. . . And Here’s Why
” In a report from AllGov.com, we learn that for the first time more than half of all members of Congress are millionaires. But what’s really interesting about the story is that it tells us there are more Democrats than Republicans in Congress who are millionaires.
That is not surprising to some of us, but it might be to a lot of people who have bought the Democrat/lamestream media narrative that Republicans are “the party of the rich.”
Let me tell you why this really is.
First, let’s understand there is nothing wrong with being a millionaire, or a billionaire for that matter. Contrary to what the rhetoric of the Democratic Party suggests, the vast majority of rich people have earned their fortunes by working hard and accomplishing things that have benefited others. That includes those who have made their money by investing, because they have put their capital at risk to help finance businesses that create jobs and produce goods and services people want and need.
Having said that, how can it be that there are more Democrat millionaires than Republican millionaires when everyone knows the conventional wisdom that Democrats are the party of the working man and Republicans are the party of the rich?”
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Tag Archive: Senate
GOP Division Widens As Another Senator Girds For Battle With Tea Party Challenger
” A last-minute tea party primary challenge to Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn of Texas not only sent political shockwaves through the Lone Star State but signaled that the ongoing divide in the Republican Party would continue.
Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas, is aligned with the party’s hard-right faction, and his 2014 election challenge automatically puts pressure on Cornyn, who has tacked rightward for the last year since tea party favorite Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, won in 2012 as a political novice.
At the same time, another Senate Republican leader up for re-election, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, is also facing a tea party opponent, putting the Senate’s top GOP leaders in the position of dealing with intra-party challenges next year as they guide the caucus.”
We’re having a hard time deciding where we stand with this race . While Senator Cornyn has been portrayed as a “liberal” republican in the media for quite some time now and there are some votes , Patriot Act , etc. , that concern us , his overall voting record and ratings from some influential conservative organizations gives an impression of a fairly solid non-statist legacy . Is this a seat that the Tea Party , which we support whole-heartedly , should be spending large sums of time and money trying to overthrow ?
While we have no doubts as to the qualifications and integrity of Rep Stockman and support him in his efforts to reduce government we aren’t sure that now is the time to stir this pot . Thoughts anyone ?
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“Democrats Will Absolutely Rue The Day”
” And the other part of it, as a conservative, I am extremely happy that the Democrats are doing this. The prospects are very strong that the Democrats are going to lose the Senate next year and there is an excellent chance of losing the White House. And the Democrats will absolutely rue the day because they not only are going to allow a Republican majority — which will come one day anyway — to get its nominees through, but Chuck Grassley has said that when Republicans come into you power, they’re going to include Supreme Court nominees, and that will be a devastating blow to the liberals on the Court and to the liberals in the country. So I don’t think Democrats will remember this day with any joy in the near future.”
Only time will tell if Mr Krauthammer is correct in his assumption , and to be fair it is a very commonly held assumption at this point , one that common sense tells us should be undeniably true . The only problem with the assumption that the Democrats will live to regret establishing the “nuclear option” as the new standard is the natural tendency for the GOP to blow every opportunity for political gain that has ever been dropped in their laps .
Incompetence is the only word that adequately describes the recent Republican caucuses and idiocy and fecklessness has a long and storied history in the party of Lincoln . If there is a way way to fail to score when you are feet from the end zone and all alone the Republicans are up to the task . The only fight the GOP seems capable of mounting is against their own upstart allies in the Tea Party .
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Reid’s Rule Change Would Silence GOP
” As a number of Senate Republicans take a stand against Barack Obama’s nomination of far left judges, the chamber’s top Democrat wants to find a way to stop them. In an announcement Thursday, Majority Leader Harry Reid voiced his support of a rule change that would curtail the practice of filibustering.
For the minority party, filibusters are one of a handful of tactics available to make its position heard. Reid, on the other hand, said that such allowances have resulted in a “broken” Senate.
“It’s time to change the Senate before the institution becomes obsolete,” Reid said, noting that the chamber has “wasted hours and wasted days between filibusters.”
To think it was only one administration ago that the alleged “pederast” of the Senate was singing a different tune . Give a listen to Dingy’s explanation of why the filibuster rule is was an essential part of our republican , not democratic , form of government .
