Frustrated Republicans taste limits of majority control

[Judi Lynn]

Frustrated Republicans taste limits of majority control
By ERICA WERNER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A month into their newfound control of both chambers of Congress, it wasn't supposed to be like this for Republicans. Instead of advancing a conservative agenda and showing voters they can govern, they are confronting the very real possibility of a shutdown of the Homeland Security Department later this month.

That's because they can't overcome Senate Democrats' stalling tactics in a dispute over immigration.

"I suppose elections have consequences except in the United States Senate," complained GOP Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina, summing up the frustration for many House Republicans. "Tell me how it would be different if Harry Reid were still running the place," he added, naming the Senate Democratic leader who was booted into the minority in November's midterm elections.

Although their party is now setting the floor schedule and calling hearings, Republicans are finding to their chagrin that important things haven't changed from when they were in the Senate minority.

Republicans are six votes short of the 60 needed to advance most legislation, and Senate rules grant numerous rights to the minority party. That means if Democrats remain united, they have the ability to block GOP bills just as they did while in the majority.

More:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_HOMELAND?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-02-13-03-28-16

[meow2u3]

1. They thought they could just walk in and act like tinhorn dicators

The reality is that having a majority in both houses is not as easy as they thought it would be. They thought they could use their majority to impose the Koch Bros'. their will on not only the President, but also the American people. They didn't count on Senate Democrats giving them a taste of their own obstructionist medicine.

[strategery blunder]

2. Maybe they should have thought about that before they obstructed, obstructed, obstructed

In an era past, the minority party in the Senate would have typically negotiated a compromise with the majority to get at least some of what they want, because getting the People's business done was once considered more important than obstruction (except for a small handful of dearly held principles).

But no, these "Republicans" OBSTRUCTED, OBSTRUCTED, OBSTRUCTED, filibustering more than any previous party or Senate in history, specifically so the People's business WOULDN'T get done; they would rather (figuratively) suicide bomb the workings of Congress so nothing can get done than see this president, duly elected and re-elected by the People, succeed...

But it's TOTALLY UNFAIR, because ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES, when the Democrats reply with, "Turnabout is fair play!"

Well, maybe they should have heeded the results of the 2008 and 2012 elections, then? Because then they might actually have a leg to stand on.

[Blue_Roses]

3. karma's a bitch...

and she never forgets..

[sakabatou]

5. Payback too (video)

[John Poet]

4. My heart

bleeds for them, in big blue buckets..

[DFW]

6. They should have considered this over the last six years. It's a little late now.

Harry Reid is no idiot, and knows the Senate rules as well as Mitch McTurtle.

Reid watched McTurtle thwart Democratic initiatives systematically from the minority from day one. He knows in the minutest detail what he needs to do in order for McTurtle to get no more accomplished than Reid did.

Did Mitchie REALLY think that Reid would do anything different to him than what he did to Reid? if so, he is extremely naïve, something that, for all his evil intentions, I did not think before.