Flashback to 2005: Harry Reid defends filibuster for stalling executive nominees...

Harry Reid is a piece of excrement... 

Sen. Harry Reid, Floor Remarks, 5/18/05

Hero: Sen. Cruz vows to speak against ObamaCare until he is no longer able to stand

Where's is Mitch McConnell? Rubio is joining in. Watch here...

Sen. Cruz, on Senate floor, says he will speak against ObamaCare 'until I am no longer able to stand.'
— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) September 24, 2013

Hero: Sen. Ted Cruz vows to stand and filibuster to defund Obamacare

Will Rand Paul and Marco Rubio join him?

Via Red Alert Politics:

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) will stop at nothing to defund Obamacare, saying Thursday he would even go so far as to filibuster the continuing resolution to stymie President Barack Obama’s healthcare law.
Cruz joined Republican lawmakers from both chambers of Congress at a press conference discussing a continuing resolution to halt funding for the Affordable Care Act. When asked if he would filibuster the continuing resolution, the Tea Party darling said he would use whatever means necessary to defund Obamacare.
“I will do everything necessary and anything possible to defund Obamacare,” Cruz said. “Yes, and anything else. Any procedural means necessary. Listen, this is the most important fight of the country and it’s easy to focus on the political back and forth. … As soon as the House passes this into law it’s going to be in Harry Reid’s court.”

Ted Cruz: Senators Yelled At Me For Supporting Gun Filibuster…

Cruz doesn't have to name names. We think we know who he is talking about. 

Via NRO:

Texas senator Ted Cruz on Friday indicated that the battle among GOP Senators over gun control was so fierce that, at seveal points throughout the debate, some of his Republican colleagues yelled at him “at the top of their lungs.”

“I don’t know that there is an issue that has generated more heat internally in the Republican conference,” Cruz said at a Texas tea party rally. “We’ve had probably five or six lunches with a bunch of Republican senators standing up and looking at Rand [Paul] and Mike [Lee] and me and yelling at us at the top of their lungs, I mean, really upset. And they said ‘Look, why did you do this? As a result of what you did, when I go home, my constituents are yelling at me that I have to stand on principle.’ I’m really not making that up. I don’t ever bother to argue with me, I just let them yell and say, ‘Look, you know, vote your conscience.’”

Keep on reading…

RINO Sen. John McCain doesn't understand gun control filibuster threat or something...

McRino wouldn't....

Via The Hill:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday expressed opposition to possible GOP efforts to filibuster a Senate gun-control measure, saying he did not “understand” the move to block debate.

“I don’t understand it,” said McCain on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “The purpose of the United States Senate is to debate and to vote and to let the people know where we stand.”

Read more here...

Good News:Sens. Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee threaten to filibuster any new gun control legislation...

Giddy up boys...

Via Politico:

Sens. Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee are threatening to filibuster gun-control legislation, according to a letter they plan to hand-deliver to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office on Tuesday.

“We will oppose the motion to proceed to any legislation that will serve as a vehicle for any additional gun restrictions,” the three conservatives wrote in a copy of the signed letter obtained by POLITICO.

Reid plans to bring up a gun-control measure that focuses on broadening background checks and cracking down on interstate gun-trafficking after the current Senate recess.
Conservatives are concerned that once that bill reaches the floor, amendments could stiffen restrictions on gun control.

Moreover, they understand that Reid intends to allow liberal amendments that would limit clip capacity and ban certain assault weapons to be offered — even though they would be defeated — to give Democrats a chance to vote on them. For moderate Democrats in competitive states, that amounts to an opportunity to vote no and show allegiance to gun rights.

Keep on reading…

Rand Paul filibuster fails to get WH to pledge not to kill Americans on U.S. soil.

Will a drone-fired missiles be in American dissidents futures? The White House won't say no.

Via Politico:

As Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) entered the eighth hour of his filibuster of Obama CIA nominee John Brennan on Wednesday, he pleaded for an assurance from the White House that the Obama administration would not kill Americans on U.S. soil.

“I have a message here from, not from the White House, a message saying the White House hasn’t returned our phone calls,” he said holding up a piece of paper shortly before 8 p.m. “If anybody knows anybody at the White House and wants to call them, we are looking for an answer from the White House.”

Since the filibuster began, White House officials have twice responded to messages from POLITICO seeking comment: They have nothing to say.

Paul joked “Maybe they’re going to call me when the sequester’s over,” then added, “I really think that one of the courtesies that they ought to think about is, particularly if what they’re hearing is something that they don’t object to, why not end the debate by going ahead and letting us know?

