Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., left, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., hold a press conference after Republican senators blocked Senate debate on the Iraq buildup resolution on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Feb. 5, 2007
A ‘Robust’ G.O.P. Blocks Senate War Debate
Washington
On the Senate floor just a short while ago, a pretty hot debate ensued before any real debate on Iraq resolutions was allowed, or actually not allowed by the vote following the debate about the proposed debate. The Senate went 49-47, the Democrats well shy of the 60 votes needed to moved ahead on one of the war resolutions.
As you may have anticipated through reports during the weekend and today, Republicans in the Senate voted in near unanimity tonight against the Democratic leadership’s intention to bring the Warner-Levin resolution opposing President Bush’s troop buildup to the floor for debate. From watching the roll call on the vote, it would appear that nearly all Republicans, excepting Susan Collins of Maine and Norm Coleman of Minnesota,voted to keep the Warner-Levin measure from being Topic A.
Even senators, like John Warner, Republican of Virginia and premier author of the resolution backed by the Democratic leadership, and Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska and a persistent critic of the administration’s Iraq policies, voted with their party’s senators to block debate on Warner-Levin alone.
As Minority Leader Mitch McConnell explained on and off the floor today, the Republicans want all resolutions debated, including one offered by Senator John McCain in support of the president’s plan (that also includes benchmarks for the Iraqi government to meet), as well as now a separate one offered by Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire.
Reid warned that even if Republicans continued to block debate, “you can run but you can’t hide…. They may stop us temporarily from debating the escalation.” But, he predicted, it will come up again and again in amendments on other legislation going forward.
Wild Thing’s comment……
LOL sorry but they used the word “robust’ to describe how passionate the Republicans are about this. Er ah some of the Republicans are about this. Gosh I wish the word robust had described our Republican leadership when we were in the majority.
sigh
Chalk one up for the good guys.
I don’t know what kind of party that wants to participate in our system, is so dead set against the Leader, that they are willing to sabotage their own country to further an agenda that is primarily set against the country.
They seem bent to get this NON-binding resolution passed that it doesn’t matter who gets hurt in the process, i.e., the Troops will get hurt by it and most importantly the country will be hurt by such a gutless act sponsored by Schmuckie Schumer and his ilk.
On the bright side, it was blocked, and shows that the repubs are getting some feedback from the grass roots, to stand up to these gutless freaks, and act like they have a pair.
What both sides of the Senate are doing is unconstitutional. The congress has the power to not fund the war under the constitutional two year limitation, that is their ultimate out. They did that very same thing to the demise of three countries and millions of lives not all that long ago. Attacking the president and his war authority after they all authorized the invasion is an unlawfull breach of trust.
Pandering to our enemies, endangering our troops, weakening our national defenses for the sake of a political power play where the only reason a few do what’s right for the country is predicated upon their chances for re-election.I’m ashamed to call them Americans.
They are all unfit and should be impeached for not upholding the constitutional oaths they’ve all sworn to uphold.
Article I. Section 8
Article II. Section 1
Article IV. Section 4
The whole situation is pathetic. Senator Warner co-sponsored the resolution, then votes against it. He’s a complete fraud. It just goes to show you where their loyalties really are.
WT – your comment with the jab at the timing of “robust” is dead on target. You said it perfectly.
Senator Warner sounds like the GOP’s JOhn KErry.
Mark , Yessss, and a big ole finally too for the Repubs that did stand up for this and for our troops.
Jack thanks for the information. I honestly don’t have a clue about all of that so a big thank you!!
Since this is the case then this is even worse then I thought before. Amazing!
Political Critic, your right, they are showing their loyalties and it is to the whole world so they can’t take back what they say and do. Not like if I said something to myself and then realized how wrong I was later. This is outragous that it is even happening.
What the heck is wrong with people not wanting to fight back, to give whatever we can to our troops etc.
Tom, thank you.