Sirotablog
David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. David writes about political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties.
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May 23, 2007 4:12 PM
Anyone Know When the Senate Filibuster Starts? WHERE'S THE BEEF?
Following up on my earlier post on Democratic leaders' new move to give President Bush a blank check Iraq War spending bill, I'm wondering when the Senate filibuster starts? After all, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) is now trying to use his opposition to the bill to wedge his presidential rivals, and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) is correctly berating the Democratic Party for capitulating. So isn't the natural next question when we're going to see a filibuster from these two and all the other Senators claiming they are doing everything they can to end the war? Last I checked, a Senator can still pull an old school, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington-style filibuster where they just stand up and talk forever. Lord knows, they don't have to read the phone book this time - there's plenty of names of American soldiers killed and wounded in Iraq to read out on the Senate floor. And even if there's some technical reason they might have problems filibustering this way, they can put all sorts of holds on every other bill moving through the Senate.
So I ask again, great heroes of the Senate who tell us they are doing everything they can to end the war: When am I going to see you on C-SPAN filibustering the Iraq supplemental? Or is it all just talk and do you expect us to forget the power you actually have to stop this thing? As the famous Wendy's commercial above asks, WHERE'S THE BEEF?
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About David Sirota
David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Hostile Takeover. He lives in Denver, Colorado. His daily blog can be found at CREDO Action. He contributes regularly to the Denver Post's Web site, is a senior editor at In These Times magazine and is working on his second book. He has been profiled in Newsweek and the Rocky Mountain News and is widely known for his reporting on political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties. Sirota serves as co-chair of the Progressive States Network, a 501(c)3 organization that supports state legislators and that is a partner of CREDO.
You can subscribe to Sirota's e-mail newsletter by going to davidsirota.com and signing up in the lefthand corner. To find out more about Sirota, download his official biography or see his recent media appearances. You can e-mail him at sirota@credoaction.com.
The views expressed on this blog are his own, and do not necessarily represent the views of Working Assets (publisher of CREDO Action) or the institutions Sirota works for.
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Discussion
You're joking right?
Because if they were men of principal they'd already be making a rukus in the senate and giving Reid a coronary. IMO its doubtful given the track record of the current Democrats that you could find a person who wasn't compromised or had a spine worth mentioning and who'd dare filibuster.
By their actions or lack thereof you shall know them.
Remember that, its the rule by which you measure all pols.
I've called and/or emailed the lot of 'em: Pelosi, Reid, Hoyer and my own representatives: Boxer, Feinstein, Waxman -- asking why the hell I fought for Democrats in '06, donated to Democrats 'cross country, if they're simply going act as doormats for the Worst President Ever.
And got as response only, "Thank you for your comments," and the unsaid, "STFU silly constituent."
Yeah, who the hell did I think I was with my vote and donations and citizenship and all?
Post I just made at Huffington:
The only thing the Democratic leadership could do now to mitigate this incredible display of cowardice, this stunning betrayal of both their party and the voters who gave them their authority, is to use that authority to begin impeachment proceedings against both Bush and Cheney.
Anything short of that and both Reid and Pelosi must be removed from their positions.
Keith Olbermann's Special Comment calling for their ouster:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18831132/
Dkos put up a poll about Olbermann's special comment. 95%!!!!! that's right 95% of respondents either agree totally with Keith, or mostly agree. Even in an unscientific poll that is an astonishing number given how fiercely harsh he was on the Democrats.
The DLC brown-noser bloggers are getting eaten alive by their readers.
Good work, David, as usual.
The amazing thing is that they are selling out on so many fronts at once: the war, lobbying, "free" trade. Wow. I'd call it a trifecta, but I'm probably forgetting a few.
I wish Senator Obama's campaign staff would call again asking me for $150. Not one cent for capitulation. These spineless folks are afraid they will be accused of NOT supporting the troops? Bush is the one who vetoed the bill, the majority of us want out of Iraq, and yet these gutless wonders are afraid to force the issue Makes you wonder what Edwards would do if he was still in the Senate (talk is so cheap). And what if Richardson (my man) was a Senator? I hope none of them ever quote JFK again as they have no profiles in courage.
and over in the House, the Democratic 'leadership' has designed a rule that will allow members to hide how they vote on the Iraq supplemental today.
so, while watching the votes today, focus on the rule before the supplemental.
Who will play Hide and Seek and who will Stand Up and Be Counted?
I would love to see Dodd getting up and fillibustering ... put Obama and Clinton under the spotlight. Will they go off campaigning while a fillibuster of the capitulation bill is in progress?
I dropped in the call to Sherrod's office this morning, but since he did not vote for cloture on Reid-Feingold, I don't have great hopes that he will suddenly grow a backbone now.
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