“You’d think that would be a pretty easy answer for them.”

Harry Reid threatens 'nuclear option' if Republicans fail to cave on filibuster in 36 hours...

Harry Reid is flexing his geriatric muscles...

Via The Hill:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is giving Republican colleagues 36 hours to agree to a deal on filibuster reform or he will move forward with the nuclear option.

“I hope in the next 24, 36 hours we can get something we agree on. If not, we’re going to move forward on what I think needs to be done,” Reid told reporters.

Reid’s trump card in negotiations with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) is the threat he will change Senate rules with a simple majority vote, a tactic known as the nuclear option. This maneuver would allow Reid to change the Senate rules with a simple majority vote, something that has never been done, according to parliamentary

Liberal Heartache: Harry Reid walks back filibuster and assault weapons ban talk

Reality sets in for Harry Reid...

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told a Nevada television station Friday that the Senate is unlikely to pass an assault weapons ban or a radical revamp of filibuster rules.

But the Democratic leader was optimistic about changes to immigration laws, noting that it will be the chamber’s top priority this year.

In the interview that aired on Vegas PBS this weekend, Reid, a gun rights supporter, struck a pragmatic tone on gun control measures.

“Let’s be realistic. In the Senate, we’re going to do what we think can get through the House. And I’m not going to be going through a bunch of these gyrations just to say we’ve done something because if we’re really legislators, the purpose of it is to pass legislation,” Reid said.

He said he wants to see what President Barack Obama wants to do by administrative means. Reid also expressed reservations about legislation to outlaw assault weapons, a measure that he has long opposed.

“Is it something that can pass the Senate? Maybe. Is it something that can pass the House? I doubt it,” Reid said. “So I think there are things that we know we can do.”

Video: Reid vs. Reid on the filibusterer...

Reid vs. Reid

Dingy Harry Reid on filibusters: “We’re going to change the rules."

I can't believe democrats elected this scumbag of a human as their leader...

WASHINGTON — Keeping with his post-election pledge to reform the filibuster, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Tuesday proffered that changes to the rules of the upper chamber will be made, leaving it up to Republicans if they would like to participate.

“There are discussions going on now [over filibuster reform], but I want to tell everybody here. I’m happy I’ve had a number of Republicans come to me, a few Democrats,” Reid told reporters Tuesday at his weekly press availability. “We’re going to change the rules. We cannot continue in this way. I hope we can get something that the Republicans will work with us on.”

“But it won’t be a handshake,” he added. “We tried that last time. It didn’t work.”
Asked to confirm if his comments meant that the rules would change and Republicans can choose to be a part of that change if they want, the Nevada Democrat responded, “That’s right. Yup.”

Senate GOP whip John Cornyn on Harry Reid's planned filibuster nerfing: “It will shut down the Senate,”

I should hope so...

Via Politico:

A partisan war is brewing that could bring the government to a screeching halt as early as January — and no, it’s not over the fiscal cliff.

It’s all about the filibuster.

Democrats are threatening to change filibuster rules, in what will surely prompt a furious GOP revolt that could make those rare moments of bipartisan consensus even harder to come by during the next Congress.

Here’s what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is considering: banning filibusters used to prevent debate from even starting and House-Senate conference committees from ever meeting. He also may make filibusters become actual filibusters — to force senators to carry out the nonstop, talkathon sessions.

Republicans are threatening even greater retaliation if Reid uses a move rarely used by Senate majorities: changing the chamber’s precedent by 51 votes, rather than the usual 67 votes it takes to overhaul the rules.

“I think the backlash will be severe,” Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), the conservative firebrand, said sternly. “If you take away minority rights, which is what you’re doing because you’re an ineffective leader, you’ll destroy the place. And if you destroy the place, we’ll do what we have to do to fight back.”

“It will shut down the Senate,” the incoming Senate GOP whip, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, told POLITICO. “It’s such an abuse of power.”

Keep on reading…

Senate Democrats Filibuster Provision of President Obama’s Jobs Bill. What?

You read the headline right. Harry Reid and Senate Democrats are now filibustering part of President Obama's jobs bill. President Obama said in his September 30th weekly radio address,

"Some Republicans in Congress have said that they agree with certain parts of this jobs bill. If so, it's time for them to tell me what those proposals are,"

Republicans tried to force a vote on part of the bill they like, but Democrats filibustered the vote.