” Unfortunately, the Nevada senator seems to miss the point that debate on a particular issue is actually a congressional responsibility, not something that needs to be eradicated. Of course, leftist legislators rely on ramrodding laws and nominations that could not stand Republican scrutiny.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who many conservatives feel has been too moderate in his response to Reid regarding other issues, was emphatically opposed to his current proposal.”
Perhaps “Dingy Harry” could use a history lesson on the importance of the filibuster …
” While several leftist groups have joined in the push for this so-called “nuclear option,” McConnell explained that such support could backfire “a lot sooner than you think.”
Mr Reid needs to be reminded that the purpose of the filibuster is to prevent the tyranny of the majority that our forefathers were rightfully so concerned about , to allow the minority to be heard and that it is one of the very features of government that make ours a republic and not a simple democracy(mob rule) . He would also do well to recognize that he won’t be Senate Majority Leader forever , perhaps not past 2014 as a matter of fact and thus he should very carefully consider the precedent he is threatening to set . We all know what they say : ” payback is a b**ch” .
” Though Republicans are currently the minority party in the Senate, Democrat support of the unpopular ObamaCare law has caused the approval rates of many legislators to plummet. Should the GOP regain power of the chamber after next year’s midterm elections, that party would benefit from Reid’s rule change.
Predictions of a Republican-led Senate are certainly encouraging to millions of Americans fed up with the current direction of the nation; however, the fight to end Reid’s proposal has far more immediate implications.”
Why don’t we let Senator Reid himself explain to us the filibuster , it’s long history , it’s essential nature to the American form of governance and also regale us with a conversation that took place over two hundred years ago between George Washington and Thomas Jefferson on just why the filibuster is an absolute necessity for the protection of the republic .
The following is a speech delivered by Harry on the floor of the Senate and recorded into the record on May 18th , 2005 : We’ll let Mr Reid do the rest of the talking :
” Mr. President, yesterday morning I spoke here about a statement the Majority Leader issued calling the filibuster a “procedural gimmick.”
The Websters dictionary defines “gimmick” as – – “an ingenious new scheme or angle.” No Mr. President, the filibuster is not a scheme. And it is not new.
The filibuster is far from a “procedural gimmick.” It is part of the fabric of this institution. It was well known in colonial legislatures, and it is an integral part of our country’s 217 years of history.
The first filibuster in the U.S. Congress happened in 1790. It was used by lawmakers from Virginia and South Carolina who were trying to prevent Philadelphia from hosting the first Congress.
Since 1790, the filibuster has been employed hundreds and hundreds of times.
Senators have used it to stand up to popular presidents. To block legislation. And yes – even to stall executive nominees.
The roots of the filibuster can be found in the Constitution and in the Senate rules.
In establishing each House of Congress, Article I Section 5 of the Constitution states that “Each House may determine the rules.”
In crafting the rules of the Senate, Senators established the right to extended debate – and they formalized it with Rule XXII almost 100 years ago. This rule codified the practice that Senators could debate extensively.
Under Rule XXII, debate may be cut off under limited circumstances.
– 67 votes to end a filibuster of a motion to amend a Senate rule.
– 60 votes to end a filibuster against any other legislative business.
A conversation between Thomas Jefferson and George Washington describes the United States Senate and our Founders Fathers vision of it.
Jefferson asked Washington what is the purpose of the Senate?
Washington responded with a question of his own, “Why did you pour that coffee into your saucer?”
“To cool it,” Jefferson replied.
To which Washington said; “Even so, we pour legislation into the senatorial saucer to cool it.”
And this is exactly what the filibuster does. It encourages moderation and consensus. It gives voice to the minority, so that cooler heads may prevail.
It also separates us from the House of Representatives – where the majority rules.
And it is very much in keeping with the spirit of the government established by the Framers of our Constitution: Limited Government…Separation of Powers…Checks and Balances.
Mr. President, the filibuster is a critical tool in keeping the majority in check. This central fact has been acknowledged and even praised by Senators from both parties.
In fact, my colleague from Georgia – Senator Isakson – recently shared a conversation he had with an official from the Iraqi government.
