Frist Says He's Ready to Block Filibuster

[acmejack]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Sunday he is prepared to strip Democrats of their to ability to filibuster if they try to stall Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ALITO?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Catch22Dem]

1. This will be the biggest mistake the GOP has ever made

because they're very, very, dangerously close to being the party out of power. Do they really want to hand us the ability to push through the most liberal judges?

[acmejack]

2. They have no attention of ever again being out of power.

It is the only explanation for their behavior in both Houses of Congress.

[slay]

3. Just look at what's going on in Ohio

where they not only rig elections, but are trying to make it illegal to challenge a presidential vote count. I'd say Diebold plans to keep the Republicans in power (illegally) for years to come.. unless we do something about it. They've already rigged the elections in 2000, 2002, and 2004. Nothing to stop them from doing it again in 2006 or 2008 either. :(

[kster]

20. Diebold ES&S and Sequoia...nt

[Tiggeroshii]

73. What was it? The CEO of Diebold just resigned?

They withdrew from Virginia because they would have had to reveal the source code?

The Texas redistricting is finally being reviewed by the Supreme court and it sounds more and more like things are going our way. I think that if peoplecontinue to keep up the pressure, we'll have some wins in 2006. If we give up now,you can guarantee that We'll have an absolute majority of Republicans in power in 06 despite the weakness in polls at the time.

Just keep up what we're doing, and we'll be okay by then. That's all I have to say...

[kster]

75. I'll never give up

I'm here for the duration. I have to say when Dem and Repugs stay silent on the election theft machines, it does get me a little down.

But I can handle it. NGU

[Al-CIAda]

5. You are correct. They own the rigged machines. No more exit polls

no more challenging of results, not even an accurate way to account for results, insane obsticles and hurdles to have one's vote 'count' in the first place...

No, they don't intend on ever losing again. Its a rigged game and 'democracy' is an illusion.

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. I think they're in for a surprise.

Like by the end of next year.

[mod mom]

44. They control the vote. They can't afford allowing Dems into power

because it means investigations with subpoena power. If you think they have headaches now, can you imagine if real investigations where held?

[jaysunb]

4. Before or after his trial ??????

:evilgrin:

[VegasWolf]

6. If we can convince the public that Alito wants to overturn RoevWade

the public will be on our side and we can win big in 2006. If we can't convince people that there is a reasonable chance, we are hosed.

[worldgonekrazy]

10. Except he doesn't

If the conservatives overturn Roe v. Wade, a good deal of their base no longer has a reason to vote Republican.

[insane_cratic_gal]

13. Everything homosexual is the new rally

cry. They don't need abortion anymore. So don't sell yourself on that.

[bettyellen]

19. it's always a man who's willing to take that gamble....

i don't even have to look at the profile.
always a man who needs to be reminded that reproductive rights are already seriously compromised in this country.
always a man who is willing to make some strategic arguments that says we don't have to stand up for women's issues just now.

[DontBlameMe]

57. Wow! Generalize much?

I think I'll bookmark this thread for the next anti-misogyny thread in the Lounge.


"it's always a man who's willing to take that gamble....
i don't even have to look at the profile.
always a man who needs to be reminded that reproductive rights are already seriously compromised in this country.
always a man who is willing to make some strategic arguments that says we don't have to stand up for women's issues just now."

[bettyellen]

58. it's based on many observations here and in real life

sorry if you don't like hearing it.
i don't like seeing it.
do some research before you decide i'm being unfair, okay? i'll admit always is overstating, i'd say it's over 90% though.
and again, i'm guessing you are a guy. am i right?

[DontBlameMe]

59. Are you serious????

If I said that disliking blacks, or jews, or gays, was based on "many observations in real life", I'd be ripped limb from limb and banned in a New York freaking minute! And rightly so!

I'm sorry if your experiences with men, in whatever way, leads you to these conclusions. I'm guessing it's not worldgonekrazy's fault.

