LIVE THREAD: Estrada Hearings: The Seige Continues

http://www.freerepublic.com ^ | February 23, 2003

[RobFromGa]

I am sure that we are not through fighting this. But I am unsure of exactly where it stands right now.

What is the next action planned regarding Estrada?

After the weekend, a cloture vote on Monday?

[hobbes1]

See, that's my point.

Most people have not yet fully realised that this is a Big Picture Administration, and they are exceptionally (possibly the most astute ever) politically skilled.

You have a President on the Verge of war, riding out a crumbling economy, cutting Taxes More....The big Picture aspect....Forcing Congress, to get in line with the spending habits of the American Household....surely a sisyphean task if there ever was one, And while the Economy Languishes, and The Drums of War ratchet up their beat, forcing his opponents to run around opposing him on those issues, he quietly slips the knife into his opponents, by fighting tem where they are vulnerable, (Thier uber reliance on the minority vote.)

[Cboldt]

Cloture
Basically it works like this:
In order to cut off debate and vote on the issue at hand you have to get 60 votes.

Here's the way I understand the rules and process, FWIW (might not be completely accurate):

Usually, the Senate moves on to vote by unanimous consent. A single Senator can object to closing debate and taking a vote on a bill or, in the case at hand, a judicial nominee. A single senator can, at any time, keep debate open. Voting for cloture is a way to circumvent a "single" objecting Senator (or, in practice, a group of 40 Senators working together to obstruct the business of the Senate). The motion for a cloture vote is to be given 48 hours in advance, which I suppose would be enough time for the objecting single senator to "wear out" if he/she is talking.

IMO, either moving for a cloture vote, or giving up on the nominee sets a terrible precedent. OTOH, precedents aren't binding on the Senate. They can even change their rules.

[hobbes1]

Depends.

If the War starts over the weekend, no.

But, Consider, Congress went home for a week, and we got a couple of supporting statements from Miller, and then Nelson.

So, I think it will be a play it by ear, but I know one thing.

Estrada Is going on the Bench.

[not-alone]

Can this be done? Frist has a vote and it lacks 60, Just before the next long break he goes to executive session and brings it up again keeping them in session, not allowing the Democrats to campaign-Kerry, lieberman, Edwards etc. If they have to stay in Washington all year and not go to New Hampshire, maybe they won't like obstruction.

[VRWC_minion]

However, please try to explain why he let these guys home after only three days considering they were off all last week.

There are a lot of signs that a war with Iraq is about to begin very soon. With all the terrorist threats it would be best if these guys were not in DC.

[Cboldt]

-bump- for a clear articulation of the scope of battle, and "can-do" attitude.

Thank you for your service, and for sharing your talent!

[11th_VA]

not allowing the Democrats to campaign-Kerry, lieberman, Edwards etc. If they have to stay in Washington all year and not go to New Hampshire, maybe they won't like obstruction.

SOunds like a plan - they could come around pretty quick. And shouldn't require cloture to do this. The fact the RATs keeping asking for a cloture vote tells me they don't want this drawn out.

[Sacajaweau]

Roe vs Wade is very likely to be overturned as it should be.

An abortion is the killing of a human being, so small, so vulnerable that it has to be protected and fed directly from the mother. The tiny baby has a DNA neither the same as the mother or father but a combination from the union of the mother and father. It is a distinct and separate human being.

[PhiKapMom]

Check out what I did find about Ms. Clinton: Starr wanted the notes that White House lawyers took on two occasions when they conferred with the first lady. The White House had identified nine instances in which lawyers had talked to the first lady, and Starr demanded the notes on two of them--one on her activities after the death of White House Deputy Counsel Vince Foster and another after she testified before a Washington grand jury. The White House and first lady claimed that the notes were the confidential products of an attorney-client relationship. Starr is fishing for something with which to charge the first lady with perjury or obstruction of justice.

http://www.arktimes.com/white87.htm

[Sacajaweau]

We seem to be hearing less and less of the memos and haven't been able to find out much about the Durbin paper.

Someone suggested postcards and I thought that was a good idea.

Printing DO YOUR DUTY: VOTE UP OR DOWN FOR ESTRADA on the Front of the Postcard or something similar.

If you can do this mass, you can have neighbors, friends sign one. If you have a local office, you can drop them off personally and when they say they have received something negative, you can call Rush or Hannity.

[PhiKapMom]

Hard to believe there would be a closture vote unless we are going to force the RATs into a full blown filibuster.

Right now they are in Executive Session and still conducting business. Yesterday my two Senators both introduced bills on the Senate floor so Republicans are still conducting business.

Believe they were sent home to get an earful from Hispanic groups in their home states who are getting madder by the day! Last time we picked up Nelson. Have heard there are some fence sitters and maybe the time away will give them an opportunity to see what they are doing to the Constitution and to their own Party. With three more nominations coming to the floor when they get back, it is going to be harder to keep filibustering Estrada without losing tons of Hispanic voters!

That's my opinion!

[hobbes1]

That was an amusing little whine....

e panel at the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals where Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr takes his pleas declared last week that rights routinely granted to Americans, including those under suspicion, ought to be suspended when it came to Hillary Clinton and the White House. They were even lower on the legal food chain than Richard Nixon. The U. S. Supreme Court said in 1972 that Nixon, whose tapes were being sought for a trial of Watergate crooks, had a few rights.
Not Hillary Clinton, the judges said.

Hmmmmmm....Is there a Difference to be spotted here...?!?!?!?

Like maybe Nixon was elected PRESIDENT....Hillary just thought she was....

[PhiKapMom]

Estrada Is going on the Bench.

Wanted to repeat that in big bold letters! People give up too easily! I don't want a single, I want a Home Run and this Administration is going to give it to us by hitting a Grand Slam in 2004!

[PhiKapMom]

Exactly! Thought you would enjoy! I found that while looking for what she was doing while working for the Independent Counsel on Watergate.

[syriacus]

Postcards sound great!! The address could be to:
Honorable........
Democratic Party - Then cross it out and write
aka Obstructionist Party
address
City/State/Zip
I think I have witch stickers leftover from halloween for Hitlery's card

Good idea!! Wish I had some Hallowe'en stickers around.

I especially like the part about crossing out Democratic and writing Obstructionist in its place. Maybe we can address the cards something like this: To the Honorable Soon-to-be-ex-Senator Charles Schumer.

The least we can do is let a few mail handlers know Senators like Schumer are lying or in denial.

[MEG33]

I watched debate and Sessions great speech. I heard the President standing firm.I've read the columns slamming the Dems and the threads that contain doomsday thinking. Estrada will be confirmed!

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks for your comments. Much appreciated!

[NeoCaveman]

Estrada Is going on the Bench.

Exactly
We have 51 R's sticking together
4 Democrats 9 at least
I know some people are used to the R's roilling over and playing dead but that is just not going to happen.

[PhiKapMom]

Agree with your analysis. Am sure if FR wasn't running so slow we would have more agreeing with us!

Been frustrating not to be able to counter immdiately when the naysayers get started!