Dick Durbin: Democrats Never Passed a Budget Due to Republican Obstruction
As unhappy as I am about how this whole debt ceiling hostage taking is going and wondering what we're in for after we get more details on what's being agreed to right now, I was glad to see someone finally push back at this Republican talking point I hear them repeat day after day, week after week -- Democrats never passed a budget and so that makes the horrid Ryan budget passed by the House somehow "responsible."
Sen. Dick Durbin finally shot that one down on Fox News Sunday this morning and explained why they never got anything passed -- 60 votes -- or in other words, Republican filibusters and obstruction.
BAIER: Senator Kyl, when you hear the president say this no way to run the government, you know, that we'll likely also face another standoff at the end of September when the continuing resolution runs out and government funding -- you know, we're up against another government shutdown. You know, former White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, once famously said, "Never waste a crisis."
Do Republicans now risk become the -- becoming the party that's always pushing up to the cliff, always using that cliff to try to extract concessions? I mean, do you fear the American people will have crisis fatigue, if they don't already, and that it will hurt your party?
KYL: You mentioned the possibility of a continuing resolution. Why would Congress have to pass a continuing resolution? Because the Senate Democrats now, for the third year in a row, will not have passed a budget. That's their job.
The House Republicans have passed a budget. Senate Democrats said no to that budget. So I think it's very unfair to suggest that Republicans are responsible.
We don't have the votes in the U.S. Senate. But where they do have the votes, in the House of Representatives, they've done their job.
BAIER: Senator Durbin, why haven't the Senate Democrats passed a budget?
DURBIN: It's called 60 votes. And what it boils down to is this: we have 53 Democratic senators.
(CROSSTALK)
DURBIN: Well, but I can tell you, when we get through all the procedural tangles that we face in getting through this budget resolution, it is not just a matter of finding some agreement, but getting it executed on the floor.
The point I want to make is this: this, as I understand it, the negotiation that we're talking about, will include some budget targets for at least the next fiscal year. So we won't revisit this kind of crisis politics when it comes to our spending bills for next year.
BAIER: But do you think this kind of deficit reduction that is happening this week, whatever this deal ends up being, would have happened without linking it to the debt ceiling increase?
DURBIN: Well, I understand the brinkmanship that's necessary to sometimes bring this matter forward. But let me say, the president did create a deficit commission. I sat on it, a bipartisan commission, and voted for it. And I had at least two, maybe three Republican senators who joined me in that vote.
BAIER: But it didn't make the needed vote to bring it to the --
DURBIN: That's exactly right. We tried to follow up, the Gang of Six. Again, a bipartisan effort. There has been a commitment from the president, as well as many in the Senate -- I just speak for the Senate -- to move forward in a responsible bipartisan way to deal with the deficit.
BAIER: But actually doing it, Senator, actually seeing the cuts, there are many people who believe that if it wasn't linked to this debt ceiling vote, that it really wouldn't be happening.
DURBIN: Well, I can tell you that if we have to risk our economy, a very weak economy, with so many people unemployed and businesses facing higher interest rates, which is bound to happen now because of this brinkmanship that we're engaged in here, that is not a good way to run this nation or the economy. And if that is the strategy coming from the House Republicans, it is not good for our long-term economic growth.
What's so tragic is that the GOP is so uncompromisingly committed to an ideology, the fulfillment of which, must inevitably lead to America's demise. The advocacy of the media as demonstrated by their unwillingness to educate the public and keep discussions of progressive ideas out of the public discourse is especially egregious and disheartening.
He was a wise man who invented beer.
---Plato
here you go,
Check them all out, one by one....20 pages of filibusters:
http://thinkprogress.org/?s=republican+filibu...
Why have the dems and the media not called the hypocritical liars out daily? Well we know that the media is corporate owned so that is one answer but but the Dems have been silent for months on this
Another note..The economy slammed shut within days of the baggers taking the oath of office..This should be front page above the fold! Could it be that the voter saw that the only bills coming out of the House were social issues...and They PROMISED JOBS!
because the media won't say anything about what the dems say about calling the republicans out. If you look at your question, you already know the answer.