As for my gender, I'm guessing you checked my profile already, before you edited your post.

[bettyellen]

60. it's my experience with political groups that's been unfortunate.

and the only rare instance i've found is where women are fairly relgious and their convictions don't support allowing reproductive freedoms. i may not agree, but at least it is about their convictions. with men, the arguement most often goes along the line of some sort of strategic thinnking, they are afraid the issue will cost the party, and push it to the back burner. If you's search here, you'd find dozens of "don't worry" posts from guys, and very very few from women. you know why? it's a lot less personal with men. if they've ever had the occasion to worry, it's that someone else will have that baby. that's life, biology. i'm just asking guys who say this to think twice.
i never ever said these men dislike women, or i dislike men, so please don't make that leap, okay? i said they are generally much more dismissive on this issue that makes me comfortable. i have been in the position a dozen times where men in leadership positions equivocate and backpedal and try to hide support of reproductive rights out of some fear it'll alienate somebody. i'm pretty unthrilled with hillary that she's so mamby pamby on this issue too. I think it's gutless, and selling us out..
i'm saying it is easier for men not to have the serious concerns about this that women do, because of biology, and that is unfortunate. Please don't over react and put words in my mouth. Why don't you look around at some threads on this and do some research You'll see what I'm saying is sadly, pretty accurate.

[DontBlameMe]

61. Well,

I agree with you that too many of our political leaders are wishy washy on this, and many other, issues. Hillary included. You either support it or not.

I also agree that too many men support the, "There, there, dear. Don't worry." method of appeasement to women. I don't agree. Probably because I was raised by my mother and grandmother, and they were, are, strong women. I know I sure as hell wouldn't want to meet them in a dark alley with a wild hair up their asses.

That being said, I get a little tired of hearing comments about "men". Like I said, if I, a white atheist, or at least agnostic, heterosexual male, made similar sweeping statements about virtually any other group, I would be lambasted. We aren't all sexist pigs, and some of us even get offended, yes, even in PUBLIC PLACES, by the acts of other men. We aren't all silent.

As to the research, though, I've been on DU since around April 2001. I may not post much, but I rarely spend less than 4 or 5 hours a day reading here. I think we had 12,000 members then, if that.

[bettyellen]

62. Thanks, but remember I made a sweeping statement about where these

"Don't worry" comments come from, i didn't mean it to be sweeping about men at all, especially not here. Those comments are not the majoity of men here or those that i know. they seem to mostly come from those who are more the political animal types (which would include hillary, i'm afraid) who sort of see things as a game. It's offensive to be seen as a pawn, to be honest, and i've walked out a few times over this very treatment. i see this as another reason people think we stand for nothing. What the heck is wrong with being flat out against the govt being in our bedrooms and doctor's offices?
Another sweeping statement, it's usually the fairly supportive ones, like yourself, who do get offended and i am sorry for that. That's why I thought it was important to respond, because you saw it as an anti guy rant, and for me it was an anti-sellout women rant- a very different thing as far as I'm concerned. and I meant that it's particularly sad coming from anyone in a progressive group.
I loved the wild hair up their asses, oh my, that's a new one on me, LOL.
well, thanks for actually letting me clarify things and do me a favor, on this Alito thing, take a hard look and don't be silent. You'll see this smug "strategic" thing that goes on will be out in full force. Not looking forward to it at all.

[DontBlameMe]

64. Think nothing of it.

I just get a little riled about certain things, thus my low post count. More often than not, someone else states my opinion, so I don't comment. You just hit one of my sore spots.

