Republicans Block Start of Debate on Financial Bill

[Elmore Furth]

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked an effort by Democrats to start debate on legislation to tighten regulation of the nation’s financial system, and the two sides traded bitter accusations about who was standing in the way of a bipartisan agreement.

The majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, asked Republicans to agree to begin debating the measure, which would impose a sweeping regulatory framework on Wall Street and big financial institutions. But the Republican leader, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, objected, saying Democrats were pre-empting negotiations to reach a deal.

In response, Mr. Reid said he would call the first procedural vote on Monday in an effort to stop the Republican filibuster. That vote could test Republican resolve to oppose the measure in an election year, amid public dismay over big Wall Street profits and bonuses even as unemployment remains high.

At the Capitol, Senate Democratic leaders stepped up pressure on Republicans, and at an unusual news conference, they showed video clips of Republican leaders leveling what the Democrats said were false criticisms of the bill.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/business/economy/23regulate.html?hp

[JuniperLea]

1. Continued darkness through the night...

With scattered light in the morning hours.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. yep. y aaaaaaaaaaa wwwwwwwwwww nnnnnnnnnnnn

[emulatorloo]

3. Glad to hear the Dems are calling them out on.

[nyy1998]

4. Agreed, it's nearly impossible for the Republicans to win this battle

[deacon]

7. And it's a realllllllly dumb fight to pick. Voter anger is about Wall Street as

shown in the election of scott brown. brown getting elected was about the way health care was being debated in congress and Wall Street.

[SpiralHawk]

5. "More tax cuts for rich republicons." - Rush DraftDodger Limbaugh (R)

[Jefferson23]

6. Where are the Tea Baggers??

[sfwriter]

11. Protesting financial reform...

They hate banks you see and want no more bailouts so they want to keep teh system that led to the bailouts...

http://wpln.org/?p=16814

[brentspeak]

8. Check out this bit of editorializing, masquerading as journalism, within the article:

The bellicose stance by Democrats, even as Republicans insist they are hopeful of a bipartisan deal, carries some political risk. Voters, often frustrated by the acrimony in Washington, could decide that Democrats, who control Congress and the White House, are being arrogant by refusing to make concessions.

And Mr. McConnell, in his floor speech, said it was the Democrats who had not been honest with the American public.

Oh, yeah, sure -- the American people really want the Democrats to make "concessions" when regulating the same Wall Street that destroyed so many Americans' lives. Bull. Crap.

[Historic NY]

10. Bellicose.. the GOP hasn't found a concession beyond NO that they like.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

12. David M. Herszenhorn

Adding to list.

[TomCADem]

9. Wait, Republicans Want More Backroom Dealmaking, Rather Than Open Debate?

WTF?

What happened to all the calls for transparency during the HCR debate, and the complaints about backroom deals? Now, the Republicans are threatening to filibuster unless there are more backroom negotiations?