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Subscribe to RSS*** UPDATE II *** In an interview with NBC’s Andrea Mitchell on Wednesday, Vice President Joe Biden blasted Republican Sen. Jon Kyl for his comment that it was disrespectful to vote on the START treaty during the Christmas season. He said Kyl should let the Senate vote.
“Get out of the way. There's too much at stake for America's national security,” Biden said. “And don't tell me about Christmas. I understand Christmas. I have been a senator for a long time.”
Biden noted that there are still 10 days before Christmas. “I hope I don't get in the way of your Christmas shopping, but this is the nation's business,” he said. “This is the national security that's at stake. Act.”
*** UPDATE *** DeMint's threat to force a reading of the START treaty word-for-word has been called off, at least for today. In an agreement with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Harry Reid opted not to start debate on the START treaty, even though he produced a successful vote to do so, NBC'S Ken Strickland reports. Debate on the treaty will now officially start tomorrow morning rather than this afternoon.
The Senate voted 66-32 to bring the treaty to the floor for consideration.
1:02 pm: The White House is calling a GOP senator’s stalling tactic to delay a vote on a strategic arms treaty with Russia “a new low” and a “political stunt” that jeopardizes national security.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs blasted Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., for halting consideration of the START treaty by forcing a reading of the bill on the Senate floor, a procedural trick that would take up hours of time precious to Democrats who are eager to accomplish their remaining legislative goals before the end of the year.
In a press release, Gibbs called the tactic “exactly the kind of Washington game-playing that the American people are sick of.”
On the Senate floor this morning, Majority Leader Harry Reid called DeMint's action "a colossal waste of time."
Those who object to ratificiation of the START treaty argue that the Senate has not devoted enough time to debating the measure, including its proposals for modernizing America’s existing nuclear arsenal.
Earlier this month, 21 Republican senators signed a letter urging that the treaty not be addressed during the lame duck session.
"It would be unwise and improper to do this in a hurried fashion over the course of only a few days," they wrote.
The treaty is a top priority of the Obama administration and has been endorsed by every living Republican Secretary of State, leading backers to complain that Republicans are simply hoping to deny the White House a last victory before the start of the new Congress.
NBC's Ken Strickland contributed.
Leave a Comment:
Mr. President, for someone who's name literally means blessed by God, your wisdom seems as squared away as a light bulb...
...one that is not quite screwed in right.
I think we can all safely say that Kyl is the dim bulb here......
So funny when you have to answer your own post. I wonder about the wattage emanating from your bulb. My guess is that you'd have a tough time lighting up a fridge.
was that the "royal" we, eric? or just the YOU "we"?
It is WE THE PEOPLE who are more concerned about our National security than playing political games with it.
So even after all the previous Republican secretary of states, Baker, Powell, even Condi Rice have encouraged passage of this treaty, and agreement that the START treaty would not be stalled if the Bush tax cuts are extended, there's DeMint still obstructing to prevent Obama from getting credit for an accomplishment.
Well, they say you can't negotiate with terrorists, or more appropriately, you should collect the goods/services with satisfaction before paying in full. The Dems should now say they will stall the tax cuts until DeMint stops playing politics. But they won't because the working poor and middle class, unemployed and elderly are being held hostage.
I wonder, with all the Republican abuses these last two years, from non-stop filibuster to block and hold, should the Dems do the same to Teapublicans in the next session?
This can wait til the next congress. Get the tax bill done first. Priorities I doubt that Russia will be shooting nukes at us before Jan. 4. What will START do to stop Iran and N. Korea from developing nukes? Apparently there is something in this bill that Sen Kyl does not like. That something needs to be debated, but not until after the tax vote is done.
It is simply shocking that there are Americans (apparently millions of them) who believe Demint to be a true patriot. In reality the man is a menace to the republic who could only get elected in a backward thinking state like my own. He will always put his ideology ahead of common sense. Nuclear disarmament is one of the few real areas of progress in international politics and particularly with Russia we have seen. There is no giveaway. You can only destroy the world so many times. But men like Demint would like to restart the Cold War and once again spend trillions on weapons that should never be used. Imagine the shape Social Security Keep giving those who think like him power and it will surely happen. Nevermind that he wants to turn our public schools into Christian madrassas and would have no issue playing the new Joe McCarthy. These men (and women) and their idiocy embarass me as an American and certainly as a South Carolinian.
