Posted on 02/04/2002 7:29:08 PM PST by dirtbiker
A common battle cry was heard throughout the heated days of the Florida presidential election debacle. When evil forces from the planet Goron attempted to illegally foist a slow-talking robot with pectoral implants and cut-rate circuitry upon a divided nation, a compliant media broadcast their fallacious slogan from coast to coast. "LET EVERY VOTE COUNT," whined the minions of the left, playing on widespread public ignorance of the fact that, in a republic such as the United States, popular vote has virtually zilch to do with the selection of a Commander and Chief. Luckily, George W. Bush came to occupy the Oval Office. Watching the State of the Union address last night, I was reminded of how lucky we were. Watching the Democratic response offered by Dick Gephardt, however, I was reminded of the hypocrisy of the left. I don't trust Gephardt - partly because the man has no eyebrows - but he was merely the spokesman du jour for his party's propaganda. No, the hypocrisy which materialized from the fog is that of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. "LET EVERY VOTE COUNT!" During the election Daschle chewed on that phrase like a dog with a pot roast. During the fractious days of Florida it was the mantra of the Democrats, and Daschle was head cheerleader. If he believed it then, if such is the bedrock ideology of his convictions, why has he now banished the philosophy to the backyard dumpster? If Daschle is adamant about "every vote counting," why then does he restrain the Senate from voting on critical issues? Are votes only important when you have a fair chance of winning? Do they only count if you place the wants and desires of your political party above the wants and desires of the American people? Vice President Dick Cheney has labeled Daschle an obstructionist, and rightfully so. Since he became Majority Leader, the Senator from South Dakota has time after time aborted voting on legislation and judicial nominations. His justification for this pathetic course is that he claims the issues in question are "controversial," and has thus implemented the necessity for a supermajority of 60 votes, rather than a simple majority. "LET EVERY VOTE COUNT!" Right Tom...do you have a knife and spoon in there with that forked tongue? I could use a place setting for eight. "Let Every Vote Count" apparently is a maxim of convenience. It's forgotten when you obstruct voting out of fear you might lose. Daschle says his insistence on a supermajority is linked to the Constitution. That's true, in the same way that a campfire is linked to the microwave oven. In truth, the Constitution does not require a 60 vote Senate majority for anything. Most bills require a simple majority (though 67 votes are required to impeach, ratify international treaties, or over-ride the President's veto). Senate rules specify that, normally, any question can be decided by a majority as long as a quorum is present. There can be a call for a supermajority on "controversial" issues, but Daschle has decided that "controversial" is defined as anything which contradicts his personal agenda. I'm not saying what Daschle is doing is illegal. If you interpret the Senate rules very loosely, utilize every loophole, he is "technically" within bounds. I'm just saying it is Clintonian politics at its finest. It is hiding behind procedure, process and obscure vagaries of the rules of order to stop legislation/nominations he doesn't like. It is not illegal. It is merely unethical and sleazy. You could argue the legality of this course for years, and never receive a definitive answer. Daschle knows this. So, one must ask why he wishes to impede the Senate from doing it's job? That's easy. The answer lies in next November's Congressional elections. Take, for example, the economic stimulus bill. I believe Daschle is afraid the President's plan will work. If it were put into law, and succeeded, the economy might well be in fine fettle by November. That would be bad for the Democrats. The Republicans are popular with their war effort, and if the economy were to become prosperous, they would be popular in that realm as well. That translates to the real possibility of the Senate returning to Republican rule. If Daschle is able to block a vote on the bill, then perhaps the economy will remain stagnant...and can be blamed on the Bush administration. The economy is now the only issue the Democrats have. Lose that, and they lose the mid-term elections. The ethical way to handle this, the American way (according to Daschle in the election days) would be to allow the Senate to go to work, to permit a vote to proceed. If the President's plan works, the citizenry would reap the benefits. If it didn't, the voters might well want to give the Democrats a chance. We should at least have the opportunity to find out. If Tom Daschle wishes to be a man of his word, he should stop the shenanigans and "Let Every Vote Count." Unless, of course, he cares more about his party and presidential ambitions than he does honest government, fair play and the welfare of the American people.