The Senator had asked this official if he was worried that the majority in Iraq would overrun the minority. But the official replied… “no….we have the secret weapon called the ‘filibuster.’”
In recalling that conversation, Senator Isakson remarked: “If there were ever a reason for optimism… it is one of [the Iraqi] minority leaders, proudly stating one of the pillars and principles of our government, as the way they would ensure that the majority never overran the minority.”
And he was right.
I spoke yesterday about Senator Holt and his 1939 filibuster to protect workers’ wages and hours.
There are also recent examples of the filibuster achieving good.
In 1985, Senators from rural states used the filibuster to force Congress to address a major crisis in which thousands of farmers were on the brink of bankruptcy.
In 1995, the filibuster was used by Senators to protect the rights of workers to a fair wage and a safe workplace.
Now Mr. President, I will not stand here and say the filibuster has always been used for positive purposes.
Just as it has been used to bring about social change, it was also used to stall progress that this country needed to make. It is often shown that the filibuster was used against Civil Right legislation. But Civil Rights legislation passed – – Civil Rights advocates met the burden.
And it is noteworthy that today the Congressional Black Caucus is opposed to the Nuclear Option.
For further analysis, let’s look at Robert Caro, a noted historian and Pulitzer Prize winner.
At a meeting I attended with other Senators, he spoke about the history of the filibuster. He made a point about its legacy that was important.
He noted that when legislation is supported by the majority of Americans, it eventually overcomes a filibuster’s delay – as public protest far outweighs any Senator’s appetite to filibuster.
But when legislation only has the support of the minority, the filibuster slows the legislation …prevents a Senator from ramming it through…and gives the American people enough time join the opposition.
Mr. President, the right to extended debate is never more important than when one party controls Congress and the White House.
In these cases, the filibuster serves as a check on power and preserves our limited government.
Right now, the only check on President Bush is the Democrats ability to voice their concern in the Senate.
If Republicans rollback our rights in this Chamber, there will be no check on their power. The radical, right wing will be free to pursue any agenda they want. And not just on judges. Their power will be unchecked on Supreme Court nominees…the President’s nominees in general…and legislation like Social Security privatization.
Of course the President would like the power to name anyone he wants to lifetime seats on the Supreme Court and other federal courts.
And that is why the White House has been aggressively lobbying Senate Republicans to change Senate rules in a way that would hand dangerous new powers to the President over two separate branches – the Congress and the Judiciary.
Unfortunately, this is part of a disturbing pattern of behavior by this White House and Republicans in Washington.
From Dick Cheney’s fight to slam the doors of the White House on the American people…
To the President’s refusal to cooperate with the 9-11 Commission…
To Senate Republicans attempt to destroy the last check in Washington on Republican power…
To the House Majority’s quest to silence the minority in the House…
Republicans have sought to destroy the balance of power in our government by grabbing power for the presidency, silencing the minority and weakening our democracy.
America does not work the way the radical right-wing dictates to President Bush and the Republican Senate Leaders. And Mr. President, that is not how the United States Senate works either.
For 200 years, we’ve had the right to extended debate. It’s not some “procedural gimmick.”
It’s within the vision of the Founding Fathers of our country. They established a government so that no one person – and no single party – could have total control.
Some in this Chamber want to throw out 217 years of Senate history in the quest for absolute power.
They want to do away with Mr. Smith coming to Washington.
They want to do away with the filibuster.
They think they are wiser than our Founding Fathers.
I doubt that’s true. ”
We would say those were words to live by Mr Majority Leader , but then again everything from the democrats comes with an expiration date doesn’t it sir ? Even principles .
What a difference an administration makes . To think that eight short years ago the filibuster was , according to the senator from Nevada , “part of the fabric of this institution” and that “the filibuster is a critical tool in keeping the majority in check” and anyone brazen enough to attempt to eliminate the people’s tool were on a “quest for absolute power” to this :
” Without the option of a filibuster, Republican senators have precious few options through which to protect America’s courts.”
