Kerry complains of "Roadblock Republicans" but where were "Roadblock Democrats" before 2006?

[yurbud]

Where are the roadblock Democrats NOW?

We desperately needed them to use some of those roadblock tactics and they mostly refused to or put up a half-hearted effort then rolled as they recently did with the Iraq appropriation.

That was my first reaction when I got this John Kerry email:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=293875&mesg_id=293875

Democrats said they were powerless as the minority, and nearly powerless now unless they have the supermajority to over-ride a veto--ignoring the filibuster option or simply never letting the White House or GOP initiatives reach the floor.

How is it the Republicans get to dictate the agenda whether they are the minority or majority party?


We have something like this enshrined in law here in California. Republicans are a permanent minority here, so you think the damage they could do would be limited, but the got a ballot measure passed that requires a supermajority to pass a budget, effectively giving the GOP veto power on the budget even if we have Democratic governor as well as legislature.

How many times to the Democrats have to do this stuff before it looks like they know and are willingly playing the Washington Generals to the GOP Globetrotters?

Democrats in Congress, do your fucking job.

Shit or get off the pot.

[BuyingThyme]

1. kcik

[yurbud]

2. spongebob looks kicked in that pic.

[Terri S]

3. Hear Hear!!! K& R !! n/t

[Robbien]

4. The GOPers allowed no minority rights when they were in power

The Dems in power right now are playing bi-partisanship footsie with GOPers. That was what that whole media campaign was all about. They kept shouting "the voters voted they want bi-partisanship".

[MuseRider]

5. Keeping their powder dry?

Holding their tails between their legs like the cowardly lion?

Peeking out from under the desk to see if the nasty looks were over?

Sitting in the corner they were ordered to?

Yes, I too and sick of this. I kinda wonder if at this point some of them even know what their job is.

[yurbud]

8. they think their job is to protect, uphold, and defend the Chamber of Commerce agenda

against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

[yurbud]

11. their powder is so dry they piss talcum clouds

[MuseRider]

12. Yup

right you are. I think by now they probably have forgotten the deep dark cavern they were storing it in. Damn.

[yurbud]

13. next to the drum they keep their testicles in

[MuseRider]

15. Or their spines.

There are now actual women there! Too bad, I hate to see my sex lay down like that.

[yurbud]

36. the women put their metaphorical testicles in there. I'm sure the guys keep their real ones for

shtupping hookers and interns.

[MuseRider]

39. See?

I knew those things had nothing to do with courage after all.

Guts, guts is what it takes. Guts and a drive to do the right thing. Where did that go anyway? Did we ever have it or was I just one of the complacent flock for too long?

[yurbud]

40. both sexes are capable of intestinal fortitude. except after certain forms of surgery

then they can have colostomy bag fortitude.

[MuseRider]

41. Well

I had a reply but on second thought I should probably skip it. :)

[UpInArms]

28. lol!

thanks for the laugh

:rofl:

[Mass]

22. Exactly, what are you proposing? The GOP got the 40 votes to block the

Webb bill this morning. How do you propose to bypass that? Change the constitution on the fly.

If you have a Democratic Senator, you should push him to do the same thing and attack Republicans who want to continue this mess.

If you have a Republican Senator, do your job and throw him out.

[MuseRider]

32. They have been pissing and moaning

over every single thing that has happened since Bush** took office. Just when they stand up they sit back down and hide or send a "stern" letter or a non-binding resolution. I don't give one damn if they have the votes or not they have no spine. They should be defending the constitution and our rights even if they lose every single damn time. They should still be doing it. I don't give a damn about winning if all we win is more of the same. They would win in a landslide if they would just get up off their fraidly cat asses and act. They won't. Wonder why? Hell, the republicans in my state are complaining that they voted for Dems to get Bush** shut down and since the Dems won't do anything they don't know what to do.

Do my job? If you only knew. I hate posts like this that assume that just because you don't like something you are just sitting around doing nothing. Bite me.

Edit spelling

[Yukari Yakumo]

6. Probably listening to their constituents

A lot of Senate Dems come from Red States. So playing the filibuster card would not have looked well to the people who put them in office.

[emulatorloo]

7. Don't be ridiculous -- The Dem majority in the senate is ONE vote - and that includes LIE-BERMAN

04 senate was 55 to 45

To get anything done now the Dems have to pick up some Republicans and they are obstinately voting w Bush.

[yurbud]

10. how many votes does it take to do a successful filibuster?

[emulatorloo]

14. You forget Frist's Nuclear Option and all of that nonsense -- the problem today is not REpub filibu

ster but their obstancy and refusal to face reality -- they keep supporting bush because their base still does.

I would rather write and convince my Repug senator to try to sway him than to spread negativity about what Dems did or did not do in 2004-06. Seems to me that is the best approach for 2007.

[sinkingfeeling]

16. What do you want filibustered? The vote this morning was a 'cloture' vote on the

Webb-Hagel Amendment. It would have taken 60 votes for cloture....meaning to cut off debate and take an 'up or down' vote on the amendment. So those who voted 'nay', voted to 'filibuster'; to keeping talking rather than vote on the amendment.

