Reid’s Bold Move

[malaise]

http://commonsense.ourfuture.org/reid_s_bold_move?tx=3
<snip>

Reid’s Bold Move

Submitted by Bill Scher on July 17, 2007 - 12:57am.

When you’re Senate Majority Leader, everyone’s fighting for your ear. Today, the netroots have Harry Reid’s ear, instead of the punditocracy.

This blog has long been calling for Senate leaders to fight for bold, popular legislation and stand up to those blocking its passage -- instead of flinching at filibusters, chasing unprincipled compromises and accommodating the conservative minority.

We launched the petition last month urging Reid to do just that.

And many other bloggers -- including Digby, Taylor Marsh, Open Left, Booman Tribune, ThinkProgress, Miles Mogulescu, FireDogLake, Leisure Guy, The Next Hurrah, The Carpetbagger Report, Tangled Webs, Billy Creek, Politits, Talking Points Memo, South Georgia Liberal, Pygalgia, The Newshoggers, The Sideshow, Seeing The Forest and Blue Jersey -- have rallied around the effort.

In the other corner is the punditocracy -– represented by folks like New York Times’ David Brooks, Washington Post’s David Ignatius and Time’s Joe Klein. In particular, Brooks recently accused Reid of thwarting a biparistan consensus to change course (but remain) in Iraq, for political purposes.

For six months, the Senate leadership largely took the counsel of the punditocracy. Bipartisanship for bipartisanship’s sake. Compromise for compromise’s sake. The argument was that’s the only way to responsibly govern and win the respect of the electorate.

But it was a bust. Despite all the efforts to water down legislation and curry the favor of the conservative minority, conservatives obstructed most everything anyway.

[malaise]

1. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) explains how history is being made tonight:

http://commonsense.ourfuture.org/filibuster?tx=3

[KharmaTrain]

2. Spot On!!

It's time to stand firm and demand up or down votes. Also...to demand the corporate media define this as a fillibuster...and shine the light on the GOOP obstructionism that's been going on. It's not just Iraq funding, it's a whole slew of bills the GOOP is holding hostage so boooosh can continue his war for profit!

The knees are weakening across the aisle...time now to push hard and get the 60 votes to demand accountability and re-assert the balance in balance of powers.

Cheers...

:hi:

[malaise]

4. Yep

From the other link with video:
<snip>
Filibuster!!

Submitted by Rick Perlstein on July 16, 2007 - 7:22pm.

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) explains how history is being made tonight:



History buffs, and those with long memories, will recall the last time conservatives found something important enough to stand up and obstruct all night long: the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The one that outlawed discrimination in public accomodations.

Conscience of a conservative: here it is, for all to see.
-----------------------------

I did not know about the Rethug all night obstruction of the Civil Rights Bill.

[bunkerbuster1]

5. To be fair, it wasn't a "Republican" all night obstruction of the Civil Rights Act

Let's face facts--this was done with the aid of dixiecrats (at the time) like Robert Byrd.

I mention this because I guarantee the hate-radio gasbags will bring it up.

[Catherine Vincent]

7. I think that's why Menendez said "conservatives".

We all know it definitely wasn't liberals that were obstructing the civil rights act.

[bunkerbuster1]

9. fer sher.

I just wanted to set the poster straight. Many Southern Dems became Republicans in the wake of the passage of the Civil Rights Act; tapping into that white discontent was Nixon's "Southern Strategy."

Which, btw, the former RNC chairman Ken Mehlman actually apologized for, many years later, not that I give 'em a free pass or think it was especially brave, but it did happen. See also:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-07-14-GOP-racial-politics_x.htm

[malaise]

8. Valid point n/t

[KharmaTrain]

6. And Guess Who Led That Filibuster...

Trent Lott's idol...

Thurmond almost single-handedly held the floor for most of this fillibuster. I'm sure his black mistress musta missed him that night :rofl:

I was impressed seeing Ben Nelson...of all people...on Colbert last night. While I disagree with his perspective on many things, it appears he's taking a "Murtha" stand on this issue and is behind Reid-Levin.

[BlooInBloo]

3. Watching DU re: Reid is better than Days Of Our Lives!

:rofl:

[xultar]

10. When the sun goes down the rethugs will shed their human veneer

and the bloodsucking vampirish part of their being will spew forth.

Watch. It'll be like a horror movie. :popcorn:

[Bitwit1234]

11. It is like democracy and patriotic pride has returned to this country.

And about damn time too.