They’ve done it . As we were putting this piece together the scalawags from the democratic caucus in the Senate broke the rules to change the rules and thereby have eliminated the one tool that a David representing the minority could use to great effect against the Goliath tyranny of the majority . Democrats … Party of the people ? Defender of the little guy ? Balderdash ! Oh yes , did we mention …. SQUIRREL !
Does anyone have any idea why the appointment of judicial nominees is of such importance now , just as we are gearing up for the holiday recesses ? One word comes to our mind , well two actually , one (squirrel) that is what Mr Reid and Co are shouting today and the second word is Obamacare , the one word Mr Reid would love to knock off of the airwaves and out of people’s minds.
Good luck with that Senator , although we think you have made a grave miscalculation . The people will never be able to forget about the S**t sandwich you and your cronies forced down their throats and now you’ve treated them to the ultimate display of hubris and hypocrisy with your invocation of your so-called “nuclear option” and along the way revealed yourself and your colleagues for the unprincipled mountebanks that you are .
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87 House And 27 Senate Republicans Vote For CR Funding Obamacare
” Eighty-seven Republicans in the House and 27 in the Senate joined with President Barack Obama on Wednesday evening to enact a continuing resolution that funds the government, including the implementation of Obamacare.
No congressional Democrats voted against the CR.
The vote in the House was 285-144, with the 285 in the majority including 87 Republicans and 198 Democrats. All 144 opponents were Republicans. One Republican and two Democrats did not vote on the measure.
n the Senate, the final vote was 81-18. The 81 senators who voted for the CR included all 54 Democrats and 27 Republicans. All 18 opponents were Republicans. Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma did not vote.
In the House, the majority of Republicans voted against their own party leadership. House Speaker John Boehner (R.-Ohio), Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R.-Va.), Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R.-Calif.) and Republican Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R.-Wash.) all joined with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) and 197 other House Democrats to vote for the CR that funded Obamacare. Two House Democrats and one House Republican did not vote on the measure.”
Roll call list here at CNS News
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Senate Website Says 2nd Amendment Unclear: Rights May Be ‘Collective’
” The Senate’s official website page on the Constitution says the Second Amendment right to bear arms could be a collective right, not an individual freedom.
The website explains the Second Amendment this way: “Whether this provision protects the individual’s right to own firearms or whether it deals only with the collective right of the people to arm and maintain a militia has long been debated.”
The Bill of Rights, however, was the Founding Father’s way of guaranteeing each and every individual their “unalienable rights,” as “endowed” by God. On top of that, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled — at least twice in the past five years — that the Second Amendment is an individual right, Breitbart reported.”
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The Torch Should Pass From The McCains To The Cruzes
” Sen. Ted Cruz’s marathon filibuster against ObamaCare should be a turning point for the Republican Party. If its younger, non-establishment leaders don’t take over, it could — disastrously — spell third party.
Sept. 24 and 25, 2013, should live in infamy for GOP McCainiacs. The subtext of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s 21-hour-long filibuster could be a paraphrase of JFK’s inaugural address:
“The torch has been passed to a new generation of Republicans, unwilling to permit the slow undoing of the constitutional rights to which this nation has always been committed.”
Where were “old guard” Senate Republicans as Cruz gave his heart on the Senate floor for nearly a full day? They were snoozing, counting the sheep they so closely identify with, instead of standing with Cruz and his allies, like Mike Lee of Utah, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Jeff Sessions of Alabama.
Cruz wasn’t long off the floor before Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a war hero, raised a white flag in one of the most disgraceful Senate speeches ever delivered.
Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., aptly called it “the Democratic response” to Cruz. It can be summed up in two of McCain’s own defeatist words: “We lost.”
Aged elephants like McCain make a Tea Party-based third party likely. That would cinch long-term Democratic dominance in D.C. McCain’s 2008 running mate, Sarah Palin, told Fox’s Neil Cavuto there already are three parties: the liberal Democrats, the GOP establishment, and Republican “good guys” like Cruz.
But this week, Ted Cruz gave America a look at the GOP future, in all its boldness and common sense. We hear Arizona has many fine retirement homes, Sen. McCain. Time to pass the torch.”
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Here Is C-Span’s Live Feed Of Ted Cruz’s Filibuster
Good luck Sen Cruz . We wish you well . Thank you for your efforts in stopping Obamacare.
