Card urges Democrats to work with GOP (Dems caving in???)

[renaissanceguy]

WASHINGTON - President Bush's chief of staff appealed on Sunday for congressional Democrats to work with the administration and Republicans rather than complain and stall action on Capitol Hill.
<snip>
Asked whether Democrats were being obstructionists, Card said: "On some issues I think they are." He implored them to do more than simply play what he called partisan politics.

Democrats deny they are holding up progress. Rather, they criticize the president for what they say is his unwillingness to reach compromises with the minority party and his insistence on his own proposals.
<snip>
"For the vast majority of our nation's history, judicial nominees have been able to get an up-or-down vote of the floor of the Senate and they have not been pushed aside through frivolous filibusters," Card said.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, said Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has reached out to Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., to find a reasonable solution. "But we haven't gotten very far," Durbin said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

He said that Democrats would not shut down the Senate if the GOP succeeds in banning the filibuster.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=4&u=/ap/20050501/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_democrats

[Vincardog]

1. aWoL's adviser said

He said that Democrats would not shut down the Senate if the GOP succeeds in banning the filibuster.

We said he should shut the fuck up. We do not need the GOP to lead US.

[Toucano]

10. Right on. n/t

[NMDemDist2]

2. re shutting down the senate, read the minority whip's speech on the floor

snip...then I think the response from the Democratic side can easily be described as this: If the Republicans are going to break the rules, the Democrats are going to play by the rules.

Let me tell you what I mean.

We believe we must defend the Senate and the Constitution. We will not allow one party to eliminate an essential part of checks and balances. The Senate operates according to customs. The minority party defers to the majority party regarding what bills come to the floor, and other questions. It is a system that requires trust and cooperation every day.

If Republicans choose to use the nuclear option, they are choosing to assault that trust and cooperation. We can no longer routinely give our unanimous consent to whatever procedural request the majority leader makes. Instead, we will use the existing rules and precedents to have the Senate focus on the real crises facing America's families and businesses. Instead of granting deference to the Republican majority to set the agenda on the Senate floor, Democrats will use the existing rules and the precedents of the Senate to focus on issues such as health care, energy, education, minimum wage, making certain we take care of our veterans and soldiers.

We have already placed a number of important bills on the Senate calendar, any of which can be brought up at once if the Republicans trigger the nuclear option. These bills address real priorities and challenges we face: funding our schools, bringing down the price of gasoline at the pump, finding a way to provide health insurance and health care for Americans, veterans benefits, and imposing fiscal discipline with Government spending.

Let me make it clear. We are not going to set out to close down the Senate or to close down the Government. Senator Reid, our Democratic leader, and all the Members of the Senate feel as I do, that shutting down the Government was the hapless tactic of the Gingrich revolution. It was a terrible idea. Rush Limbaugh was the only American applauding it every day, but the American people knew better. They want our Government to continue. They want Government services that are essential not to be in danger. So we are prepared to use the Senate rules to make certain that the defense of our Nation and the defense of our Armed Forces will be paramount, that passing key appropriations bills will occur, the Government will go about its business.

But when it comes to the rest of the debate in the Senate, when it comes to the agenda of legislative issues, we believe we can and will use the rules, if the nuclear option is exercised, to make certain that this debate is broadened--broadened beyond the special interest debates of K Street, the lobbyists who sit around the corridors out here begging for their bills to be called.

We will expand this to include a debate over issues American families are begging us to consider, such as the cost of health insurance, help in putting children through college, finding a way for us to deal with the energy crisis in a responsible way that will conserve energy and bring about more fuel efficiency, in addition to environmentally responsible exploration for new energy sources...snip




http://durbin.senate.gov/

[liveoaktx]

8. Vid Clip

Durbin on Filibuster

[Demeter]

15. They Should Do That, Anyway

They should have broadened that agenda when this clown took (literally) office.

[Iowa]

16. Great speech...

The only part that bothers me is this:

"If Republicans choose to use the nuclear option, they are choosing to assault that trust and cooperation. We can no longer routinely give our unanimous consent to whatever procedural request the majority leader makes. Instead, we will use the existing rules and precedents to have the Senate focus on the real crises facing America's families and businesses."

What's with the "IF...". Why weren't the Dems doing this before the nuclear option was an issue? Why have they, until now, "routinely given their unanimous consent to whatever procedural request the majority leader makes"?

[Sick_of_Rethuggery]

24. Pointless, under normal circumstances,

since the House will not take up any Dem bills; most likely these will not even clear the Senate.

Ergo, whatever they introduce is basically useless; so they want to use as such in the case of the nuclear event...

