Senate conservatives repeat obscure objection to block another Judiciary hearing

[marmar]

from ThinkProgress:



Senate conservatives repeat obscure objection to block another Judiciary hearing.»

This morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on how recent Supreme Court decisions have restricted protections of American workers and consumers. Fulfilling their role as the Grand Obstructionist Party, Senate conservatives deployed an obscure parliamentary tactic to halt the hearing, as committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) explained:

This morning an all too familiar pattern was underscored when a hearing on a topic our Republican colleagues did not like was cut short, without warning, by an anonymous Republican objection. … I share the sentiments Senator Whitehouse expressed before recessing the hearing — this behavior is a disgrace to the Senate, and it is especially shameful given that the victims who traveled a long way to tell their stories to the Committee did not get a full hearing.

Conservatives used the same technique yesterday to shut down a hearing on torture tactics used against detainees in U.S. custody.


http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/11/senate-conservatives-repeat-obscure-objection-to-block-another-judiciary-hearing/

[C_U_L8R]

1. It's the parliamentary equivalent of

putting your fingers in both ears and shouting LALALALALALALALALALALA !!!

[tkmorris]

2. For pity's sake....

Would you guys fight back for once? Stop whining and kick somebody's ass, just one time!

[HowHasItComeToThis]

9. REPUBLICANS ARE SLIMEY AND DON'T WANT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO WORK

THEY HATE THE COMMON GOOD

[Breeze54]

3. I was happy to read their e-mail addressing "Senate conservatives " !!!

That covers BOTH sides of the aisle! ;)

Thanks for posting this... I was going to but forgot.

:kick: & Recommended

[nashville_brook]

4. oh gee. they played "the obscure parlimentary rule" card. guess we lost that one.

spineless.

[truedelphi]

5. And the reason that our side never uses these tactics is because???

Maybe some of the odious legislation the Republicans sponsor is just too wonderful to shut down??

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Remind me again -- what's the advantage of holding the majority?

And which party currently holds it? :shrug:

[LSK]

7. does this make you angry? mad? do something!!!

https://secure.democratsenators.org/o/4/p/5000/contribute

[SergeyDovlatov]

8. So, what is this magic "anonymous Republican objection"?

Can we use it too?
What does it take to get rid of it?
Is it just an excuse?

[Igel]

10. My question, exactly.

Objections can come in two forms. The first is to protect the right of the minority. The second is when a right isn't at issue, and it's obstructionist.

Quick solution: Don't get in a position where the first or the second come into play--the former, because it's wrong for a chair to play such games, and the second, because a good chair should pre-empt such games.

[Independent_Liberal]

11. Open freaking ethics investigations into Repubs who keep obstructing!

Ask them, "What are you hiding?"