Wednesday, February 07, 2007
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Senate's Resolution Frenzy Over: Democrats Flee Debate
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Posted by:
Hugh Hewitt at
6:33 PM
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Congrats to Mitch McConnell and the Republican caucus which stuck to its demands for fairness, and forced the Democrats to flee from the prospect of voting on the Gregg resolution. The whole sorry circus has now pulled up stakes and left town, and NRSC Pledge signers are free to resume contributions to the NRSC though, I suspect, they will wait a while to see if the new signs of spine in the Republicans on the Hill carry over until March, April, and beyond.
I interviewed John Thune on the program today and he relayed that while some cordial relations within the GOP caucus have been strained, nevertheless the caucus movement in favor of resolute support of victory in Iraq has been noticeable and sustained.
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Now Mitch McConnell needs to sit them down and say "Doesn't it feel good to win? That's what happens when you stick together (John)!"
There is no way the Dems can spin this as a victory, and now the Republicans have to stand up and say "We fought this to keep the Democrats from backstabbing the troops, and we won." |
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My guess there will be good and bad news out of Iraq. The GOP cannot panic like. . . Democrats every time the news is bad. General Petraeus's plan is going to have a lag time. Even if it does not work, just packing up and leaving is not a real option. There is too much regionally at stake. There will be a Plan B and there will be alternative long term plans even if everything goes smoothly. It is a complex situation.
I will make the prediction that even if Hillary wins the general election and gets sworn in as the 44th President of the United States (quick get some smelling salts to HNAV) she will not completely abandon Iraq. If only because oil spiking to $200 a barrel, if things went completely out of control in that part of the world, is something even Democrats know is a bad idea. |
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Think I will still make my donation(s) to the Republicans on an individual basis. The seven (7) weak knee group will not be soon forgotten by this Republican. |
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I'll be writing or phoning to thank Senators McConnell, Kyl, Cornyn and others who worked very hard to achieve this outcome. And, like JohnD, I will contribute to individual Senators rather than the NRSC. |
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Thank goodness for McConnell. If we'd had leadership like this last year, maybe we'd still be in control! Dems aren't used to Reps with backbone.
My husband and I only contribute to individual senators. We will continue this practice.
I, too, will call McConnell. PHEW! But there will be many more squeakers (sp??) and McConnell has to keep these people in line. Watch for the Dem personal attack machine to start on McConnell.
I'm from MN - Coleman needs to shape up - if he can recommend troops for Somalia, he can back the ones in Iraq, no questions asked. That's the next letter.
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This is big especially because the Dems were crowing and doing a victory dance as recently as ten days ago. All it took was The Pledge, the McCain/Leiberman resolution and the Gregg Resolution. Where are all those who were rationalizing that it was hopeless? Can anyone think of anything else that might not be hopeless? A true conservative candidate for 2008? |
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Of course, having a cloture-proof majority in the Senate would be ideal, but minority status, as the past few days have demonstrated, is not without its benefits.
Watching the Schumer-Reid circus was a delight and if President Bush can keep his spine intact and fire off a few vetos it may well signal a return to principled conservative politics.
Bring it on!
Philip Mella
ClearCommentary.com
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How does it feel to be so insignificant? You cowards are so pathetic you're afraid to even allow a debate on a non-binding resolution. I can't wait to see Bush and Cheney out, either by impeachment or when the term is up in early '09.
Of course by then they will have fabricated some reason for attacking Iran and started WWIII. That should make all thier friends in the defense industry very happy, and stinking rich! |
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Better savor that minor "victory". This ones a long way from being over. Just watch SPEAKER Pelosi in the house next week. Good luck stopping that resolution. You've lost control of both houses of congress, and you've lost the american people. |
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As smittyhere notes, my Senator (Coleman) got this one wrong.
His explanation (http://northernalliancewannabe.blogspot.com/2007/02/response-from-sen-coleman.html) was not satisfactory, in my opinion.
If he doesn't get this right - and soon - I fear we will be punished with Senator Franken in January, '09.
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A real debate involves competing ideas, not commenting on one point of view - a true debate would involve at least two competing views (resolutions)- the Dems knew that their resolution would lose to either or both of the other resolutions - because the Warner resolution would give aid and comfort to the enemy. We have not lost the American People - we took a big step in supporting their sons, daughters, wives, husbands and parents in harms way. If you think the American People are not behind those that stand up for our troops, explain to me how Joe Lieberman won? If the Republicans can keep this up, the folks that stayed home in Nov of 2006 will be back in 2008, and Pelosi will be back on the jets of her Lobbyist friends, instead of riding in aircraft flown by people that she does not respect or support |
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Some shameless self-promotion.
This is from my blog (www.BosqueBoys.com):
In case you missed it, the biggest story in Washington this week was the advent of a powerhouse player in the United States Senate.
Why were Harry Reid and his Sancho Panza so angry, to the point of throwing adult-sized temper tantrums?
They had been had. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell quietly outflanked the Majority Leader and his minion with a maneuver of sublime adroitness. As the world anticipated the advertised spectacle of George Bush receiving his comeuppance at the hands of the newly crowned emperors of the world's greatest deliberative body, something funny happened on the way to the forum.
The Plan.
The Democratic-controlled Senate, with the help of several celebrated Republican defectors, contrived to move a non-binding resolution chastising the President for his general ineptitude and, specifically, castigating the troop surge he and his generals are implementing.
What Really Happened?
McConnell insisted that a statement of this magnitude would require a 60-vote threshold (fairly commonplace in the modern Senate). He also insisted that the Upper Chamber consider a minority-backed non-binding resolution affirming the Senate's intention to fund the war regardless of the non-binding resolution disavowing the troop increase.
The problem for Harry Reid?
The non-binding resolution attacking the President likely did not have sixty votes. The non-binding resolution affirming funding likely had a comfortable excess of sixty votes. So, instead of a public spanking of the President, Leader Reid was likely to preside over a public endorsement and major victory for the President. Reid was forced to pull the plug on the debate.
No wonder Reid and Dick Durbin were so red in the face. Even if you did not read this story in the mainstream media, make no mistake, McConnell made his bones this week, even while maintaining his signature gracious smile and temperate tone. He may not be Everett Dirksen (or he may be), but he is head-and-shoulders above our recent congressional leadership. He will be fun to watch in the years to come. |
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Mr. Lott deserves some credit. Mr. Inside under the radar. |
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Yes the nihilist party--excuse me Democratic party-was dancing on the graves of its ancestors, but the spirit of liberty rose up for one brief moment, gathered its force and spit! And the cowards backed away! |
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Bin Laden cites our leaving Mogadishu as why they could attack and not worry about retaliation - what will he and others like him say if we leave while we are winning - yes, I said winning - go check every other war that we have been in - we lost early and often - we have yet to lose a battle in this war. If our Senators would show resolve to see this through it would help our enemies lose hope - and we would be out sooner than if we show them that we are buckling - our troops aren't giving up, just our congress.
leaving too soon will convince hundreds of Bin Ladens that we can be attacked with impunity |
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Could you ask him about the $2 billion Pork Train?
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MN Republicans need to find a way to get this guy sent packing (like back to Jersey where he came from.... when he vultured into a Mayoral job here as a liberal Dem years ago). He came because he saw a weakness in a party and changed to a Republican when he saw the same thing. Now he IS the weakness. I know Hugh likes him, but I hope this situation opens up his eyes too.
But yeah...we have to be careful here in the communist state of MN not to give Franken any wings because we all know he never was funny as a comedian but will be even less funny as a politician. |
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The same gang of Republican Senators are back in the saddle again ... riding full tilt to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Unbelievable! |
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