GOP promises more obstructionism

[JakeYonkel]

I just threw it out there, havent' heard it before, but it seems like the name kinda lends itself to that, no? I'm sure I'm not the first one.

However to be safe upon further usage though please throw in a parenthetical reference and you won't draw my ire.

[Ugmo]

I just had to look up parenthetical reference... you're on!

[Ugmo]

Yeah yeah, it's the Huffington Post, but....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/2 ... 11639.html

Senate Republicans fuming over the passage of health care reform are now refusing to work past 2 p.m. -- a tactic they can employ by invoking a little-known Senate rule.

On Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee was forced to cancel a hearing as was the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) tweeted today : "Disappointed. Rs refusing to allow hearings today. Had to cancel my oversight hearing on police training contracts in Afghanistan."

Sen. Mark Udall also complained that he had to delay a hearing on the cause of Western forest fires.

Making good on Sen. John McCain's threat to withhold all Republican cooperation from Democrats in the Senate in retribution for the majority party using reconciliation to pass health care reform, the GOP used the rule that states committees can only meet when the chamber is in session with the unanimous consent of all members. That consent has almost never been withheld -- until now.

Good to see a bunch of old white men acting like spoiled children. These clowns can't go the way of the Whig Party fast enough.

[JakeYonkel]

I see their point, in that "you guys are gonna do whatever the fuck you want to anyway" but seeing as how these guys are supposed to work for US, even if the Democrats don't care what they say, it's still inexcusable.

[Ugmo]

I see their point, in that "you guys are gonna do whatever the fuck you want to anyway" but seeing as how these guys are supposed to work for US, even if the Democrats don't care what they say, it's still inexcusable.

The GOP used reconciliation 21 times when they controlled Congress. Did the Democrats pull childish stunts like this? The party of Barry Goldwater has become the party of loons like Michelle Bachman. Man, remember when John McCain was considered to be a voice of reason? Not anymore! These guys are turning Congress into a farce, and that's saying something.

[Crazy Levi]

I see their point, in that "you guys are gonna do whatever the fuck you want to anyway" .

Then you are an idiot. I don't see their point at all.

They are refusing to work past 2pm, and refusing to do anything else for that matter.

At least until November, though I'd guess beyond.

Ladies and gentlemen...the GOP.

[vlad]

Wow....they are acting like a union. Oh the irony.

[JakeYonkel]

I see their point, in that "you guys are gonna do whatever the fuck you want to anyway" .

Then you are an idiot. I don't see their point at all.

Well of course YOU don't.

If the left was pulling this shit you'd be saying "good job by them, fuck the Republicans" with some lame excuse.

[Crazy Levi]

I see their point, in that "you guys are gonna do whatever the fuck you want to anyway" .

Then you are an idiot. I don't see their point at all.

Well of course YOU don't.

If the left was pulling this shit you'd be saying "good job by them, fuck the Republicans" with some lame excuse.

I would?

How do you know?

it isn't the Democrats. The democrats never pulled this shit in 6 years of some of the most disgusting bullshit ever pulled by a Republican President/Congress.

I can't believe you are even dignifying this shit by saying "they have a point."

Their stated purpose since Obama got elected is to make sure NOTHING happens. That was their openly stated plan.

And now that they've failed at even that pathetic objective, they are just going to refuse to come to work?

I'm starting to think they'll even manage to fuck up making meager gains in November.

[Crazy Levi]

No chance. There you go thinking again.

I "think" this is the kind of thing that Democrats might be smart to bring up in November, along with the fabulous health care bill they just passed.


--------------------------------
Without unanimous consent, committees are allowed to meet for two hours following the opening of the Senate session -- which on Wednesday was 9:00 a.m. The committees need consent to continue and consent again to continue after 2:00 p.m. Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, had his hearing shut down abruptly at 11:00 Wednesday morning, in the middle of a discussion on the effort to end veteran homelessness in the next five years. It is estimated that more than 100,000 veterans are homeless in the United States on any given night.

