Insane. Quite a new level of obstruction from the republican minority. During the last debt ceiling negotiation in 2011 McConnell offered an up or down vote to allow President Obama to raise the debt ceiling and avoid the arbitrary terrorist hostage taking of the nations credit by republicans. That proposal died.
This morning McConnell asked to have a vote on his old proposal. Harry Reid obliged him, set up the vote, and before it could happen McConnell filibustered his own proposal. What madness this this when he can filibuster over 380 bills and think this is the spirit of bi-partisanship. Never in the republic has there been this much obstruction of the peoples will. Harry Reid actually had to issue the Orwellian statement:
“The Senate should pass Senator McConnell’s proposal to give the President the authority to avoid the knock-down, drag-out fight we had over the debt ceiling last year—a fight that caused the first-ever downgrade of this country’s credit, and cost our economy billions. Senator McConnell’s filibuster prevented us from having this vote today, but I will continue to seek an agreement to hold an up-or-down vote on his proposal to avoid another debt ceiling debacle."
Read more of the story with all the facts sourced:
Republicans? Please explain why the debt ceiling - which under every other administration was never held hostage - is suddenly a bargaining chip to use in an attempt to gut social security and medicare?
Greg Kolack
Posts: 17,242
Downers Grove, Illinois, US
AWHill Photography wrote: Republicans? Please explain why the debt ceiling - which under every other administration was never held hostage - is suddenly a bargaining chip to use in an attempt to gut social security and medicare?
Because they want to make Obama a one term President.
AWHill Photography wrote: Insane. Quite a new level of obstruction from the republican minority. During the last debt ceiling negotiation in 2011 McConnell offered an up or down vote to allow President Obama to raise the debt ceiling and avoid the arbitrary terrorist hostage taking of the nations credit by republicans. That proposal died.
This morning McConnell asked to have a vote on his old proposal. Harry Reid obliged him, set up the vote, and before it could happen McConnell filibustered his own proposal. What madness this this when he can filibuster over 380 bills and think this is the spirit of bi-partisanship. Never in the republic has there been this much obstruction of the peoples will. Harry Reid actually had to issue the Orwellian statement:
“The Senate should pass Senator McConnell’s proposal to give the President the authority to avoid the knock-down, drag-out fight we had over the debt ceiling last year—a fight that caused the first-ever downgrade of this country’s credit, and cost our economy billions. Senator McConnell’s filibuster prevented us from having this vote today, but I will continue to seek an agreement to hold an up-or-down vote on his proposal to avoid another debt ceiling debacle."
Read more of the story with all the facts sourced:
Republicans? Please explain why the debt ceiling - which under every other administration was never held hostage - is suddenly a bargaining chip to use in an attempt to gut social security and medicare?
AWHill Photography wrote: Republicans? Please explain why the debt ceiling - which under every other administration was never held hostage - is suddenly a bargaining chip to use in an attempt to gut social security and medicare?
Because we're in a new era, one where the debt is rapidly reaching a point where it's becoming a real danger to this country.
Irregardless of who you want to blame for our situation, it's still the situation we face today and it has to be dealt with. Simply raising the debt ceiling over and over can't be the only solution... we need to address the problem sooner rather than later.
Fox is trying to spin this story but they're still off.
1. It was a McConnell proposal.
2. He expected that the Democrats would oppose it. So he proposed it.
3. Initially, Reid asked for a delay, consulted and then agreed to allow the proposal to come forth for a vote and he asked for an up or down vote.
4. McConnell insisted it required 60 votes (which under the rules the Senate is operating under means that McConnell filibustered his own proposal). Under the current rules that the Senate is operating under, a filibuster can be considered to occur if someone insists that a proposal or bill requires 60 votes (rather than actually requiring that someone stand up and talk non-stop requiring a vote of cloture).
What Fun Productions wrote: It was Obama's proposal.
McConnell proposed having a vote. Majority Leader Reid called his bluff and agreed to an up or down vote. McConnell then filibustered his own proposal, which made him look like a total ass-clown. Obama was not in the Senate chamber, and even if he had been, he couldn't vote.
Again, this is Fox trying to spin this. Obama also proposed that we have a tax on everyone making $250k. But that tax doesn't happen unless someone places a bill or proposal before Congress.
1. It was McConnell that initially proposed 2 years ago that instead of Congress raising the debt ceiling, the President would unilaterally do this and the Congress could take a symbolic vote of approval or disapproval (but the President would still own the result).
2. Obama this time around suggested the McConnell idea again. It's called bipartisanship....taking some ideas from the other party and offering to implement them. It also takes the heat off of Congress (they don't get blamed for the rising debt--they can just accuse the President of being the guilty party).
3. McConnell chose that one particular element of the debt package submitted by Geithner to Congress to suddenly insist that Dems vote on it. He did this as a political move--thinking that (a) the Dems wouldn't want this to happen (which would be bad PR....they're opposing one of the President's ideas) and (b) it would go down in defeat. So McConnell offered a proposal in Congress separate from the rest of Obama's package, just to vote to approve this one element. It was proposed by McConnell and it had his name associated with it.
4. Reid originally said that he'd need to look at it. After conferring, he came back and said--sure, let's take a vote on it.
5. At which point McConnell filibustered his own proposal.
Be clear--the ONLY reason this was up for a potential vote was b/c McConnell proposed it. The ONLY reason no floor vote was taken was b/c McConnell filibustered it.
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