LOL GOP: 'if Reid tries to stop us from shutting down the Senate, we will shut down the Senate'

[kpete]

By Zandar November 26th, 2012
Peeking under the Senate hood and into the engine, there appears to be a large red obstruction blocking the thing from going anywhere, and it’s going to be a real pain to dislodge.

Here’s what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is considering: banning filibusters used to prevent debate from even starting and House-Senate conference committees from ever meeting. He also may make filibusters become actual filibusters — to force senators to carry out the nonstop, talkathon sessions.

Republicans are threatening even greater retaliation if Reid uses a move rarely used by Senate majorities: changing the chamber’s precedent by 51 votes, rather than the usual 67 votes it takes to overhaul the rules.

“I think the backlash will be severe,” Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), the conservative firebrand, said sternly. “If you take away minority rights, which is what you’re doing because you’re an ineffective leader, you’ll destroy the place. And if you destroy the place, we’ll do what we have to do to fight back.”

“It will shut down the Senate,” the incoming Senate GOP whip, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, told POLITICO. “It’s such an abuse of power.”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/84195.html

To recap, if Harry Reid tries to stop the GOP from shutting down the Senate, the GOP will shut down the Senate.
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2012/11/26/well-now-heres-your-problem-2/#comments

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. How many recess appointments did Obama make this year?

How many nominees are festering on the shelf, not knowing what their immediate future holds for them?


If they want to talk turkey, they better think long and hard.

[liberal N proud]

2. Gridlock or shutdown, whats the difference?

These fuckers do nothing while they are in chambers, a shutdown might be a good thing!

[WI_DEM]

3. I think he should do all those things.

I think they should go back to the old way of fillibustering if they are going to do it.

[DetlefK]

4. Filibusters to prevent the start of a debate????????

[RDANGELO]

5. What this comes down to , is public opinion.

The GOP is going to try to convince the public that the Democrats are engaging in an over reaching power grab. The Democrats need to push the idea that this is necessary to legislate the agenda that was decided in the election. I personally believe that , in the long run, we are better off without the filibuster.

[SoCalDem]

6. Dems should have "caucused" privately about this issue, gotten their votes secured

and THEN just voted it in.. Too much "gab" and TV face time about this issue will kill it..