Glad you like my wild hair comment. It probably doesn't do them credit. I know my mother had every male in our neighborhoods scared shitless of her. Not that I blame them, I'd rather fight my dad than my mom. I might actually win. :rofl:

Don't worry too much about the anti-guy thing, though. Most of us agree with you, but a lot of us will argue, just for forms sake, you know. :P

Fair enough. Truce. :toast:

[bettyellen]

65. Cheers! Thank you. We all get riled up, especially if you have your

principles. Don't even get me started on those "Let em overturn Wade and see..." posts, my blood boils, and I guess there's a bad hair that gets up my butt! :rofl: i love saying that. thanks!
here's to leadership that is principled, and stands up for all their supporters be they man or woman.
:toast:

[wordpix2]

7. when is Frist's indictment for insider trading coming? Another criminal

"leading" the country...
Disgusting. Well let's have this war over Scaalito.

[Protagoras]

8. He's not in jail yet?

I thought he'd be sharing a cell with someone by now.

[ShockediSay]

9. Fuhgheddabout abortion

KKKarl could bury us with an effort to keep Scalito off the SCt on that basis.

Scalito's opposition to the one-person-one-vote principle, plus his affiliation with the biased judicial group, the Federalist Society, plus I was only telling them what they wanted to hear so I could get the job (lack of integrity) is more than enough basis for a filibuster.

[CatholicEdHead]

11. The one-upmanship continues

Arrogant power grab after arrogant power grab.

[dennisnyc]

12. we need to keep calling our Senators to let them know that it's

OK to filibuster someone as bad as alito.

They worry. We have to keep them on it!

[Pithy Cherub]

14. LOL! Does Frist honestly believe he has a shot to be a (r) prezNIT!

:rofl:
Bring the filbuster debate and trash any ability to get any legislative work done before 2006. That is a brilliant startegy! Go For It!

Frist is just a stone's throw away from an indictment. These republicons have no impulse control at all.

[depakid]

16. Gee, who'd have thought

Apparantly, not the Dems who sold us all out on Owens, Brown & Prior.

When will our "leaders" learn that you can't make deals with people who lack integrity?

That's something most of us learned in grade school.

I guess now Harry Reid gets to step up to the plate and shut down the Senate.

Note to Harry: wanna win in 2006 and become majority leader? Here's your chance- handed to you on a silver platter.

[ananda]

18. All the Dems have to do is..

.. walk out and shut down the government if Frist decided to go nucular.

Do they have the cojones??

[LiberalFighter]

21. Throw a dead cat at Frist while he is speaking in the Senate

I don't mean kill a cat for the purpose... there are probably plenty of dead cats due to roadkill or natural causes especially out in the country.

[S_B_Jackson]

23. That would be a stupid idea...

Denial of quorum worked very well for us in Texas until that traitor, John Whitmire turn on us, and allowed the travesty of Texas redistricting to go forward. However, a simple majority is all that is required to constitute a quorum of the Senate.

The fucking Rethuglicans already hold 55 seats....do you think those bastards would even bat an eyelash about a naked exercise of power if our Senators weren't there to fight them?

[Melissa G]

25. You mean that Turncoat Yellow-belly QUITmire?

I slashed his name off my commemorative T-shirt in black marker!
Quitmire is a major why we have re redistricting and massive minority disenfranchisement in Texas! He ranks up there with Delay on my disgust meter. At least Delay is open about his repub agenda.

[acmejack]

43. Yeah, that's the guy!

Scum.

[Melissa G]

63. That's Durty Yella scum n/t

[S_B_Jackson]

56. Yep, that's him...

what a P.O.S. and the reason he caved? The partners in his law-firm jumped his case because a large portion of their client base is lobbyists who were banking on his availability and willingness to steer legislation to line their pockets!

[drm604]

52. They don't need to deny quorum to shut things done.

They could simply deny unanimous consent. As far as I know it only takes one person to do this. If one refuses then it is no longer unanimous. Then every line of every bill would have to be read out loud before it could be voted on. Many bills are thousands of pages long so this would effectively shut everything down. If they nuke the filibuster then we nuke unanimous consent.