"The Senate should be a place for debate, but I cannot imagine how shutting down a hearing on helping homeless veterans has any part of the debate on the health insurance reform," said Akaka. "I am deeply disappointed that my colleagues chose to hinder our common work to help end veteran homelessness."

[Ugmo]

Hard to get past this isn't it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTkgZrb1Q8k

That has what to do with anything? The GOP used reconciliation all the time and the Dems didn't act like sulking children over it.

A marked improvement I'd say.

So you want your elected officials to be good-looking rather than competent and sane. You really deserve the GOP as your party.

This coming from someone that doesn't even live here nor is governed by the people he complains about.

In other words, you've got nothing. The most prominent politicians in your party are acting like jackasses and you can't defend it, so you respond with a straw man.

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

No chance. There you go thinking again.

I "think" this is the kind of thing that Democrats might be smart to bring up in November, along with the fabulous health care bill they just passed.


--------------------------------
Without unanimous consent, committees are allowed to meet for two hours following the opening of the Senate session -- which on Wednesday was 9:00 a.m. The committees need consent to continue and consent again to continue after 2:00 p.m. Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, had his hearing shut down abruptly at 11:00 Wednesday morning, in the middle of a discussion on the effort to end veteran homelessness in the next five years. It is estimated that more than 100,000 veterans are homeless in the United States on any given night.

"The Senate should be a place for debate, but I cannot imagine how shutting down a hearing on helping homeless veterans has any part of the debate on the health insurance reform," said Akaka. "I am deeply disappointed that my colleagues chose to hinder our common work to help end veteran homelessness."

But all those Republicans bought those ribbon shaped magnets at the gas station show how much they support our troops and veterans. Isn't that enough?

[Ugmo]

Are you fucking kidding me??? Ha! Here's five minutes of the democrats bitching about the threatened use of such tactics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjdbjrXiobQ

Yeah, they bitched about it, but they didn't quit working at 2 p.m. to obstruct the process! And more to the point, did any of the Republican reconciliation bills pass with ZERO opposition party votes like Obama's health care reform bill which was based on a Republican blueprint?

Then the Republicans get a taste of their own medicine and they stomp their feet like a bunch of two-year-olds.

They are going to lose even more seats in November if they keep pulling these stunts.

[thejuggernaut]

Bah

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

But all those Republicans bought those ribbon shaped magnets at the gas station show how much they support our troops and veterans. Isn't that enough?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyDOAmJYFFA

How exactly does this justify Republicans betraying people who put their lives on the line for this country? Do you support the Republican decision to turn their back on veterans after they've served us? Do you?

[HeavyMetalZombie666]

But all those Republicans bought those ribbon shaped magnets at the gas station show how much they support our troops and veterans. Isn't that enough?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyDOAmJYFFA

How exactly does this justify Republicans betraying people who put their lives on the line for this country? Do you support the Republican decision to turn their back on veterans after they've served us? Do you?

Actually the most mistreatment that is done on our troops and veterans are the anti-war activists at code pink who spit on our troops and shove them and make bullshit claims that Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings were unjustifiable and I feel that is a slam on the WWII vets.

[KneelandBobDylan]

I see their point, in that "you guys are gonna do whatever the fuck you want to anyway" but seeing as how these guys are supposed to work for US, even if the Democrats don't care what they say, it's still inexcusable.

You do understand that Rethugs have historically used reconcilliation 3 times as much as dems?

If reconcilliation is what you're alluding to by this statement

"you guys are gonna do whatever the fuck you want to anyway"

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

How exactly does this justify Republicans betraying people who put their lives on the line for this country? Do you support the Republican decision to turn their back on veterans after they've served us? Do you?

Actually the most mistreatment that is done on our troops and veterans are the anti-war activists at code pink who spit on our troops and shove them and make bullshit claims that Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings were unjustifiable and I feel that is a slam on the WWII vets.

