Who the HELL came up with the bright idea of allowing this maggot to preside over pro forma session?

[kpete]

February 18, 2008

Democrats set pro forma sessions to avoid 'special session' on FISA


Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) mistrust of President Bush is really well known and runs deep.

Fearing a recess appointment by Bush during the Christmas-New Year’s break, the Nevada Democrat refused to adjourn the chamber during the whole period, scheduling very, very brief pro forma sessions every couple of days to avoid any such appointments.

....................

Pelosi, fearing that Bush would try to capitalize on the House’s absence to call Congress back into a special session, scheduled two pro forma sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. The Senate will do the same at the same time. Since neither chamber goes out for more than three days, Bush cannot take the dramatic step of calling the Congress back for the first special session since Harry Truman did it in 1948.

And for all you progressives out there, the non-Republican senator you most love to hate – Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) – will be presiding over one of the pro forma sessions this week. So, you better keep an eye on him

http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0208/Democrats_set_pro_forma_sessions_to_avoid_special_session_on_FISA.html

[BulletproofLandshark]

1. Oh, that's just fucking BRILLIANT, Senator Reid!

Somebody remind me again why he's the majority leader.

[napi21]

2. Isn't a Pro Forma session only about 1 minute long?

Weren't we all feeling kinda sorry for Jim Webb when HE had to go into the Senate every 3 days during the Holidays just because he lived close?

I know you don't like to see Leiberman get any spotlight at all, but I don't think this is any honor. It's more like punishment or detention isn't it?

[GardeningGal]

7. The problem is, nobody trusts LIEberman anymore.

Will he actually do it is the question.

[blondeatlast]

10. Ah--good point. I hadn't considered that he might scoff it off.

He's about as trustworthy as a scorpion--now I understand the outrage!

[Freddie Stubbs]

15. Apperentlay Robert Byrd does

[blondeatlast]

9. That's my thinking too. Lieberman's close by and all that has to happen is for someone

in the Senate to show up, bang a gavel, thank the janitorial staff, and scurry home.

God knows I despise the man, but this is much ado about nothing, if I'm not mistaken.

[bryant69]

3. Maybe it was set by senority?

And at any rate it's not in our best interest to drive Lieberman into the other camp. Hopefully we can increase the Democratic Majority in the fall to where this isn't necessary.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[RaleighNCDUer]

8. Hate to break it to you, but he's already IN the other camp.

He's campaigning for McCain fer chrissakes.

[bryant69]

17. Thanks for explaining that to me

Cause I am pretty fucking stupid.

But if he caucused with the other party, than control of the senate would pass to the Republicans.

Bryant

[RaleighNCDUer]

18. I don't think you are stupid at all - I disagree with you sometimes

but your arguments are generally as rational as mine (though that may not be saying much).

However, prove to me that the Republicans DON'T control the sentate as it is. Just cuz Reid holds the gavel it doesn't mean he controls anything. Mostly, because we have to make nice with the blue-dogs and Liebermans. We've spent 12 years not being an opposition party, and the last year not being the controling party. Just because we think that having a 'D' behind the name means they're on our side.

[bryant69]

20. Well I'm not going to defend Reid at this point

But all the committee heads would change, and there would be a difference in how the agenda was set.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[blondeatlast]

16. If he can stop showing up behind John McCain at political rallies, that is.

But I'm doubtful that that will happen.

[tularetom]

4. I don't know about that "non republican" part

And I don't "love" to hate him, I just do.

[blondeatlast]

5. Edit: self-deleting. Now I get why the concern thanks to GardeningGal above. nt

[Hepburn]

6. Jesus H. Fucking Christ....

....the stupidity of allowing LIEberman to guard against BushCo!?!?! If it were not so sad, it would be hilariously funny!

[zbdent]

11. Is he bound by the need for a quorum?

if not, has he signed everything Herr Bush demanded yet?

[blondeatlast]

12. The last Pro-Forma Senate session, in it's entirety; Nov. 20, 2007:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5195667166569975427&q=pro-forma+senate&total=1&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

25 seconds long.

Doesn't matter who convenes it; just the simple act of convening the Senate blocks the President's ability to make a recess appointment.

OTOH, I don't trust Lieberman to show up.

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. Probably Robert Byrd, as he is the President Pro Tempore

It is his responsibility to preside over the Senate when the President of the Senate, Dick Cheney, is absent.

[Vickers]

14. "OK, Mr. Fox, you keep an eye on this here henhouse, you unnerstan?"

:P

[GardeningGal]

19. Question about the timing.....

If LIEberman fails to show up on Thursday, could the Senate get someone there on Friday morning to handle the pro forma session?