The Senate only garnered 56 votes to invoke cloture and have a vote on the non-binding resolution that opposes the escalation of the war in Iraq. Tim Johnson (D-SD) was unable to vote due to illness (nine others didn’t vote because they are cowards) and Joe Liberman (I-CT) crossed the aisle to vote with the Republicans. Sens. John Warner (R-VA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Gordon Smith (R-OR), Arlen Specter (R-PA), and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) voted with the Democrats.
The end result was a 56-34 vote that fell four votes short of cloture.
to change the rules so the 3/5ths requirement could be scaled down from sixty votes when some Senators pull a no show? We’d have the votes today if that were the case.
Who were the nine cowards, BooMan? Let’s shame them publicly!
All Republicans:
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Ensign (R-NV)
Hatch (R-UT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)
Murksowksi (R-AK)
And a special shitball to the head of McCain!
Tim Johnson (D-SD) was the only other Senator who did not vote, due to his medical crisis.
9 republicans that clearly have proven they do not support the troops one way or the other.
Abolutely no support for the troops at all.
“Cowards” does not even begin to describe their shirking of responsibilities there. They are the worst among those that pay lip service to the soldiers.
So where’s MoveOn when you need them? My donation’s “in the mail” for an immediate ad that shows the cowards for what they are.
Again, this is an opportunity. Keep it simple. Label them for what they are.
Except for Johnson, every one of these assholes ought to be dropped in Bagdahd. And throw Lieberman and everyone who voted for him in there too.
Fuck.
WE all need cloture.
What?
That’s closure, that word?
Fuck.
Nevermind.
Emily Litella
(R.I.P., sweet Gilda,)
I’d like to add:
I think they should just stay open until all members vote (barring serious medical reasons) or until cloture is broken.
This is their job and their responsibility. It is their fucking DUTY!
Nice thought but they’ve given themselves next week off so I imagine they were in a hurry to get out of there. Has any Congress worked more than several weeks at a time before giving themselves time off? Pretty strange if all business worked that way..workers voting themselves time off every few weeks. Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it.
Isn’t it true that if the Senate had not been in session today, Bush could have used the 10 days off to do recess appointments? This probably had two golden linings.
Maybe somebody can explain to me why the Dems care whether they win the cloture vote or not. It seems so obvious that their best move is to let the Republicans filibuster to their hearts content, stopping the business of the Senate in order to avoid discussing Bush’s escalation. Even the supine media would find it hard to spin that day after day.
What am I missing here?
i think they have changed the rules of the Senate so that the old filibuster doesn’t really exist. Someone would have to verify that, but I think they can force a vote on cloture and then if cloture is not invoked they pretty much have to move on.
Wow. That’s so sickeningly chickenshit if true.
Actually, Reid might be able to get around that by refusing to schedule any further business. I think that would work.
No, they tried but didn’t do it. They simply agreed not to do this–then did it!
The rules should be changed to indicate 60 percentof those who show up.