The question applies to you also, HMZ. Are there any one of you so-called troop supporting conservatives who will give me a straight up answer? nevermind? YourMomma? Wylde342? Buehler?

[lerxstcat]

The GOP used reconciliation 21 times when they controlled Congress. Did the Democrats pull childish stunts like this?

Hard to get past this isn't it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTkgZrb1Q8k

The party of Barry Goldwater has become the party of loons like Michelle Bachman.

A marked improvement I'd say.

Man, remember when John McCain was considered to be a voice of reason? Not anymore! These guys are turning Congress into a farce, and that's saying something.

This coming from someone that doesn't even live here nor is governed by the people he complains about.

He's still an American citizen. The fact that he still cares about what happens to this country even though he lives elsewhere speaks well of his patriotism. He's staying inviolved and voting. For you to try and minimize that in any way is, dare I say, un-American.

[tin00can]

Come on, lerx. YM is a great american, who distrusts and hates anything not-american. We're free to impose our will around the world, but nobody outside of the continental US - except for the occasional Alaskan - has any right to voice an opinion about how we do things.

Ya know, kind of like we know what is best for the world and they need to listen to us no matter what. Wait a minute, what does that sound like...

[lerxstcat]

How exactly does this justify Republicans betraying people who put their lives on the line for this country? Do you support the Republican decision to turn their back on veterans after they've served us? Do you?

Actually the most mistreatment that is done on our troops and veterans are the anti-war activists at code pink who spit on our troops and shove them and make bullshit claims that Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings were unjustifiable and I feel that is a slam on the WWII vets.

The question applies to you also, HMZ. Are there any one of you so-called troop supporting conservatives who will give me a straight up answer? nevermind? YourMomma? Wylde342? Buehler?

They prefer to obfuscate than to answer head-on because their actions speak louder than their words, in the oposite direction of their words.

They support the troops as cannon fodder, but not as individual human beings who have put their lives on the line in signing up to defend the nation. Anything that takes away from veterans' rights and privileges, regardless of the rationalization, is fucking reprehensible.

And this bullshit they have promulgated that you have to be a Republican in order to support the troops is even more disgusting. It's McCarthyism.

Most businesses I know of, if a subgroup of workers decided to get together and declare that they are gonna fuck off and quit work 3-4 hours early every day, to try and counteract company policy, their asses would be fired on the spot. Even unions have to meet certain criteria to go on strike, and "I' just don't like it" doesn't meet the criteria.

They are refusing to do the work the American people hired them to do. What they will do is go on Fox News and tell the faithful that this is what they want them to do, and a certain number will be brainwashed. But a lot of them have to be realizing how thuggish thie behavior has become.

[lerxstcat]

Come on, lerx. YM is a great american, who distrusts and hates anything not-american. We're free to impose our will around the world, but nobody outside of the continental US - except for the occasional Alaskan - has any right to voice an opinion about how we do things.

Ya know, kind of like we know what is best for the world and they need to listen to us no matter what. Wait a minute, what does that sound like...

Aw fuck, Tinny, I lost my head there! Thanks for the reality check. I prefer cherry Kool-aid, btw, but grape is kool too...

[HeavyMetalZombie666]

How exactly does this justify Republicans betraying people who put their lives on the line for this country? Do you support the Republican decision to turn their back on veterans after they've served us? Do you?

Actually the most mistreatment that is done on our troops and veterans are the anti-war activists at code pink who spit on our troops and shove them and make bullshit claims that Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings were unjustifiable and I feel that is a slam on the WWII vets.

The question applies to you also, HMZ. Are there any one of you so-called troop supporting conservatives who will give me a straight up answer? nevermind? YourMomma? Wylde342? Buehler?

I do support the troops and I am not a conservative. I am not a christian. I believe abortion is a woman's choice to do so but shouldn't be funded.

[HeavyMetalZombie666]

They prefer to obfuscate than to answer head-on because their actions speak louder than their words, in the oposite direction of their words.

