The Senate Leadership is largely responsible for the FISA bill

[Hippo_Tron]

Mary Landrieu is my Senator. I very often don't agree with her votes (like the one tonight) but I recognize that she's in a tough spot given that Louisiana isn't the easiest constituency for a Democrat (particularly after Katrina). That said, I do support her and one of the main reasons that I do is so that the Democrats can have majority status in the Senate and all of the benefits that come along with that.

Majority status gives your party's leaders and committee chairmen the power to set the agenda and the power to keep legislation off of that agenda.

If Reid knew that Democrats didn't have the votes to block this, he could have kept it off the schedule. Had it gone through committee (which Reid allowed the legislation to bypass), this could have been held up by Pat Leahy. Instead they fast tracked the bill to a floor vote which is exactly what you don't do when you want to kill legislation.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN01927:@@@X

Democrats have the opportunity to do the same exact thing tomorrow in the House. In fact the procedural hurdles that they can set up in the lower chamber are even greater. Nancy Pelosi really just has to refuse to allow a vote and that is it.

However that apparently doesn't seem to be the plan...

"The House is expected to take up the White House-backed measure on Saturday morning before going into its summer recess.
Democratic leaders acknowledged that the bill would probably pass."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/04/washington/04nsa.html

For god's sake, call Bush's bluff about calling congress into special session. He will have to cancel his vacation as well and we all know that he doesn't want to do that.

[Major Hogwash]

1. One other thing I would like to add to your post.

If, gawd forbid, we were attacked between now and the next time that they look at this issue again in 6 months, the Republicans would sweep the White House and Congress next year and all of the small gains we have made so far in just the few short months the Democrats have been in control would be lost.

Considering the fact that I believe that Bush let this country get attacked on 9/11 by looking the other way, I believe he would let it again purely for political gain.

I don't trust Bush at all.
I wouldn't let him in my house.
I wouldn't let him fix my bicycle.

[jmp]

2. Majority status gives your party

Majority status gives your party's leaders and committee chairmen the power to set the agenda and the power to keep legislation off of that agenda.

Does Harry Reid know about this? :eyes:

[rodeodance]

3. both Reid and Pelosi had said they would pass a bill-not maybe pass

a bill before they left. So they tipped their hats a few weeks ago already.

[bemildred]

4. Pay no attention to the little man behind the screen. nt