In An Effort To Block Debate Of The START Treaty Jim DeMented Demands The Entire Bill Be Read

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Reading it on the floor will take twelve hours...

The next two years are going to be really interesting...

[dennis4868]

1. and to think....

that the American people just gave this party more power in congress...THANKS ALOT!

[randr]

2. That Demented showed up without having read the bill

is evidence of his lack of performance.

[onenote]

3. You realize of course this isn't about whether he's read the bill

Its about a delaying tactic. Most Senators have not read the entire text of many, if most of the bills they vote on. But they don't object to the standard motion to waive having the clerk read the bill unless they are trying to screw it up in terms of timing.

[randr]

14. Of course I know that

Most Senators at least have staff read the bill. I would love to see these assholes forced to sit and listen when they ask for floor readings.

[karynnj]

11. He's on SFRC, but rarely attends - he missed most of the hearings on this

He is simply an obstructionist. (He missed most of the Afghanistan ones too)

[wisteria]

4. What a f'ing waste of time, but then again that is what DeMint is. n/t

[Clio the Leo]

5. And he's threatened to read the omnibus....

.... which would take 47-72 hours.

I hope they let Sen. Kyl bring a Christmas tree on to the Senate floor. :)

[jwirr]

6. Anything to run down the clock.

[S_E_Fudd]

7. Hard to get worked up about something like this...

When you know Harry Reid and the Dem caucus won't do anything about it other than complain...

[john donathon]

8. your absolutely right...

how dare those law makers be forced to read the laws that they will make for the entire country, they shouldn't have to read any bill at all before they vote on it, what are they there for anyway?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Calm Down Pepper

He wants it read on the Senate floor, thus wasting twelve hours of everybody's time.

I hope Jim DeMented knows how to read and doesn't need things read to him...

[karynnj]

12. Well, you're obviously a Republican First off this is a TREATY, not a BILL

Secondly, Democrats CAN read the bills silently - without even moving their lips! You should be able to get that this is nothing other than an attempt to waste precious time.

Why did DeMint miss most of the meetings the SFRC had on this?

The Republican new line that they, and they alone, read all the bills is the stupidest thing I ever heard. Especially as some of those using that are the least informed when asked about the bills. The fact is that for many bills, they will have someone on their staff to review and summarize the features - that's why they have them.

[karynnj]

9. Democrats should attack him for missing many SFRC hearings on it

Maybe had he gone, he wouldn't need the bill read.

(I do know that Senators miss many hearings - in fact it is extremely normal to have two happening at the same time - but as people worry about his ambitions, why not use that?

[JoePhilly]

13. Schedule the reading for midnight Christmas eve, and make Demint

stay to hear it.