"THE PARTY OF NO IS NOW THE PARTY OF CHOICE"

NA | Not published anywhere | Unknown

[KansasJayhawk75]

Thoughout the past 18 months of the Democrats total ownership of government, we heard a neverending chorus of complaining and hand-wringing over the issue of the fillibuster. The liberal media and the Democrats provided no shortage of complaints about the process and some even called for it's legal discontinuation. The GOP - aka, "The Party Of NO" as they were called - continually used the filibuster and other tactics to delay if not defeat Democrat plans. The aggressive plans of the Party to overhaul healthcare, nominate activist judges, extend spending programs such as unemployment and a jobs bill, and even change climate law were constantly slowed down or stopped by the filibuster.

In fact, Senate.Gov confirmed the trend and claimed cloture invocations were at a record high: http://newsjunkiepost.com/2010/03/02/republican-ob struction-at-work-record-number-of-filibusters/

As we know, this behavior infuriated both the politician's and their special interest's ambitious plans to re-make America. "I'm in my thirty-sixth year. I've never seen anything like it," said Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) about a plan to defeat a nominee to the NLRB. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka added: "Once again, a Republican-led filibuster has put political interests over the needs of America's working families." Senator Harry Reid said of efforts to block a Wall Street reform bill: "All of this talk from Republicans about wanting to do something about this bill before it gets on the floor is really anti-Senate and anti-American.” President Obama suggested that the fillibuster be dropped in upcoming discussions on climate change, asking the GOP to "keep an open mind".

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin went one step further: he proposed a plan to essentially neuter the fillibuster entirely: "The idea is to give some time for extended debate but eventually allow a majority to work its will. I do believe there's some reason to have extended debate. If a group of senators filibusters a bill, you want to take their worries seriously. Make sure you're not missing something. My proposal will do that. It says that on the first vote, you need 60. Then you have to wait two days, and on the third day, you need 57 votes. And then you need to wait two days, and on the third day, it's 54 votes. And then you'd wait another two days, and on the third day, it would be 51 votes."

Then the unthinkable happened: the Democrats ignored the fillibuster entirely on Healthcare and passed it via the process of reconciliation. As White House communications Director Dan Pfeiffer explained it: “The President expects and believes the American people deserve an up or down vote on health reform,”. Senator Bernie Sanders referred to this end-around as a "trick". "Absolutely. Look, the trick here is to do the best that we can for the American people. And that is quality, affordable healthcare for all of our people. We can't do it because we don't get 60 votes, then there are other ways that we have to proceed. And I would strongly support those other ways." And so it was on March 25 2010 that ObamaCare was passed with a 56-43 vote.

Having established the clear pattern of fillibustering by the GOP, we now ask one question: Was it successful? The answer could not be more emphatic: yes, it was. As Labor Day approaches, President Obama's Gallup approval ratings have sunk to an all-time low of 43%. Congress (controlled by Democrats) has set records for low approval throughout 2010, averaging in the high teens. And now the GOP is favored on 10 of 10 issues as recorded by pollster Scott Rasmussen - including oddly enough "government ethics and corruption": http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/pol itics/mood_of_america/trust_on_issues

The Tea Party movement has gained in strength, and recent state elections have shocked: Scott Brown took Ted Kennedy's longheld seat in Massachussetts, Chris Christie won the Governor's seat in New Jersey, among the many changes voters demanded. President Obama's efforts in campaigning are not wanted in many parts of the nation now as the Midterms loom. Some Democrats are privately conceding they will lose the House and are going to be weakened in the Senate - the same Senate where people so vociferously complained all year about the "Party Of No".

Clearly there are other issues at play here outside of GOP obstructionism: a faltering economy with sky-high unemployment, stock market jitters, concerns over the war efforts in Afghanistan, some fatigue from the far left who wants more than they're getting, even a mini-controversy about a Mosque at Ground Zero. But one thing has become quite clear: the nation that so warmly welcomed Barack Obama in November 2008, is not nearly as welcoming towards his aggressive agenda. And the GOP absolutely read the tea leaves correctly.

[Huskrrrr]

Any day now the MSM will be bringing up Nixon and Watergate.

[datura]

Much to the chagrin of the MSM, they are circling the drain just as their messiah is.

Reap what you sow.

[Vendome]

Once Labor Day passes I am expecting to see the haried and factually inaccurate stories detailing our collective insensitivity and hostilities toward Islam.

In fact, they will attempt to guile us into guilt and shame for historical animus that dates back to Jefferson.

Wouldn’t surprise me if demands are made to remove from the Marine Hymn “...to the shores of Tripoli”.

[quantim]

Might as well throw in a little McCarthyism in as well.

[Secret Agent Man]

Being the “Party of No” is vital when the democrats remain the “Party of No Limits”. Especially to taxing citizens to the hilt and then spending ourselves into debt we’ll never get out from under.

Further the democrats are also the “Party of No Debate” basically not even trying to defend what they’ve done the last two years, rather if you oppose them you’re just a racist, or homophobic, or Islamophobic, or hateful. Why debate when you can name call?

[KansasJayhawk75]

It’s hard to say whether the GOP was doing the will of the people in stopping this.....or was thwarting the will by being pesky and a pain, making people give up.

No matter - all that’s important is, they succeeded.