Thursday night, Democrats filibustered a Republican-backed provision of President Obama’s jobs bill, because the GOP proposed to pay for it by slashing $30 billion worth of funds for federal programs. Republicans forced the vote to build a counter-narrative that Democrats don’t want to work with them on jobs legislation, even bits of Obama’s own plan.

But by tradition, it’s very rare for minority leaders to force votes on messaging legislation, and one Senate Democratic aide warned this will come back to haunt a future Republican majority.

“This is the Senate version of hardball,” the aide said Thursday night. “We can’t stop Republicans from getting their vote, but we can force them to set a precedent that might come back to bite them in the future.”

Goodbye Goodwin

Republicans successfully filibuster radical Obama U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Goodwin Liu. As proof of how radical Liu is thought to be, the vote wasn't even close.

(Politico) — Senate Republicans staged the first successful filibuster of a judicial nominee since 2005 on Thursday, dealing a blow to the Obama administration on the long-stalled nomination of Goodwin Liu to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The final vote was 52-43, eight votes shy of the 60 needed to overcome the filibuster. Only one Republican joined Democrats in supporting Liu, and only one Democrat voted no to opening debate on the 40-year-old University of California, Berkeley professor’s nomination.

The filibuster will be met with disappointment from both progressives and Asian-American groups that advocated for Liu and hoped to see him seated on the Western court that covers a region of the country with a significant Asian-American population. Liu even received support from some prominent conservative legal figures, including Ken Starr and John Yoo.

Democrats Attempt to End the Senate Filibuster Seems to be Fizzling Out

It looks like Democrats are ready to give up their attempt to end the filibuster rule in the Senate. Most likely, the realization they could lose control of the Senate in 2012 had some bearing on their thinking. Reportedly, Republicans are willing to make some minor changes to Senate rules. The most prominent is getting rid of "secret holds" Senators can put on nominations or bills. That looks like a reasonable change.

(Politico)- There’s now a strong chance for a bipartisan agreement to make it easier to confirm at least non-controversial judicial and executive branch nominees. Chances also remain high that both sides will agree to do away with secret holds, which allows an individual senator to block nominations or bills anonymously.

But that may be as far as the Senate goes in overhauling its rules.

The power of any senator to filibuster almost anything isn’t expected to go away, nor is the requirement that filibusters can only be defeated with 60 votes and days of consideration.

Irony: Harry Reid's Filibuster Reform Bill Doesn't Have 60 Votes to Stop Filibuster

Harry Reid promised liberal activists he would support a filibuster reform bill and continue to ram Obama's socialist agenda down America's throat. However, he would need 60 votes to get cloture and bring the reform bill to a vote. He doesn't have them.

The Hill reported:

Five Senate Democrats have said they will not support a lowering of the 60-vote bar necessary to pass legislation. Another four lawmakers say they are wary about such a change and would be hesitant...

Rep. Sanford Bishop tries to filibuster town hall; crowd turns ugly

Rep. Sanford Bishop(D-GA) tried to filibuster his health care town hall by reading for 40 minutes. The crowd didn't appreciate that approach. They started yelling, "Town Hall Meeting, not a Town Hall Reading," and "quit wasting our time." Congressman Bishop threatens to have the sheriff remove one person. This is almost unbelievable.

New Republican Ad "60" Commemorates Democrats Getting 60 Votes

Here is the ad response of the National Republican Senatorial Committee to Al Franken giving Democrats a filibuster proof 60 votes.



From the video:

"The Democrats have total control. No checks. No balances... In 2010, you can hold them accountable."

New Republican Ad "60" Commemorates Democrats Getting 60 Votes

Obama wants clean process for Sotomayor, but voted to filibuster Alito

Obama wants a clean process for Sotomayor, but voted to filibuster Alito in January 2006. Senator Obama was one of only 24 Democratic Senators to vote to filibuster the Supreme Court nomination of now-Justice Samuel Alito. What a hypocrite. From ABC News:

President Obama's expressed hope today in his weekly address "that we can avoid the political posturing and ideological brinksmanship that has bogged down this (Supreme Court nomination) process, and Congress, in the past" runs against another historical first for the 44th president: his unique role in history as the first US President to have ever voted to filibuster a Supreme Court nominee.

So while there is little indication Republicans intend to filibuster President Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the GOP will likely invoke the President's unique history whenever he calls their tactics into question.

In January 2006, then-Sen. Obama joined 24 colleagues in a futile effort led by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to filibuster the Supreme Court nomination of now-Justice Samuel Alito.