Posted on 11/16/2007 4:48:28 PM PST by ECM
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., will keep the U.S. Senate in session over the Thanksgiving break because he wants to block President Bush from making any recess appointments.
Roll Call is reporting that Sen. Reid inserted a statement into the record Friday stating that he will "hold the Senate in a series of pro forma or nonvoting sessions" to prevent Bush from exercising his appointment power.
Reid said, “While an election year looms, significant progress can still be made on nominations. I am committed to making that progress if the President will meet me halfway.
“But that progress can’t be made if the President seeks controversial recess appointments and fails to make Democratic appointments to important commissions.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Gee thats a relief, I thought for sure he was giving up!
The democratic senate is the biggest waste of taxpayer dollars in the history of our country, IMHO.
Let’s see if I’ve got it right. President Bush will be in Crawford celebrating Thanksgiving with his family and friends, while Reid will be in Washington D.C. celebrating nothing and being with no one. And Reid's colleagues will be doing the same. Reid is lower than whale sh*t at the bottom of the ocean.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
What goes around comes around. When you are two years old, you may not grasp the concept.
He has that right - wrongheaded as it is.
Naw, they all have nice homes in DC and their families will join them there. The good senators would never punish themselves.
If no quorum shows up, then the Senate MUST adjourn, without further action of any kind. Then the decks would be cleared for recess appointments, should the President wish to make any such appointments.
Glad I could be of service.
Congressman Billybob
Congressman Sir, you are a wealth of knowledge, thanks, didn’t know that!!
“.... the Senate MUST adjourn, without further action of any kind. Then the decks would be cleared for recess appointments, should the President wish to make any such appointments.”
They adjourn, but would that qualify as a recess allowing an appointment? Seems as though the President could make an appointment every evening when they adjourned for the day.
Gee....These people have simply scrapped the Constitution!
Is there even any appointments coming up to block? Thought Mucasy(sp) was the only one and he got approved.
He either doesn't understand the Senate rules, which I doubt, or he thinks this ploy will work to accomplish exactly what?
Have the American public feel sorry for them?
Make Bush look like a meanie ?
Even the Media will think him an asshat?
What possible purpose could this serve?
John / Billybob
Dingy-Harry A.K.A. Golum./Just Asking - seoul62........
Mr. Reid, history will find that you are a loser... it will NOT take 20+ years to set this fact in granite.
Go away little man
Harry Reid won’t amount to a polyp on the colon of history.
Billybob is the man!
Senator Reid will keep shooting himself in the foot
Just think of what would be different this year if we didn’t have a congress or senate? Nothing!!
WORK and ELECTED OFFICALS don’t belong in the same world.
separated at birth???
tooo damn funny...
Found this in the Wash Compost:
“Under law, a president can use a recess appointment if the Senate is adjourned more than three days without reconvening on the fourth day. The interim appointments last through the current and next sessions of Congress.
“Congressional rules allow for the Senate to be adjourned for three full days without being considered in recess. Bush cannot use the interim appointments as long as the chamber is opened every fourth day. Reid set a schedule of pro forma sessions on Tuesday and Friday next week, and then on Nov. 27 and Nov. 29.
“The Senate returns Dec. 3 for full legislative sessions and is expected to adjourn a few days before Christmas until mid-January. But Reid is threatening to hold pro forma sessions throughout the holiday season, if necessary, to block recess appointments.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/16/AR2007111601569.html?nav=hcmodule
The Republicans can still call Reid’s bluff, if they have the will and give up their own vacations, which they won’t, sadly.
All they have to do is request a quorum call at each pro-forma session. Within that session, they can start unlimited debate (filibuster) which can only be stopped by a cloture vote, requiring at least 60 of them to come back and vote cloture.
Spineless Republicans won’t do it however, so Dingy will get his way.
The good news is, we won’t get any Julie Myers types being appointed during the recess.
If the Senate will be open through the Thanksgiving break, what’s to prevent the Republicans from showing up and voting on several important issues?
I should have asked you this question: Can the Republicans show up with enough members for a quorum, and pass important legislation?
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
No loyalty to America.
And the national rating for Congress dips once again to a new low.
In your scenario, Reid would then go to the bloggers and say, “I tried, but Bush trampled the Constitution and illegally made recess appointment!”...and the bloggers would swallow it, hook, line and sinker.
As usual, Reid doesn’t care what happens - only how it is perceived.
Sorry, but I fail to see what would be accomplished?
There would not be enough present to do any business. Must have a quorum, which they wouldn’t.
Good than there’s still a chance Dusty Harry will choke on a turkey bone.
A quorum is 51. Presumably some democRats would have to remain around to meet Reid's requirement that the Senate cannot be closed over the holidays. If all the democRats left, no one would be around to make a Quorum Call, anyway.
It would ruin their vacations, and make them a litle more reluctant to play such games in the future.
Remember, this will happen again in December, and I don’t think Harry and his boys will like their vacations ruined by having to come back from Walla Walla every four days.
According to Randi Rhodes on Air America yesterday, they want to stop the appointment of Dr. James W. Holsinger as Surgeon General.
The gay groups are screaming that he's a homophobe and should not be in office.
The gays don't want him. So the Democrats will obey their "masters."
Hey Dirtbag, how did that Surrender bill go??
Pray for W and Our Victorious Troops
“pro forma session - A brief meeting (sometimes only several seconds) of the Senate in which no business is conducted. It is held usually to satisfy the constitutional obligation that neither chamber can adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other.”
http://www.senate.gov/reference/glossary_term/pro_forma_session.htm
I recall on Inauguration Day, Bush made a speech with all the Senators and Reps present, and began the speech, “Distinguished members of Congress....and some not-so-distinguished members...”
According to an article on yahoo Congress is in recess. Its an article about the democrats refusing to fund the war unless the money is tied to a timeline for troop withdrawal.It says Gates may furlough government workers so the Pentagon can fund the troops.
What does the Senate rule mean when it says that in the absence of a quorum they can consider a motion to adjourn or recess “pursuant to a previous order entered by unanimous consent”.
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