You are arguing that the Democrats should have voted to filibuster the Webb-Hagel Amendment. Then you say they didn't block anything during their years in the minority. Wrong. Do a Google search and you will see where they stopped the 'malpractice' bill in 2003 the uniform food act in 2005, 'tort reform', numerous Bush judicial nominations, and Bolton for UN a couple of times.

[brentspeak]

18. After reading your post, I believe the OP just inadvertantly got himself "pawnd".

Let this be a lesson: Know what the heck it is you're talking about BEFORE you start these kinds of threads!

[Usrename]

23. yeah, that would be true.. if this wasn't a strawman

it's not instructive on the question asked in the OP

[sinkingfeeling]

24. Duplicate due to 'error' in posting.

[sinkingfeeling]

25. No, it's in answer to his/her question on how many votes would it have taken to filibuster.

[Usrename]

31. Ok, then why is Alito on the court?

42 Senators voted that he was unfit.

[Mass]

43. But less than 20 voted to block the vote.

[Phredicles]

27. No, I think you're misunderstanding the OP: It asked why, before '06

the Democrats didn't dig in their heels and filibuster the Rethugs' awful proposals the way the Rethugs are doing now. (Short answer: whole lotta DINOs, then and now...)

[SnoopDog]

9. Maybe that ‘you’re with us or against us’ means more than we think.

How was it possible that the Minority Democrats let so much Constitution killing bills pass? Why were the Democrats not hardnosed on cloture votes?

Yet, now, the Minority Republicans can kill any bill at a drop of a hat.

I really hate to say this – but it seems that the Democrats are in on the coup…

[wiggs]

29. Seems like many are. Not all or maybe not even most. nt

[brentspeak]

17. What exactly are you complaining about, here? The past?

You provide no specifics about what it is you say the Democrats have failed to do in the past. You provide no specifics about what it is you want them to do now.

What do you expect the Democrats to do? Lock up the Senate Republicans?

[wisteria]

19. You do not understand how the senate works. All the Dem's voted yes. 60 votes were needed to

bring the bill to the floor for a vote. There are not 60 Democrats. THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO BUILD ON OUR MAJORITY.

It certainly isn't constructive to attack them for not numbering 60.

Oh, they are doing their job. They can't change how Congress does business. They have to work with what they have.

[Usrename]

21. Why it is always the Dems who need 60 votes, never the Repugs?

Don't know how to phrase the question any simpler than that.

Tell me how the Senate works that would make it so that the Dems always need 60 and the opposition always only needs 41.

You're the genius here who "gets it".

[sinkingfeeling]

26. Show us where the GOP succeeded in bringing cloture on any issue with 41 votes, please.

[Usrename]

30. This morning they blocked cloture.

Have you read the OP?

[brentspeak]

33. With 41 votes?

That's the question.

[Usrename]

35. I think it was 43.

I'd have to check.

On edit>

The Senate voted 56 to 41 to limit debate on Webb's amendment, but 60 votes were required to cut off debate and proceed toward a vote on the proposal, so the Virginia Democrat withdrew his amendment afterward.

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-07-11-0176.html

[brentspeak]

37. s/del

I need to look up more info on Senate numbers.

[sinkingfeeling]

47. Yes they did. They blocked cloture with 41 votes because the ayes only had 56. I don't

know how to explain it to you any better; it takes either side 60 votes for cloture! You said the GOP didn't need 60 votes to bring cloture, but Democrats always need 60 votes and I asked you for an example of where the GOP got cloture with less than 60 votes. You return with this answer, the complete opposite.

[hfojvt]

38. a few reasons

perhaps none of them very good

a) Democrats are the big tent, and thus a certain percentage of our people will break ranks, or compromise in order to accomplish something, especially if they are from a red state

b) Republicans often propose popular things that conventional wisdom says is cool - tax cuts, wars, etc.

c) Republicans have the money to promote their proposals, as well as an M$M and RWNM full of sychophants and shills


Also, after we got control of the Senate in 2001, we stopped quite a bit. Then we got shelled in the 2002 elections, and again in 2004 Daschle lost, Carnahan lost, and Wellstone died and Mondale lost.

[Usrename]

42. Wellstone is perhaps the biggest factor.

I honestly don't think we'd be in Iraq if he were still alive. Really. The guy was a force.

[yurbud]

44. he would have done and said the things the Chamber of Commerce Democrats won't

and what happened to him probably sent a message.

[Mass]

20. Why are you not complaining about Lieberman, for a while, or somebody else.

It seems that you guys can only complain about those who try to do something.

[yurbud]

45. who is trying? Are they going to pass a non-binding resolution mildly disapproving of something?

[mmonk]

34. Putting up yield signs.

[MisterP]

46. the theme song is Cheap Trick's "Surrender"

lots seem to be doing their darndest to defend a deliberate, STUDIED ineffectiveness