July 15, 2013
...“I rise today to talk (click here) about the critical nominations that the Senate is currently considering. In all of the talk about these nominations – about the politics of recess appointments or the implications of changes to the Senate rules – I think one thing that has been too often missing from the discussion is a real consideration of who these nominees are and what they have done, and could do, to serve our country.
“We seem to have forgotten what we are supposed to be doing in fulfilling our duty to advise and consent to Presidential nominations. We are supposed to be looking at the qualifications of the candidates and determining if they are fit to serve. The answer with all seven of the nominees before us today is an unqualified ‘yes.’ And that should be the end of our task. We should confirm them all today and move on to the many other important issues facing this body....
Senator Harkin should know his point of view is backed back home. I don't see the changes will threaten the minority party at all should a simple minority ever go past nominations.
The GOP has a majority in the House, dysfunctional as it is, that can easily bring legislation laced heavily with conservative principles (if there is such a thing anymore) to conference. Besides, the House is not involved in nominations. The President is being inhibited from doing his work. Recently, Secretary Neapolitan resigned from Homeland Security. It is simply unacceptable to have this level of obstructionism in the Senate. The GOP needs to come up with a real strategy for elections rather than one made for TV movies.
July 14, 2013
...It’s time to change (click here) the filibuster rules of the United States Senate. It’s time to break down some of the hurdles to effective government. It’s time for greater accountability.
A filibuster rules change will serve all of these laudable ends.
How so? Currently, the mere threat of a filibuster is treated as if it were the real thing. It takes 60 votes to get past the mere threat. That’s a little like kowtowing to the kid who threatens to hold his breath until he turns blue, when you should be saying, “Go ahead, make my day.”...
...“I rise today to talk (click here) about the critical nominations that the Senate is currently considering. In all of the talk about these nominations – about the politics of recess appointments or the implications of changes to the Senate rules – I think one thing that has been too often missing from the discussion is a real consideration of who these nominees are and what they have done, and could do, to serve our country.
“We seem to have forgotten what we are supposed to be doing in fulfilling our duty to advise and consent to Presidential nominations. We are supposed to be looking at the qualifications of the candidates and determining if they are fit to serve. The answer with all seven of the nominees before us today is an unqualified ‘yes.’ And that should be the end of our task. We should confirm them all today and move on to the many other important issues facing this body....
Senator Harkin should know his point of view is backed back home. I don't see the changes will threaten the minority party at all should a simple minority ever go past nominations.
The GOP has a majority in the House, dysfunctional as it is, that can easily bring legislation laced heavily with conservative principles (if there is such a thing anymore) to conference. Besides, the House is not involved in nominations. The President is being inhibited from doing his work. Recently, Secretary Neapolitan resigned from Homeland Security. It is simply unacceptable to have this level of obstructionism in the Senate. The GOP needs to come up with a real strategy for elections rather than one made for TV movies.
July 14, 2013
...It’s time to change (click here) the filibuster rules of the United States Senate. It’s time to break down some of the hurdles to effective government. It’s time for greater accountability.
A filibuster rules change will serve all of these laudable ends.
How so? Currently, the mere threat of a filibuster is treated as if it were the real thing. It takes 60 votes to get past the mere threat. That’s a little like kowtowing to the kid who threatens to hold his breath until he turns blue, when you should be saying, “Go ahead, make my day.”...