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Recall Transparency Project – Turning In Tens Of Ballots At A Time
Published on Sep 6, 2013
” Just before the end of the first day of early voting in the Colorado recall election of Senate President John Morse, some college age students showed up with 10 ballots in hand, each.”
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Bill Passes in Senate
” Every day the government is making new attempts to take control of various areas of our lives, from our financial lives to our personal choices. In one recent case, the US Senate just passed a bill that would ban certain types of body art and piercings.
The Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would ban non-traditional body art and skin implants. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Missy Irvin of Mountain View, wants to limit body art procedures, particularly scarification and dermal implants. By a 26-4 vote, the Senate moved to outlaw scarification, a procedure involving the scarring of the skin using heat to form a tattoo without ink, and implants that place ornaments under the skin. The bill now goes to the House.”
There is no aspect of our lives that is immune from State intrusion .
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Democrats Obscuring Judicial Facts
” President Obama has named three nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the nation’s second most important federal court. The decision has captured attention because the court issues some of the most significant cases, including many involving the constitutional validity of actions taken by the president and federal agencies. That role has recently subjected the court to intense criticism from Democrats, who are angry that the court (now balanced 4-4) has been enforcing constitutional limits on President Obama’s agenda.”
Not content with destroying the credibility of the executive and legislative branches ,the Dems go for a trifecta and tarnish the judicial branch as well .
” Now that they are having trouble ramming their agenda through the court, Democrats have shifted strategy. They know that putting liberal judges on the D.C. Circuit will face opposition, so they are conditioning the environment to label Republicans as obstructionists. And liberal media outlets are helping all they can. Despite runningmore than 10 editorials from 2003-2006 defending the filibuster and fighting Republican-proposed reform to federal judicial selection, the New York Times editorial board is suddenly arguing that Republicans are “creating a serious shortage of judges and undermining the ability of the nation’s court system to bestow justice.” But the allegations don’t stand up.”
As the man says ” If we can’t trust government , we are going to have a problem ” … TOO LATE
A Great Man once said , back when America produced great men … “Trust But Verify” … secrecy allows no verification .
Of course that great man was referring to foreign enemies , who knew we would need to apply that maxim to our own government just one generation later ? Whoa unto us …
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Senate Passes Bill To End Air Traffic Control Furloughs
” Without any debate, the Senate unanimously passed legislation giving the Department of Transportation flexibility to use unspent funds to cover the costs of air traffic controllers and other essential employees at the Federal Aviation Administration.
The House of Representatives, which is expected to approve the measure, could take it up on Friday, capping a feverish effort by Congress to end the flight delays that were snarling traffic at major U.S. airports and angering travelers.
Some Senate aides said the measure would also give the FAA flexibility to keep open nearly 150 “contract towers” at smaller airports that are staffed by non-FAA employees who help control takeoffs and landings.”
Illustration by Gary Varvel
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Outrage Over Gun Vote? Maybe Not, Poll Indicates
” Ever since last week’s defeat of new gun control measures in the Senate, advocates have talked up the possibility that public outrage could turn a short-term loss into long-term victory for their cause.
Maybe not, new polling suggests.
While more Americans (47%) reported a negative reaction to the Senate action than a positive one (39%), the poll, done by the Washington Post and the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, found that the kind of strong feelings that build political campaigns mostly lay on the pro-gun side of the debate.
Those who said they felt “very happy” over the Senate action significantly outnumbered those who called themselves “angry” – 20% to 15%. Among those who had a negative reaction to the Senate action, most called themselves not “angry,” but “disappointed” (32%). Those who felt positively about the Senate’s action split almost evenly between “very happy” and “relieved” at 19%.
That finding reinforces a point that political operatives with long experience in the gun control debate often make: The gun rights side of the debate includes more people with intense feelings about the issue.”
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The Internet Sales Tax Rush
” Every time Congress has taken a serious look at proposals to boost Internet sales taxes, it has rejected them. That’s probably why pro-tax Senators are trying to rush through an online tax hike with as little consideration as possible.
