Harry Reid’s Idea of Senate Decorum
Yesterday we passed along a quote from Republican Senator Lamar Alexander with reference to Democrats changing the rules regarding filibusters.
“I suspect the reason they may be doing it is hoping Republicans overreact, and it’s the only thing that they could think of that would change the conversation about Obamacare, . . . But we’re not that dumb.”
We wonder . . . in regard to something like this, what would constitute an “overreaction?” Anyway, square that rather uninspiring expression of the seriousness of the matter with the sentiment expressed in this statement also by Sen. Alexander: (as quoted today in Gary Bauer’s newsletter Campaign for Working Families:
Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), not exactly a man prone to emotional outbursts or hyperbole, denounced Reid’s maneuver, saying, “This is the most important and most dangerous restructuring of Senate rules since Thomas Jefferson wrote them at the beginning of our country. It’s another raw exercise of political power to permit the majority to do anything it wants, whenever it wants to do it.”
So it is a “big effing deal” as Joe Biden would say. And by the way in case Senator Alexander still thinks the Senate rule change is a bit off track as far as Obamacare is concerned — among the appointments that Harry Reid can now easily get confirmed are those to Obamacare’s rationing cost containment board.
More articles about the nuclear fallout, the implications, the history, and what might be done are available throughout the conservative bloggospere, for which many links to home pages are provided in our blog roll at right.
We particularly appreciate Daniel Horowitz’s commentary found at RedState. Rush Limbaugh referred to it today on his radio program. Limbaugh suggested that Republicans establish a caucus discipline such that any judicial nominee who is approved under Reid’s rules is marked and accordingly will not receive Republican votes for any judicial advancement in a Republican led Senate. Rush also expressed the lament that Republicans would not even be that cohesive.
R Mall
Nov. 2013: Reid implements “nuclear option”
“I suspect the reason they may be doing it is hoping Republicans overreact, and it’s the only thing that they could think of that would change the conversation about Obamacare,” said Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander…”But we’re not that dumb.”
hmm…interesting reaction, Lamar.
Dec.2014: Obama names Jarrett first US Prime Minister (says modern complexities of governing require modern measures)
“I think it’s obvious that the President has taken this rather unconventional action just to goad Republicans into overreacting to divert attention from the Benghazi scandal “. said Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham…but we’re not dumb enough to fall for that.”
June 2015: “Obama ‘dissolves’ Congress; assumes title of Supreme Leader; NY Times applauds as a ‘necessary action to get the country moving in the right direction'”
“This president will go to almost any extreme just to try to get Republicans to overreact and jeopardize Congressional bi-partisanship”, said Republican Sen. John McCain, but it’s not going to work. I’m introducing a measure which will criticize this action in the strongest possible terms. The GOP is not as dumb as the president might think.”
And the Republic ends not with a bang, but a whimper.
Yet another current issue (like his stance on the debt ceiling last month) that during his brief time as Senator Obummer that he held a completely opposite position.
The “non-partisan” Politicfact ruled it a “full flop.”
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2013/nov/22/barack-obama/barack-obama-among-flip-floppers-senates-nuclear-o/