The Republicans never had 60 votes in the Senate during the Bush years.....it's amazing all the shit they accomplished without having those 60 votes.
Beer-i.e., God's Sweet Nectar- is a magic drink that makes you smarter, stronger, and more sexy.
-S. Colbert
Yep!
And they only had 222-213 in the Hammers House!
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
...minor majority when they controlled everything. Or the republican'ts had a Super Minority...either way, the last 2.5 years have been an epic dem fail.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
The 60 vote "rule" in the Senate (which ONLY Dems seem to obey) is NOT in the Constitution.
It's simply a way for the Dems to tie one hand behind their backs before going into battle.
Argggggggggghhhhhhhh!!!
It's just like the Debt Ceiling.
Nowhere in the Constitution is there any mention of anything like a "debt ceiling".
The debt ceiling was imposed on Treasury by Congress when (in 1917) Congress handed over to Treasury the responsibilty for issuing bonds to finance the budget passed by Congress.
The Constitution gives to Congress the power to borrow money - NOT to Treasury.
And it would be one thing if Congress COMPLETELY delegated that power to Treasury, but No! That would be too simple. Instead they created this double bind wherein Congress decides to spend bundles of money but sets a limit on how much Treasury can borrow to finance Congress' projects.
Again - let's make Treasury take responsibility, but not have the power to do it without asking Congress' permission to pay Congressional bills.
WHAT A MESS!
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
because it was Barack Obama (D) who called for cuts to Social Security.....not the Pubs.
This won't work well for him in November of 2012 (not that I care).
But it will work for the Pubs:
http://www.mrctv.org/blog/rep-conyers-obama-w...
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
40% of the people in this country are ignorant blithering idiots - and they vote GOP.
America is being destroyed by the dumbest of the dumb, and all we can do is watch.
It may take another civil war to clean-up this mess. The Teabirchers are so dellusional, stupid and crazy, that may be the only remedy.
I think the GOP oligarch's would be fine with that too. More War profiteering.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
I don't agree that a civil war is necessary. In exchange for our debt, let China have the former confederate states. Problem solved and everybody is happy.
.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
Give China the states that NEVER vote for Democrats.
CaliforniaMike blogs at All Voices and at his own blogs, http://www.mikerappaport.net/onevoice and at http://oneminutewithmike.blogspot.com.
.
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
now Obama and the senate/house democrats need to pressure the other party to create job legislation. no excuses. Obama announce to the American people that both parties need to (help) create jobs. that's all we heard during this debt ceiling nonsense is that we couldn't seek more (tax) revenue from the "job creators". okay, again they will not have any pain in the game. they get their very expensive Bush Tax Cuts and opportunistic tax loopholes.......... so challenge them to provide jobs.
...hey harry, steny, all you other dopes who call yourselves dems...call for JOBS, JOBS, JOBS...you have voices, USE them!
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
like these 20+ pages of em
for you:
http://thinkprogress.org/?s=republican+filibu...
And why is the filibuster a painless sham with no debate and no delay to other things those filibustering might care about?
Oh. Yeah. It's because of the Senate rules which the Democrats have kept in place since taking over the Senate after the '06 elections. That isn't a reason; it's an excuse - an excuse the Democrats seem quite happy to keep around.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
If this 60 vote rule would not exist if only President Obama was white.
Is it the 21st century yet?
...they're just as afraid of the dem in the white house as they are of a black man in the white house.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
They know people are ignorant and misinformed, so they just keep going to the well as long as it pays dividends.
Can't say I blame them.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
The Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda Party.
.. it was the best they could do with one hand tied behind their backs!
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
attend a twelve step program and have "Principles Before Personalities" drilled into their heads.
Worthless cowards.
First they ignore us..then they ridicule us..now they are feeding us chicken crap- sign my petition:
http://www.change.org/petitions/fda-stop-feed...
www.ickenittlepost.com
You are a day late and billions short.
some tragic magic for sure. don't look for anything but pro-profit propaganda from any of the "media", they are owned by the same people who own this country. as far as ideology and ideologues destroying this country?
name your poison, just a question of whether the storm-troopers say please and thank you, or not.