As early as Monday, the Senate will vote on a bill that was introduced only last Tuesday. The text of this legislation, which would fundamentally change interstate commerce, only became available on the Library of Congress website over the weekend. And you thought ObamaCare was jammed through Nancy Pelosi‘s Democratic House in a hurry.
For Senators curious about what they’re voting on, it is the same flawed proposal that Mike Enzi (R., Wyo.) introduced in February. It has been repackaged to qualify for a Senate rule that allows Majority Leader Harry Reid to bypass committee debate and bring it straight to the floor.”
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A Good Day For The Second Amendment
” The president raged. The mayor of New York frothed. Joe Biden cried. But at the end of the day, common sense prevailed. The Senate killed the effort to unreasonably expand background checks for buyers of guns.
The measure is not quite graveyard dead; it can be brought up again, but prospects for that are remote. The vote was a bone-jarring setback for the gun-control lobby, and a decisive victory for the National Rifle Association (NRA), which led the fight to protect the rights of all. It was most of all a resounding victory for the plain and simple language of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
Shame, indeed, Mr. President. The president spoke from the Rose Garden, with families of the children killed at Newtown arranged around him to make a good photo-op. The shame is how the gun-control advocates have exploited the grief of these families, bearing up under a sadness beyond knowing by the rest of us, using them at every opportunity as props to make a political argument.”
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Obama Calling Lawmakers In Effort To Save Gun Background Check Measure
” A bipartisan proposal to expand background checks to more gun buyers seemed in jeopardy Monday as a growing number of Republican senators expressed opposition to the proposal, perhaps enough to derail it. But there was plenty of time for lobbying and deal-making to affect the outcome, and the sponsors seemed willing to consider carving out at least one exemption in an effort to drum up votes.
The White House said President Barack Obama was calling lawmakers, as both sides hunted support for a nail-biting showdown.
Sixteen Republicans voted last week to reject an effort by conservatives that would have blocked the Senate from even considering a broad bill restricting firearms. With that debate underway, Democrats hope to win enough supporters from this group to gain passage of the first amendment to that bill — the compromise between Manchin and Toomey, which expands background checks but less broadly than Obama has wanted.
By Monday evening, nine Republican senators from that group said they would oppose the Manchin-Toomey plan and one was leaning against it. Combined with the 31 senators who voted against debating the overall gun bill last week, that would bring potential opponents of expanding background checks to 41 — just enough votes to block the Senate from considering the compromise.”
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Related articles
- Toomey, Manchin mull gun-bill compromise to lure support (upi.com)
- Manchin, Toomey announce deal on gun background checks (wvgazette.com)
- Both sides hunt support in background check fight (cnsnews.com)
- Gun background-check supporters struggle for votes (cnsnews.com)
- Manchin: ‘Law-abiding’ gun owners will like background check bill (thehill.com)
- Toomey, Manchin Consider ‘Change’ to Troubled Gun Bill (breitbart.com)
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Immigration Bill To Be Released Day Before Hearing
” The “Gang of Eight” senators will release their immigration bill on Tuesday, just one day before the only scheduled hearing, according to news reports, bolstering GOP charges that advocates are planning to rush the controversial bill through the Senate before the public knows what is in it.
The bill is to be released April 16, according to a Friday report by The Associated Press.
The next day, before other senators have time to understand what is in the complex bill, Vermont Democratic Sen. Pat Leahy is slated to hold an April 17 hearing with one witness, Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano.”
Related articles
- Better get the Vaseline America (thedaleygator.wordpress.com)
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- Immigration bill to be released day before hearing – Neil Munro (stopamnesty.me)
- Less Than 24 Hours to Respond to 1500 Page Immigration Bill (independentsentinel.com)
- ‘Gang of Eight’ To Drop 1,500 Page Immigration Bill 1 Day Before Only Hearing? (patdollard.com)
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Up or Down Vote on Rights Threatens Every American
” Published on Apr 10, 2013
The Senate is set to take an up or down vote on the 2nd Amendment. Regardless of your views on gun rights, this should scare everyone. No one should be comfortable with a few people in Washington taking an up or down vote on your rights.”
