"If We Cannot Have Her, No One Will Have Her"

bodysong

Literotica Guru
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Posts
7,261
"If We Cannot Have Her, No One Will Have Her"


Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in his latest move to seize power by dismantling the chamber’s centuries-old safeguards, was about to push through another vote to break another rule.

Vice President Aaron Burr started “it” — the Senate tradition of unlimited debate, that is. That tradition has prevailed, more or less, in the Senate since 1806. Over that time, senators had the right to delay votes on presidential nominees they found objectionable. But McConnell undid 213 years of history in 33 minutes on Wednesday afternoon, holding a party-line vote to rewrite the rules of debate.

Both sides have chipped away at this right to filibuster in recent years. Democrats restricted it for circuit-court judges in 2013 (a move that, I wrote at the time, they would come to "deeply regret"), and McConnell's Republicans restricted it for Supreme Court justices in 2017. But McConnell has now significantly escalated, reducing the right to delay consideration of judicial or low-level executive nominees to two hours from the current 30. It's clearly just a matter of time — a few years, perhaps — until this leads to the complete abolition of the filibuster for everything, including legislation. This will further destabilize a federal government that has suffered many such blows during the past two years.


And McConnell took this extraordinary step — the "nuclear option," as it is known — on the mundane matter of confirming an assistant secretary of commerce who had no opposition.


He did it even though the Senate has confirmed more appellate-level judges for Trump than for any president during his first two years in office going back to at least Harry S. Truman.

McConnell rose to blame his victims. He sat on the Garland nomination for a year, he said, because he knew "for absolute certainty" that Democrats would have done the same. And he's taking away the filibuster because Democrats made him.

Mitch McConnell assured his Republican colleagues that "I don't think anybody ought to be seized with guilt over any institutional damage being done to the United States Senate."

McConnell then read out a 42-word parliamentary maneuver that jettisoned 213 years of wisdom.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin..._story.html?tid=pm_opinions_pop&noredirect=on

https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2019/04/04/dana-milbank-mitch/
 
Elizabeth Warren Silenced By Senate For Reading Coretta Scott King Letter Against Sessions

Feb 8, 2017

"I've been red-carded," Warren told Rachel Maddow after the extraordinary incident. "I'm out of the game on the Senate floor. I don't get to speak at all."

Warren was speaking against Sessions's nomination

"Mr. Sessions has used the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens in the district he now seeks to serve as a federal judge. This simply cannot be allowed to happen."

Warren also quoted the late Senator Edward Kennedy’s comment from that 1986 debate, which resulted in Sessions's disqualification: "He is, I believe, a disgrace to the Justice Department and he should withdraw his nomination and resign his position."

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, objected to Warren's comments, citing the Senate rule against “impugning the motives” of a fellow senator. (The rule prohibits any senator from "directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute to another senator or to other senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a senator.") Warren countered that she was merely quoting the views of others, and pointed out that Sessions was not even a senator when the observations were made.

After a 49-43 vote along partisan lines, Warren was formally prohibited from participating in any further debate of the Sessions nomination. "Senator Warren was giving a lengthy speech,” McConnell said. “She had appeared to violate the rule. She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted."

"I am surprised that the words of Coretta Scott King are not suitable for debate in the United States Senate,” Warren said after McConnell’s motion.

http://gothamist.com/2017/02/08/elizabeth_warren_silenced_senate.php
 
Duckworth, (Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) before entering the Capitol on Thursday, thanked her colleagues for the support in changing the rules.

“It feels great,” she said. “It’s about time.”

She had already picked out a miniature aqua green jacket for Maile so she “doesn’t violate the Senate floor dress code.”

“Not sure what the policy is on duckling onesies, but I think we’re ready,” Duckworth tweeted Thursday.

4/19/2018 8:12:02 PM

Times are changing on Capitol Hill, where for the first time in history on Thursday, an infant was permitted on the Senate floor.

At least Maile Bowlsbey, newborn daughter of Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., didn’t ignore the dress code.

“She’s wearing a blazer!” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., exclaimed as Duckworth arrived, 10-day-old Maile in her arms, to vote against President Trump’s nominee for NASA administrator.

The decision to allow Maile’s presence on the floor this week – blazer or no blazer – was the latest sign that the Senate’s increasing share of female members is pushing the institution to reconsider some of its conventions. But while the baby ban collapsed without a fight, it’s unclear whether other traditions can be felled so easily.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powe...1ea160-43e0-11e8-ad8f-27a8c409298b_story.html

The baby wore a blazer, the women are required to wear blazers or suit coats, but the Tea-publicans and Freeom Caucus are free to strip down to shirt sleeves.
 
Aaron Rupar Verified Account
@atrupar

After @RepDebDingell -- speaking on behalf of Violence Against Women Act reauthorization -- urges members to "not let the NRA bully you," Republicans shout her down. "You know what? You can't shout down a woman!" she says.

9:21 AM - 4 Apr 2019

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2...a-house-passes-updated-violence-against-women

NPR
NPR Verified Account
@NPR
JUST IN: The House approved legislation renewing the Violence Against Women Act with new provisions that restrict gun laws and expand transgender rights.

9:41 AM - 4 Apr 2019


House Passes Bill Protecting Domestic Abuse Victims; GOP Split Over Gun Restrictions

Most House Republicans opposed the renewal of the 1994 law, in part because it would restrict gun rights for individuals convicted of misdemeanor domestic abuse and stalking charges.

NPR

NPR @NPR
 
Back
Top