[S_B_Jackson]

55. That plan would be terrific!

But the option that ananda was offering was for Democrat officeholders to simply "walk out"...i.e. denial of quorum. Legislative slow-down is fine...and it would be up to us to turn up the heat on the Bush toadies in the media to light a fire under the Rethugs to play fair.

[PatrioticLeftie]

17. Oh sure,

They'll pat themselves on the back now for stripping Senate Democrats of free speech, but come the next decade, they'll be beating themselves senseless for they will have stripped it from themselves as well.

[adigal]

22. Most Americans already want Dems back in power

to balance the White House from 2006 on...so if/when the Republicans end the filibuster, and the Dems yell about the corruption of power by the repubs, it will only reinforce in Americans' minds that the republicans are power hungry, and really want a one party state, where the minority (which is about 65% of us now!) have no say.

Frist has shown over and over again that he has TERRIBLE political instincts - we are about to see, again, how someone supposedly intelligent can make such stupid political decisions.

[MadisonProgressive]

24. What a total asshat

[alfredo]

26. How about a massive hunger strike across America if he

even tries that stunt?

[Jersey Ginny]

48. I do have to diet at the beginning of the year

Isn't that how Rumsfeld referred to hunger strikes?

[alfredo]

53. Fuck Rumsfeld. His diet should be prison food.

[WhiteTara]

70. and all his suits should be orange

[alfredo]

71. And open in the back.

Ya know what I mean?

[WhiteTara]

72. lol

[alfredo]

74. A guy would have to be pretty desparate

for ........ oh hell, I can't even bring myself to even think of that.

I grossed myself out.

[rodeodance]

27. Frist Says He's Ready to Block Filibuster

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051212/ap_on_go_su_co/alito;_ylt=AlNFR1QX0c.znjA.veGzQFms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OXIzMDMzBHNlYwM3MDM-


Frist Says He's Ready to Block Filibuster

7 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Sunday he is prepared to strip Democrats of their ability to filibuster if they try to stall Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court.

"The answer is yes," Frist said when asked if he would act to change Senate procedures to restrict a Democratic filibuster. "Supreme Court justice nominees deserve an up-or-down vote, and it would be absolutely wrong to deny him that."

Democrats immediately called Frist's words unhelpful and potentially incendiary. They said Senate Democrats are waiting for the Judiciary Committee to act on Alito's nomination before they decide what they may do.

"Sen. Frist has thrown down the gauntlet at a time when the country least needs it," said New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, a Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee. "The American people know that checks and balances are an integral part of our government."......

[Vincardog]

28. Earth to Frist FU

[rodeodance]

29. when is man going to get indicted?

...Passing a bill or confirming a nominee requires a simple majority — 51 senators if all 100 senators are present. The vice president can break 50-50 ties.

Under Frist's scenario, the GOP would seek a parliamentary ruling that declares filibusters are not permitted against judicial nominees. That ruling ultimately would go before the full Senate for a vote, with a simple majority required to prevail. Republicans hold 55 seats.

If that plays out, it then would take a majority of senators present to vote to approve a nominee such as Alito.

Such a move carries great risk. Democrats have threatened to retaliate with a fight that could snarl Senate business for months. Also, it could backfire on Republicans if they were to lose majority control of the chamber.

[rodeodance]

30. cnn just said "Frist has be talking tough"...(about this issue). te he.

[...of J.Temperance]

31. Yeah? Bring It On Dr. Cat Killer! n/t

[Dances with Cats]

76. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

n/t just more growling. I hate Frist.He is a "pig fucker"/

[Canuckistanian]

32. Count on Frist to do the wrong thing

Politically, I mean. He's bungled just about everything else for his party.

[AX10]

33. Then the Dems will have to shut the Senate down.

[...of J.Temperance]

38. I would 100% support us shutting down the Senate

We've got to play hardball with these Fascist pigs.

[Warpy]

34. The only answer to that is

if the Democrats walk out en masse, shutting down Congress.