They support the troops as cannon fodder, but not as individual human beings who have put their lives on the line in signing up to defend the nation. Anything that takes away from veterans' rights and privileges, regardless of the rationalization, is fucking reprehensible.

And this bullshit they have promulgated that you have to be a Republican in order to support the troops is even more disgusting. It's McCarthyism.

Most businesses I know of, if a subgroup of workers decided to get together and declare that they are gonna fuck off and quit work 3-4 hours early every day, to try and counteract company policy, their asses would be fired on the spot. Even unions have to meet certain criteria to go on strike, and "I' just don't like it" doesn't meet the criteria.

They are refusing to do the work the American people hired them to do. What they will do is go on Fox News and tell the faithful that this is what they want them to do, and a certain number will be brainwashed. But a lot of them have to be realizing how thuggish thie behavior has become.

I have nothing against the war because the military is voluntary and what they do is their choice and support them in what they do. I have no interest in joining. I will not protest a war unless they force a draft on the American public.

[EvilMadman]

Come on, lerx. YM is a great american, who distrusts and hates anything not-american. We're free to impose our will around the world, but nobody outside of the continental US - except for the occasional Alaskan - has any right to voice an opinion about how we do things.

Ya know, kind of like we know what is best for the world and they need to listen to us no matter what. Wait a minute, what does that sound like...

What it sounds like is a good thing to listen to the advice of the most successful nation on planet Earth.

Yeah, isn't it just terrible that the evil west (aka The united States) imposed it's will on Nazi Facist Imperial Japan and Nazi Facist Germany, and also those two wonderful utopian societies of Afghanistan and Iraq?

And that isn't why (most) people in the U.S. oppose "ObamaCare". They oppose it for the main reason of not trusting the intentions of the bozos (with the record low approval ratings) who would be running the whole operation, which I for one, don't blame them one bit for their mistrust. Plus, it would probably make the national debt EXPLODE!

Leave it to the Democrats to create a new massive trillion dollar Health Care program that would burden the middle class and small businesses, while in the midst of major national economic and jobs trouble. Brilliant!

You know, maybe the Democrats actually could have began some serious tort reforms, and could have opened up the market to free competition (purchasing health insurance across state lines), and could have created some nice inexpensive options for health insurance? But that would've just helped the average voter, and not them.

They really aren't any better than the Republicans that they constantly criticize.

[Ugmo]

Are the Republicans TRYING to lose more seats in November? Look, I've gotta be honest, I love logging on to the Huffington post to read giant headlines like:


GOP BLOCKS JOBLESS BENEFITS WHILE DEMS ARE OUT OF THE ROOM

While Senate Democrats held a press conference celebrating their latest health care reform victory on Thursday afternoon, a Republican slipped into the chamber to move a bill that would extend soon-to-expire enhanced unemployment benefits -- paid for with $10 billion in unused funds from the stimulus bill.

With Democrats caught off guard, the clock started ticking on the bill's slog through the legislative process. Democratic leaders, who had planned to introduce the same bill without using funds committed to the stimulus, trudged into the chamber as Sen. Tom Coburn launched into an epic speech on the perils of deficit spending.

The GOP has become a parody of itself, I'm telling ya. It's almost funny - unless you're jobless and the Republicans are trying to make your life even more miserable.


Hats off to L-Cat for having my back! The thing about the "you don't live here, why do you care" argument is, you righties always use it when you run up against a wall and have no logical defense for the indefensible:

Ugmo: "The GOP has filibustered more bills in one year under Obama than the Dems did in six years under George Bush. How are they not the Party of No?"

War Board Rightie: "You don't live here, why do you care?"

[shadow]

Hot off the press:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162- ... 03544.html

Poll: Most Want GOP to Keep Fighting on Health Bill
Posted by Brian Montopoli (Credit: CBS) CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A CBS News poll released Wednesday finds that nearly two in three Americans want Republicans in Congress to continue to challenge parts of the health care reform bill.