Cause everything is going to be alright when the next congress gets in.
The calvary come to save the day.
They're going to bring fire and brimstone to washington.
I've got to say, I think what we may end up seeing is an unprecedented bipartisan congress coming. I think the incoming congressmen are going to prove to be such a big pain in the ass, the republicans are going to be giving concession after concession to the democrats to defeat the new members of their party.
I mean look, Boehner and McConnell came out ripping and rearing after the election. Now that they've had some time to sit down and breathe, they've been moving steadily to the center.
DeMint is trying to pick up as the firebrand leader for the freshmen, but the rest of his party is allowing him to come off as a kook.
Nah guys I don't think this whole "hold off, help is on the way" thing is going to pay off like you think. It looks like the bridges have already been formed to bypass them.
The thing that actually threatens the security of the United States would be the passage of this ill-considered treaty. The US has already unwisely thrown away the bulk of its nuclear deterrent, this treaty would virtually complete the job, leaving us with an inadequate number of weapons to obliterate North Korea or Iran, much less both at once.
Once, our policy of Assured Destruction promised a rain of 30,000 nuclear weapons on any nation so unwise as to attack us. This treaty would leave us with a paltry 1500. That's barely enough to obliterate little Denmark. Any nation of significant size could be certain that some of its strategic forces, significant parts of its civil infrastructure, and its leadership cadres could survive a mere 1500 weapon strike.
START II would make nuclear war THINKABLE to a significant fraction of the nuclear nations in the world. That's just not acceptable. This treaty must be defeated, and we must restore our nuclear deterrent to a level where it can once again actually promise Assured Destruction to any potential enemy nation, and still have a sufficient reserve to deter those of might wish to take advantage of the situation.
rich,
i see you post and reply to yourself, nice. for the love of everything good, they had 8 months. we paid them a lot of money to read the damn thing and figure it. they pay a lot of staff to read this kind of things. vote on they damn thing and let me done with it. if you don't like it vote no, but at least let the senate have the vote. what are the idiot republican's afraid?
VOTE ON THE DAMN BILL, VOTE YES OR NO. REPUBLICAN'S THE PARTY OF NO, HAS BECOME THE PARTY OF WASTE TIME.
John Carter, you are either misinformed or an idiot.
One thermonuclear weapon, or maybe a few, would easily be enough to obliterate little Denmark or disrupt all society there for years, if not decades. Have you no clue how powerful thermonuclear detonations are compared to the first nuclear weapons that were dropped on Japan in WWII?
1500 thermonuclear weapons ISN'T enough to obliterate Denmark?.... Seriously. Damn, there's no hope for this country if we keep spewing out this caliber of human. (No wonder the Republicans want to abolish the Department of Education... we would end up with more John Carters who pull the levers for these right wing corporatist politicians.)
The World and the nation should be slamming the REPUBLICANS FOR STALLING START...ABSURD OBSTRUCTIONIST ANTI— AMERCAN BULL!
It is not the PRESIDENT OR THE DEMOCRATS it is the a$$ wipe small minded Gop!
I'm very much aware of the magnitude of nuclear weapons. I witnessed our largest test at Bikini. None of our current generation weapons are within an order of magnitude of that big one. But even it wasn't all powerful all destructive. Bikini is still there, and Bikini isn't very big. Nations are very big. Very very big. Our nukes have gotten smaller and smaller because we can target them so precisely. But the flip side of that is they don't damage a very large area. So we need lots and lots of them if we are to guarantee Assured Destruction of an enemy nation.
If that is correct, then why the rush to ram this through before the lame ducks are kicked off the pond?