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Related articles
- Poll: Most Americans Feel Threatened By Government (usnews.com)
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- Mark Levin: “There Are No Up-or-Down Votes on the Constitution!” (Video) (nicedeb.wordpress.com)
- Obama Supports UN Gun Treaty That Hobbles 2nd Amendment (simplyjuliana.com)
- Unbelievable….Republican Senators Supporting Intrusion Into Our 2nd Amendment Rights (floppingaces.net)
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Filibustering Senators Under No Obligation To ‘Play Fair’ To Protect Gun Rights
” With at least 14 United States senators (all Republicans), including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), having vowed to filibuster any proposed unconstitutional gun legislation (and given the Constitution’s clear statement that the right to keep and bear arms is one that shall not be infringed, that would seem to indicate that all proposed gun legislation would be subject to filibuster), the forcible citizen disarmament advocates are growing louder and louder in their outrage.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), for example, speaking on the Senate floor Monday, said, “Shame on them,” in reference to the senators planning a filibuster. From Talk Radio News Service:
“There is simply no reason for the blatant obstruction except the fear of considering anti-violence proposals in full, public view. Yet now many Senate Republicans seem afraid to even engage in this debate. S[h]ame on them,” Reid said on the Senate floor.
Obama’s condemnation of any filibuster is an extension of his State of the Union Address, in which he dramatically and repeatedly thundered that, “They [survivors of shootings and loved ones of the slain] deserve a vote!” It was good political theater, got his supporters fired up, and it’s no wonder that he gets back to the theme at every opportunity.”
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REPORT: ‘GANG OF EIGHT’ TO OPPOSE AMENDMENTS TO THEIR IMMIGRATION BILL
” In response to Nakamura’s article on Monday, Gang of Eight member Sen. Marco Rubio’s spokesman Alex Conant told Breitbart News that his description of the process being worked on is not correct. “The legislation that the eight senators are working on is only the start of the process; we expect several committee hearings, a full debate, and an open process for other senators to offer amendments,” Conant said. “It’s premature to speculate about what sort of amendments might be offered, but if another senator offers an amendment that improves the legislation consistent with the principles Senator Rubio has outlined, then I would expect members of the group of eight to support it.”
But Rubio’s words are unlikely to do much to assuage the concerns of conservative Republicans in Congress, especially as fellow Gang of Eight member New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Pat Leahy, and other Democrats appear poised to rush whatever bill the bipartisan group comes up with through as fast as they can once the legislative text is presented.
Nakamura notes the bill is expected to be around 1,500 pages long, and that the Gang of Eight “is trying to strike a deal in which all the members agree to oppose any amendments to the core provisions, even if they might agree with the amendments, people familiar with the talks said.” “
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- “Gang of eight” hoping for immigration bill this week, Schumer says (cbsnews.com)
- Republicans Accuse Colleagues of ‘Secretly’ Drafting Immigration Bill (foxnews.com)
- Is the GOP setting Chuck Schumer up as the fall guy if Marco Rubio pulls out of immigration reform? (dailykos.com)
- Rubio, Graham Pump the Breaks on Immigration Reform Deal (21border.com)
- Deal or No Deal, Rubio Wants More Immigration Hearings (rollcall.com)
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Mitch McConnell Joins Senate Gun Filibuster
” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would join a group of Senate Republicans threatening a filibuster to oppose a cloture vote if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid moves a gun bill to the floor this week.
Reid has promised to move a gun bill to the Senate floor this week, but it’s unclear which one. It depends on whether Democrats can strike a deal on background checks on gun sales — otherwise, they may settle for a less strict bill that includes some form of background checks, increase penalties for gun trafficking and increase school security. In order to get around the filibuster, Reid has indicated that he would file a cloture motion, which would require a 60-vote margin to move the bill.
“While nobody knows yet what Senator Reid’s plan is for the gun bill, if he chooses to file cloture on the motion to proceed to the Reid Bill (S. 649), Senator McConnell will oppose cloture on proceeding to that bill,” McConnell spokesman John Ashbrook said in a statement.”
Related articles
- Mitch McConnell To Filibuster Gun Control (businessinsider.com)
- John McCain sides with Obama, as Mitch McConnell joins Senate gun filibuster (riehlworldview.com)
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