Well, either polls are meaningless and answers are completely dependant on how a question is phrased or Americans are bewildered. I pick both:

Poll: Health care plan gains favor
Updated 4d 1h ago | Comments 12,434 | Recommend 184 E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions |


Enlarge By Charles Dharapak, AP

President Obama reaches for a pen to sign the health care bill Tuesday. A poll finds increased support for the measure.


USA TODAY/ GALLUP POLL

The new health care bill:


Source: USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,005 adults Monday. Margin of error: +/-4 percentage points.



By Susan Page, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — More Americans now favor than oppose the health care overhaul that President Obama signed into law Tuesday, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds — a notable turnaround from surveys before the vote that showed a plurality against the legislation.
By 49%-40%, those polled say it was "a good thing" rather than a bad one that Congress passed the bill. Half describe their reaction in positive terms — as "enthusiastic" or "pleased" — while about four in 10 describe it in negative ways, as "disappointed" or "angry."

The largest single group, 48%, calls the legislation "a good first step" that needs to be followed by more action. And 4% say the bill itself makes the most important changes needed in the nation's health care system.

"After a century of striving, after a year of debate, after a historic vote, health care reform is no longer an unmet promise," Obama declared in a celebration at the Interior Department auditorium with members of Congress, leaders of advocacy groups and citizens whose personal stories were cited during the debate. "It is the law of the land."


LAWSUITS: 13 AGs sue over health bill
HEALTH BILL: How six groups will be affected
BUSINESS: Employers unclear on impact

To be sure, the nation remains divided about the massive legislation that narrowly passed the House late Sunday. Minutes after Obama signed the bill in the East Room, attorneys general from 13 states — led by Bill McCollum of Florida — sued to block the law as unconstitutional. Virginia filed separately.

Nearly one-third of those surveyed, 31%, say the bill makes "the wrong types of changes," and 8% say the health care system doesn't need reform.

The poll of 1,005 adults Monday has a margin of error of +/—4 percentage points.

The findings show receptive terrain as the White House launches efforts to sell the plan, including a trip by Obama to Iowa on Thursday. "The political tides shifted with passage of the bill," White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer says. "It's easy to demonize something large and complex in theory; harder when it becomes law."

No one gets overwhelmingly positive ratings on the issue, but Obama fares the best: 46% say his work has been excellent or good; 31% call it poor. For congressional Democrats, 32% call their efforts on health care excellent or good; 33% poor.

Congressional Republicans, all of whom voted against the bill, are viewed more negatively. Although 26% of those surveyed rate the GOP's effort as excellent or good, 34% say it has been poor.

Republicans vow to stall a final package of fixes to the bill now being debated in the Senate.

In the new USA TODAY survey and one taken a month ago, the biggest shift toward support of the bill was among low-income Americans, minorities and those under 40. That has created a yawning age divide: A solid majority of seniors oppose the bill; a solid majority of those younger than 40 favor it.

[Ugmo]

I think we have the full gamut right here at the War Board:

- liberals like myself who think the bill isn't perfect, but it's what we've got, so it's time to support it.

- liberals like Chickenona who are skeptical but tend to support it.

- moderate conservatives (??) like Bane, Diablo Mozart and Jake who are skeptical but want to see how this plays out before getting too gung ho about it.

- staunch Republicans like Yourmomma who hate the bill because the Republicans didn't propose it.

- Teabaggers like Nevermind and possibly SmokingGun who are cleaning their guns as we speak.

- Evil Madman who... I haven't quite figured out where he fits in, but he sure doesn't seem to like this bill!

Anyone else I haven't insulted or mischaracterized yet?

[tin00can]

You didn't mention me, but then again I haven't really said what I think about the bill.

Thanks, man. I thought we were tight.

[Ugmo]

Sorry... I wasn't sure whether you were in the same category as me or Nevermind, so I wisely abstained!