Mr. V.P. ..... Please explain in your next Photo Op why Mr. Obama and "your" Democratic controlled House and Senate wasted about EIGHT MONTHS on messing with an UNCONSTITUTIONAL Mandated Universal Health Care Reform legislation when OTHER MORE IMPORTANT legislation was pending, and continues to blister the Congressional floors. Was it because this piece of legislation was to be the LEGACY of Mr. Obama ??
Also, please tell the American people why you, and your Congressional Operatives, are trying to jam through legislation at the last minute which is CRAMMED TO THE GILLS WITH PROKULOUS.
Yep, I can see the writing on the wall now.....
CONGRESS EXTENDS THE 111TH CONGRESS UNTIL 3 JAN 2011 so they can pass all their remaining Liberal Socialist agenda before they lose power in the House.
In the meantime, the Speaker of the House and Majority Leader of the Senate have ordered Assembly Outside the Seat of Government because of all the law abiding citizens stirring up commotion on the Senate steps.
"wasted about EIGHT MONTHS on messing with an UNCONSTITUTIONAL Mandated Universal Health Care Reform legislation when OTHER MORE IMPORTANT legislation was pending"
Oh please! First, HCR is not unconstitutional until the Supreme Court says it is. Two courts have ruled it was not, only one has said it is, so the jury is still out till it comes before the SC. Second, many of us voted for Obama in the first place because of the need for HCR, so creating this legislation was less about a "legacy" and more about keeping a promise to the people.
It's obvious that many posters who can't seem to understand why every piece of legislation is not voted on separately or why it takes so long for legislation to be passed, have no concept of how Congress actually works. See here for a detailed explanation: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html
"Lame duck sessions need to be done away with - either allow the newly elected people to take over sooner, or stop allowing congress to shove things through using the votes of dozens that know they were voted out."
So we should have no meaningful government for 2 months? Riiiiight....
Let's see. This is not the first START Treaty Congress has looked at. None of the previous three have required more than 5 days for consideration and passage. These guys have had 8 months, and claim they need someone to read it to them out loud before they can even begin to understand it. That's a clue right there.
They're too dumb to understand it. No wonder they are afraid of the DREAM Act.
Where were you the last two years while one party blocked everything the other party was voted in to do? When Bill Clinton pushed popular policies, Republicans claimed he was just bending to popular positions instead of showing real leadership. When Bush pursued unpopular policies, he pointed out that his job was to lead, not follow, and he would do what he felt was right. I'm not attacking or defending either Bush or Clinton, but I suspect you only care about "the will of the people" when you hear an opinion you agree with.
JohnCarter-428979, as you stated, nations are quite large with Denmark being the size of Delaware. However, the use of nuclear weapons is not to obliterate every square foot of available land, that's retarded. In almost every country on this planet the majority of the population lives in concentrated urban settings. So for nuclear deterrent, all you need is the ability to target major cities to decimate most of a nations populace. For any given city you really only need a few bombs to do the jobs. Look at how Japan in WWII, one of the most militaristic then, was brought to capitulation after two bombs destroyed two cities. Case closed.
The emergency passage of the START treaty is only an emergency in the eyes of the Dems who deliberately put off consideration of this until the last minute just like they did on the budget and the tax bill. "Emergency" used as an excuse has become totally lame when congress has had many months to get this work done, years on the tax extension.
Can't believe that Nevada voted Sen. Reid back into office when he is such a poor speaker, just one incompetence after another during the entire time he's been speaker! Whine, whine, whine and blame, blame, blame, that's all he does.
It says something horrible about the Dems too that they keep him in office.
It's a few hours! Good GOD! Are you guys seriously saying that it's irrational to sit and listen to the document being READ TO YOU for a few hours before signing it? REALLY?!? And what about this type of tactic pisses off Americans? This is a treaty dealing with NUCLEAR ARMS!!! As the article said, these guys are interested in hammering this out before the end of the year. Yes, it needs to be implemented, and it does need to happen soon, but it should be signed ONLY WHEN IT IS READY!