[warrens]

19. Do it anyway, Dick

Let's just make them fight for every comma and vowel. The weapons the Dems have to keep bills off the floor or amend them to death are limitless. Just do it. By the time the GOP finishes going ballistic and acting like the assholes they are, it will be election time.

Time for a little hardball, guys.

[Mass]

3. Other thread on the subject

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1756785

No this is not what Durbin said.

[wtmusic]

7. Playing semantics

the GOP term is "shutting down the Senate". If we let them frame the vocabulary, we lose. That's exactly what Reid is *not* doing, and he *is* doing a great job at it.

[Bluzmann57]

4. Seems to me that if the Dems shut down the Senate

they will be vilified. They may be working on something behind the scenes. After all, Reid tried to offer a compromise, and Frist turned him down cold. So that makes Reid out to be the good guy in the public eye, it would seem. If the Democrats just shut down the Senate, they will no doubt be labelled as "crybaby's" amd "whiners", among other things. So I say it may not accomplish anything to shut down the Senate. If that happens, the republicans will still get their way and all hell will break loose.

[mmonk]

22. Maybe all hell needs to break loose.

This is, after all, over 60 years of legal prededents that will be attacked when these judges take the bench and another is appointed to the supreme court.

[depakid]

23. They will be vilified!

LOL!

They'll be vilified no matter what they do!

This is a classic apologist argument for the Dem's contining to cave in and sell out over and over and over. And you see how far that's gotten us over the last 10+ years.

If the Dems ever manage to get the COURAGE to stand up and deny a quorum, that could damn well be their "sir, have you no decency" moment.

[LynnTheDem]

5. Two words for Card...

Fuck off.

[MissMarple]

6. It's just more GOP static. No matter what the Dems do, it won't be enough.

Libby Dole was saying the same thing last week. It is a major GOP talking point. They want everyone to believe that the "liberals" are being obstructionists because they have no ideas. Well, we have quite a few good ideas promoting the financial well being of the American people that the GOP rejects or ignores because they demand their way or the highway. And Card blithely ignores the shameful way the Republicans treated Democratic nominees during Clinton's terms.

And now, their talking points twist Durbin's statements, and the media remains complicit.

[bemildred]

9. And the mighty Wurlitzer spins on ... nt

[AlCzervik]

11. So Card is running the democratic party now?

Yo Andy, from one masshole to another-STFU.

[Straight Shooter]

12. Hey, Andrew, admit your complicity in Sept. 11, and we'll work with you.

How do you like them apples, bozo?

[Mountainman]

13. "You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in

Al Wilson - The snake

On her way to work one morning
Down the path along side the lake
A tender hearted woman saw a poor half frozen snake
His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew
"Poor thing," she cried, "I'll take you in and I'll take care of you"
"Take me in tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake

She wrapped him all cozy in a comforter of silk
And laid him by her fireside with some honey and some milk
She hurried home from work that night and soon as she arrived
She found that pretty snake she'd taken to had bee revived
"Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake

She clutched him to her bosom, "You're so beautiful," she cried
"But if I hadn't brought you in by now you might have died"
She stroked his pretty skin again and kissed and held him tight
Instead of saying thanks, the snake gave her a vicious bite
"Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake
"I saved you," cried the woman
"And you've bitten me, but why?
You know your bite is poisonous and now I'm going to die"
"Oh shut up, silly woman," said the reptile with a grin
"You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in
"Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake

[Skwmom]

14. "Working with" aka "it's our way or the highway." e.o.m.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

17. What happens when you reach out to the GOP

I read a lot of yahoo messages (yes I am in therapy for it) and this past week I saw a remark made by a freeper-type that stated since Ted Kennedy was one of the sponsors of the NCLB clusterfuck, that HE should be blamed for it's shortcomings, and not Dim Son.

When Democrats work with the GOP the only thing they get in return is the blame for when things go wrong.

It makes no sense to be reaching across the aisle, when our only payback is pulling back a scorched hand.

[Teaser]

18. Please read the news before posting.

The Dems strategy hasn't ever been to "shut down the senate."
It is a rejection of the rules of "comity." In other words, they will bring all their issues up (which traditionally isn't done by minority) and force votes on Democratic issues.


Jesus, people, a little research before knee-jerk reactions would be nice.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cosmicdot]

21. another Trojan Horse ...... reading every word of these bills ....

might be wise when dealing w/these snakes aka Radical Republicans

[alarimer]

25. "let's work together"

Means we'll call it working together if you completely give in to our agenda. Bipartisanship=Republicans getting their way.