Completely OT: Intelligence bill

[Inuca]

Does anybody have any idea what the hell is going on with this? They are taking the 2nd cloture vote in two days, and it's going to fail yet again. I saw Rockefeller speech yesterday after the vote, and pissed is a major understanding to describe his reaction. But I was not able to follow anything today until a short while ago. The vote now (so far at least) seems 100% along party lines. So, does anybody have any idea what's the subtext of all this maneuvering? Rockefeller yesterday was talking about calls from the WH asking all repubs to vote against cloture, and then Bond also talked and claimed that no such thing happened and that he was deeply offended. Anyway, I have to get back to work now, but if anybody has any idea, it would be appreciated. By the way, I just heard "Snowe - aye", I think the only vote against party line (and I think they are close to done).

[karynnj]

1. I don't know anything from today

but Tay posted on this last week. Bush wants 3 amedments out - 2 Kennedy and 1 Kerry. Kerry's is thae one about secret prision and getting appropriate Senate committees reports - so they can do oversight. They have refused for at least a year and a half to remove them and they are in the bill. Bush said he wants them out.

I suspect Bush did call and insist on the Republicans voting against cloture. If the Democrats can't get cloture, they can't bring it to a vote - then Bush will say they haven't given him an intelligence budget and the Democrats don't care about national security. They need 60 votes for cloture - which it appears they aren't getting.

I like Snowe!

[TayTay]

2. That is right.

There was an understanding to get this bill to the floor and that collapsed. Some of usual suspect Repubs (DeMint, Sessions, etc) hate this bill and refuse to allow it to go forward with any kind of provisions that ask for oversight and accountability on the part of this Admin.

I think it's dead for now. Sen. Reid moved on to try and bring the Medicare Bill to the floor which would have allowed for the government to negotiate with Drug companies for discounted drugs. However, that was filibustered too.

Now, who is it who used to object to 'obstructionists'?