A common battle cry was heard throughout the heated days of the Florida presidential election debacle. When evil forces from the planet Goron attempted to illegally foist a slow-talking robot with pectoral implants and cut-rate circuitry upon a divided nation, a compliant media broadcast their fallacious slogan from coast to coast.
"LET EVERY VOTE COUNT," whined the minions of the left, playing on widespread public ignorance of the fact that, in a republic such as the United States, popular vote has virtually zilch to do with the selection of a Commander and Chief.
Luckily, George W. Bush came to occupy the Oval Office. Watching the State of the Union address last night, I was reminded of how lucky we were. Watching the Democratic response offered by Dick Gephardt, however, I was reminded of the hypocrisy of the left. I don't trust Gephardt - partly because the man has no eyebrows - but he was merely the spokesman du jour for his party's propaganda.
No, the hypocrisy which materialized from the fog is that of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
"LET EVERY VOTE COUNT!" During the election Daschle chewed on that phrase like a dog with a pot roast. During the fractious days of Florida it was the mantra of the Democrats, and Daschle was head cheerleader. If he believed it then, if such is the bedrock ideology of his convictions, why has he now banished the philosophy to the backyard dumpster?
If Daschle is adamant about "every vote counting," why then does he restrain the Senate from voting on critical issues? Are votes only important when you have a fair chance of winning? Do they only count if you place the wants and desires of your political party above the wants and desires of the American people?
Vice President Dick Cheney has labeled Daschle an obstructionist, and rightfully so. Since he became Majority Leader, the Senator from South Dakota has time after time aborted voting on legislation and judicial nominations. His justification for this pathetic course is that he claims the issues in question are "controversial," and has thus implemented the necessity for a supermajority of 60 votes, rather than a simple majority.
"LET EVERY VOTE COUNT!" Right Tom...do you have a knife and spoon in there with that forked tongue? I could use a place setting for eight. "Let Every Vote Count" apparently is a maxim of convenience. It's forgotten when you obstruct voting out of fear you might lose.
Daschle says his insistence on a supermajority is linked to the Constitution. That's true, in the same way that a campfire is linked to the microwave oven. In truth, the Constitution does not require a 60 vote Senate majority for anything. Most bills require a simple majority (though 67 votes are required to impeach, ratify international treaties, or over-ride the President's veto). Senate rules specify that, normally, any question can be decided by a majority as long as a quorum is present. There can be a call for a supermajority on "controversial" issues, but Daschle has decided that "controversial" is defined as anything which contradicts his personal agenda.
I'm not saying what Daschle is doing is illegal. If you interpret the Senate rules very loosely, utilize every loophole, he is "technically" within bounds. I'm just saying it is Clintonian politics at its finest. It is hiding behind procedure, process and obscure vagaries of the rules of order to stop legislation/nominations he doesn't like. It is not illegal. It is merely unethical and sleazy.
You could argue the legality of this course for years, and never receive a definitive answer. Daschle knows this. So, one must ask why he wishes to impede the Senate from doing it's job? That's easy. The answer lies in next November's Congressional elections.
Take, for example, the economic stimulus bill. I believe Daschle is afraid the President's plan will work. If it were put into law, and succeeded, the economy might well be in fine fettle by November. That would be bad for the Democrats. The Republicans are popular with their war effort, and if the economy were to become prosperous, they would be popular in that realm as well. That translates to the real possibility of the Senate returning to Republican rule. If Daschle is able to block a vote on the bill, then perhaps the economy will remain stagnant...and can be blamed on the Bush administration.
The economy is now the only issue the Democrats have. Lose that, and they lose the mid-term elections.
The ethical way to handle this, the American way (according to Daschle in the election days) would be to allow the Senate to go to work, to permit a vote to proceed. If the President's plan works, the citizenry would reap the benefits. If it didn't, the voters might well want to give the Democrats a chance.
We should at least have the opportunity to find out. If Tom Daschle wishes to be a man of his word, he should stop the shenanigans and "Let Every Vote Count."
Unless, of course, he cares more about his party and presidential ambitions than he does honest government, fair play and the welfare of the American people.
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