words part of the political Battlefield (i.e. Political Correctness); The GOP just returned the favor after decades of being called fascists, nazis, etc, and no Democrat ever says that's wrong.

    When I lived in Political Washington, History was real. Wounds of the past are always fresh (Some people are still arguing about the 1968 primaries). How long can Democrats continue to go over the line with the GOP and not expect a reaction?

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  7. The condition of the Senate since the election last November, has become reminiscent of the Nikolić -Arsović match the 1989 Belgrade tournament that lasted 269 moves before being drawn.

    Given the nature of the majority held by the Democrats in the Senate I doubt any progress will be made before the conclusion of the 110th Congress unless either the Majority Leader, Minority Leader or the President overreaches breaking the deadlock by alienating the centrists and independents.

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  8. JSF, "makes a mistake when speaking?" Don't make excuses for douchebaggery. I'm the first liberal to bash political correctness. I thought it was oppressive back when I first heard about it on campus in the 90s, and all these years later I still think it's a bunch of BS. What boggles my mind is your willingness to continue to make excuses for behavior that you know to be beneath you.

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  9. Jason,

    It might be beneath me, but no Democrat says "This Douchebaggery is wrong," Again, I cite how Senator Lieberman and Rep. Baird was treated.

    If the Democratic party, their partisans, operatives, et. al. learn to say Mea Culpa more often, I might shut up about the issue.

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  10. The course that the comments have taken raised two questions in my mind.

    1. Can the preinciple of transference that is the foundation of Locard's Exchange Theory be applied metaphysically to politicians as a reult of their interactions and exchanges?

    2 If so could it be argued in a metaphysical sense that the moderates, centrists and independents could be construed as metaphysical examplars of the validity of transference on the basis of their position on the political spectrum?

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  11. JSF, you make my point exactly. Rather than rising above which you know would be the right thing to do, you use the excuse that the other guys have to rise above first. Wouldn't you rather be a leader than a follower?

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  12. Jason,

    The question about that ideal will lead off on a post sometime this week.

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  13. If you wrap it in partisanship, I'm not gonna like it :)

    ReplyDelete

Welcome to the Valley! Please comment about the post and keep to the subject.

There is only one person (JSF) keeping track of comments, so as long as what you write is civil and close to the purpose of the post, you will see it.

Keep this in mind: Politics should not be Personal; then you have a place here.

Write! History will remember your words!

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