I don't see that happening, not with Lieberman and the two Nelsons, do you?

I told you months ago that their appeasement on lower court nominees was a fatal mistake.

[rfkrfk]

35. how will 'walking out' shut down Congress?

the republicans, would vote to suspend the rules.

[Warpy]

37. Sure they would, thus blowing the gaffe on the dictatorship

I really don't think they'd want to do that, not yet, not with their approval ratings in the toilet.

They could have done it immediately post 9/11, when the booboisie were rallied 'round the flag and their fake president.

[S_B_Jackson]

41. Running away is NO solution...

And walking out - en masse, or otherwise - is the height of stupidity.

A simple majority is all that is required for a quorum in the US Senate and the Repugs already have that with their 55 seats. If our Senators walk out, then they simply hold the vote...The Senate Dems need to stiffen their spines, grow some 'nads & fight till they either carry the day, or they leave their opponents revealed as the hypocritical jackasses that we all know them to be.

[China_cat]

36. I'm about ready to start boxing up

my used cat litter and sending it to Frist.

[williesgirl]

39. Funny - where was Harriet's "up or down" vote - convenient bullshit

[mbperrin]

40. I'm not at all convinced that all 55 pubs would vote to get rid

of the filibuster; perhaps significantly less - after all, this leadership has some shit stirred up that could cost some their jobs, and I think the radicalism is starting to sink in.

Call the vote; the only way to deal with a bully is make them act! Mostly, they slink away; besides that, not using it is the same as not having it.

So fuck Frist.

[rfkrfk]

42. only 50 are needed

then, 5 in swing states could vote no.

[DemonFighterLives]

45. I'd say, Let's get it on

Bring out the filibuster, let them nuke option all they want. I think this band of thugs are ready for the fall.
Enough threats, bring em on! Anybody out there? Reid? Hillary?
I don't even know much about Alito, I'm just tired of the fraudulent president appointing anyone. Everyone he appoints sucks.

Smoke em out!
Oh wait, spines are lacking.
:rant:

[Democat]

46. If he gets rid of the filibuster, Democrats win in the long run

Dems had better stand and fight on this and make him go nuclear.

We have a chance to change the entire system without having to be the ones to change it. Let Frist throw out the filibuster before Democrats take back the government.

Democrats must make him do it. Our party cannot blink this time.

[DemonFighterLives]

47. Wow same time, same thoughts!

:toast:

Come'on fwisty, you wimp :spank:

[Democat]

50. Many of us have been waiting for Dems to fight back!

Let's hope the Democratic Party is smart enough to see a great opportunity when it presents itself!

:)

[VaYallaDawg]

49. This may be one of the GOP's biggest tactical blunders ever. n/t

[WhiteTara]

51. I just called his office and got through on the

2nd ring. We need to be stepping up the phone calls to cat killer. His direct line is 202) 224-3344.

[wordpix]

54. what's the deal on the "cat killer" story? Haven't heard that one

[cureautismnow]

66. He adopted cats from a local shelter to hone his medical skills.

Frist acknowledged in a 1989 book that he routinely killed cats while an ambitious medical student at Harvard Medical School in the 1970s. His office said it had no record on how many cats died. Frist disclosed that he went to animal shelters and pretended to adopt the cats, telling shelter personnel he intended to keep them as pets. Instead he used them to sharpen his surgical skills, killing them in the process.

http://www.upi.com/inc/view.php?StoryID=20021231-071056-3546r

[WhiteTara]

69. Frist perfected his surgery skills

by "adopting" cats from shelters. He told the shelter workers he was giving them a good home.
Sick f*ck

[Dinger]

67. Time To Break Out "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington"

All this shit really gets to me, and I have been really feeling hopeless lately, then I decided to watch this movie, and it gave me hope. Made a differencefor me. Long story, but I really needed that.

[tgnyc]

68. Bring it, bitch!