Durbin is my senator AND is a LIAR.
January of last year. Many Democratic Senators begged Durbin and Reid to change the Senate rules to stop this filibuster crap with the Republicans.
Both of them said that they believed the Republicans when the Republicans said that they'd quit playing those games.
The Constitution never intended for the Senate to need a super majority on every piece of legislation.
Dick you've got NO ONE to blame but yourself.
The Republicans have always been better at messaging than the Democrats. That hasn't changed. It took a Republican to analyze the situation in ways everyone can understand:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/01/frum.de...
when refering to republicans...
BLOCK and BLAME REPUBLICANS.
remember how easily people used the term "tax and spend liberals"?
But he's voting NO...
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
even if they're from delusional scumbags.
. . . are simply calculating what votes they must have. Those who need to vote no to score political points will probably be allowed to do so so long as the final result is not in jeopardy.
Hamsher's article exposing Raul Grijalva's pledge to vote no to score political points after he voted yes on the same issues when his vote was needed is a good example.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
At this point, I don't trust anything he's done.
Force the 14th.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
"Do Republicans now risk become the -- becoming the party that's always pushing up to the cliff, always using that cliff to try to extract concessions?"
No.They run no risk whatsoever thanks to an utterly worthless media and a constantly capitulating Democratic party.
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
Our crappy media likes the fight. The fight gets ratings. The only people the media defends is it self. The media is the biggest fail in this country. The consolidation of corporate media was the worst thing that ever happened to this country. But truthfully as Americans this is our fault. If we all called our congress people everyday and said change this change this. Or if progressives would get to gether and create a large vocal minority group like the Tea PArty maybe we could get these things out there. But we don't, we use the internet and debate in schools and amoungst ourselves.
We need to start making real noise like the morons do. If you gather the news will have to cover it. Even if you are protesting them. I would love to see millions of people at town halls yelling congress people about how comcast owns to many forms of media, or that News corp owns all the newspapers in my town. Or how clear channel owns all the radio staions in many of the biggest markets and only plays shows with one point of view and then says well it gets ratings..... well yeah because its all thats on. It was only 30 some odd years ago that this could not happen this way. It wasn't odd for a family to own a radio station or even a local TV station and make a good living.
You gotta give the right credit though they had a plan which at some point i will put out the internet the" right wing plan " That i started over a year ago that is sort of a epic memo that smart repug would have written in 1977 or so, maybe even a guy like Ailies at Fox. First get the media, then make the people stupid via the TV. Then defund the schools so its easier to make people stupid with the TV. Use issues that government should hve nothing to do with like gay marriage and the Cross to make the religous people vote for you even though you are as anti- jesus as anyone in the history of the world. Eventually once you start toswing the country into majority dumb you start to convince them that "scientist, academics, researchers don't know as much as your big time TV people. They have to be smart. "because if they were wrong they would fire them right off that TV" right Mr. Beck.
I think it would be good book, the problem is my friend who is helping me with the writing part as i write like crap and spell even worse and he is a writer and has been published couldn't even get anyone to listen to a pitch because all the publishers of Books that can get them out to the masses would never EVER print something like that. Because its true. Anyway i'll post a link to it if we ever get it done. We so many month of research and still are working.
Umm, you do realize that the budget resolution cannot be filibustered, right?
There is no need to reach cloture on a budget resolution since it is handled under a set of rules called "reconciliation"--debate ends automatically after 20 hours--and there is no need for 60 votes to end debate.
The New Republic has a nice article on this from January 2010--the rules have not changed.
http://www.tnr.com/blog/the-treatment/how-rec...
Of course, for much of the time before that, we had 60 votes and could have passed a budget anytime we wanted. The only time you need 60 votes with a budget resolution is if you want to suspend the rules to amend the budget resolution with things that don't affect the budget (that's the so-called "Byrd" rule).
You would think the guy who's been the #2 person in the Senate since 2007 would know the rules. Seems to me knowing the rules so as to take best advantage of them would be, ya' know, his job as Majority Whip.
So, much as it pains me to say... Sen. Durbin is either incompetent, spinning, or outright lying.
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