Reid's Empty Chamber to Spite Bush

Fox News | 12/3/07

[pabianice]

Acording to Fox, Harry Reid is keeping Congress in session to spite Bush by keeping the president from making any recess appointments of his candidates that Reid has blocked all year. Reid is reported to have the Senate convened every day at an empty chamber, and then, after 30 seconds, closed for the day.

Here is coverage in the Boston Globe and The New York Times.

[massgopguy]

He doesn’t have a quorum.

[saganite]

He doesn’t have a brain.

[DBrow]

Bush should make a recess appointment anyway, and claim that Congress is not truly “in session”, and loudly accuse Reid of childish tricks.

That will at least get the media’s attention. It requires courage from Bush.

[Right Cal Gal]

I’m sure his Nevada constituency is SOOO proud.

[Pistolshot]

[subterfuge]

Imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth if a Republican were doing this?

“REPUBLICANS PLAYING HARD AND LOOSE WITH RULES OF GOVERNMENT!!!”

“SENATE LEADER IGNORES WILL OF THE PEOPLE!!!”

“THE END IS NIGH!!!!”

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

The Republicans need to return to Washington and attempt to conduct business. They won’t have a quorum, so they cant introduce legislation, but they could get as many photos or as much tape of the empty Democrat side and publicize the fact that the Dems are lazy and AWOL. “Where are they? THe Senate is in session every day, but the Dems are AWOL? Are these lazy people the right people to represent you?” and so on.

[Tanniker Smith]

If Bush had the courage, he should have released a list of "alternate appointments" that he'd recess appoint if there weren't floor votes (not necessarily confirmations) on his candidates.

Robert Bork, Newt Gingrich, . . .

[Eric in the Ozarks]

And the Republicans have no ‘nads.

[Bigh4u2]

Or he should just do this...

"Article II

Section 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the United States.

[VanShuyten]

What are the quorum requirements for Congress, anyways? I seem to remember 3/5ths of the House, but I don’t know for sure.

[MarkT]

As a wise person told me 50+ years ago, “What goes around comes around.”

[Keith]

oh man...good find...would that he would do that...

[Congressman Billybob]

From my understanding of Senate Rules, it would take only a single Republican Senator to "suggest the lack of a quorum." That should result in a quorum call, and then a Motion to Adjourn. After that, the President could make recess appointments if he chooses.

Congressman Billybob

Latest article, "A World Full of Pinocchio"

A Freeper in Congress? Click here. Act now.

[Alright_on_the_LeftCoast]

He should convene them both at Midnight on a Saturday

[RC2]

They are just puppets for big money. Look to the Federal Reserve and the Trilateral Commission to see who is in control.

[MaestroLC]

If Bush really wants to make a statement to the American people about the Dems failures, he would do this.

Good find!

[Bigh4u2]

The only questionable thing about this is the ‘extraordinary occasions’ wording.

Don’t know exactly what that means or how it would play out.

[the tongue]

He’s showing Bush, isn’t he? Keeping those worthless pieces of crap in DC when they could be back in the district dealing with constituents.
He’s a moron.