To make my case further, I actually work in this industry. I've lost about half of my work because the START treaty hasn't gone through yet. I HAVE vested interest in getting this bill through, but I would NEVER put my own interests above national security. You guys wanting to rush this through are truly sick people. Get it right, make it balanced... we are two of the worlds most powerful military forces... don't screw around with a patch-worked and rushed document. These treaties are meant to highlight a common goal between our two peoples, but it's also meant to be foolproof in allowing checks and accountability for either end to uphold their responsibilities.
"Biden noted that there are still 10 days before Christmas....“This is the national security that's at stake. Act.”
You're right Biden National security is at stake, that is why they are not letting you lame ducks ram this garbage through. Spending $17 Billion to REDUCE our nuclear weapons capabilities while at the same time China, Iran, and North Korea are becoming more emboldened is sheer stupidity.
What the hell do they care about national security when they won't even support securing our borders?
If they understand Christmas than do something so we may all enjoy one!
voxrationis said, "It is simply shocking that there are Americans (apparently millions of them) who believe Demint to be a true patriot."
I'm betting your opinion would be very different if you had watched the performance of the Dems on C-SPAN over the last four years. Believe me, they were far less than sterling. They simply would not let the Repubs speak and they wouldn't let them take part in anything and then they went out into public and called them the "party of no."
It was all a nasty horrible lie! I was totally turned off with Dems and after seeing all their unethical behavior I promised myself not to vote for a Dem again unless they could be proven to be honest, firm and ethical and have their head on straight.
Thank you K Chad Roberts for the most understanding post on this thread. Why is everything with this administration "must be passed quickly"?
Tax bill, unemployment, healthcare reform, don't ask don't tell, nuclear treaties, etc, etc....
What is all this opposition to deliberation and debate finding the BEST possible solution rather than whatever we scrambled together is good enough?
Voting to extend tax cuts that were applied 8 years ago without revisiting them is ridiculous. Pushing through a healthcare bill that affects every single person in the United States (well, except for congressmen), with the attitude of "just pass it and we'll find out what's in it later" is criminal (thank you Nancy Pelosi).
Next they'll be pushing for the Omnibus budget bill with 8 billion in pork added. Reid will push this very hard so that he can sneak in that $500 million for the factory in China he's been negotiating with.
Stop already! Take your time and do what's right instead of pushing though garbage just to get it through.
Lets keep those folks working until the start of the new legislature.
I find it remarkable that people still listen to the republicans, with all their no no no and pouting, nothing has been able to be accomplished. The republicans are acting like a bunch of first graders, pouting until they get what they want, no matter the cost. The American people are being held hostage due to their lack of willing to work together to get something done. People need to wake up and see they only care bout themselves.
This give away to the ruskies is a bad deal. We need to let this one die a deserved death. Our amateur President did not get this one right.
You dont know sheet about it, do you.
Apparently Finn can not wipe his/her bum unless FOX says that it is what good Americans do.
(and Finn....just in case it wasn't on FOX this morning...wiping your bum is what good Americans do)
Yeah, its a bad deal, that's why 3 ex Presidents and 3 ex Secretaries of State support it.... (sarcasm)
What does Fox News have to do with someone expressing an opinion.....a majority opinion, by the way. Why don't you, Shocked, tell us what your opinion on the treaty is, instead of wasting space with your crude, inane comment?
Spider.
The point being, Fox is where many of you sheep get your opinions.....which is why they are all the same......
And why you can't defend them.....for you never thought the drivel you repeat through.
Spidey...I honestly believe that my opinion on START would have fallen flat on some throw-back to rural 1976 that writes things like "ruskies" and "amateur president". The FOX news was a shot in the dark, but I had a 99.9 percent chance.
(and...just in case you did not get the memo...START good for America; Good Americans wipe their bums...)
Shocked
Good Americans like yourself must first remove their head before wiping. Didn't they tell you that on MSNBC.
Couldn't resist that one....left yourself wide open. Merry Christmas
Finn, congratulations for waking up from that 50-year coma. Great news, the cold war is over, and "the ruskies" are actually letting us use their airspace to fight a not-so-cold war.
FIN, it is exactly the same bloody treaty that reagan signed, clinton signed, bush signed. over a dozen well educated and experience people have said sign it, it is good. we can't have another cold war, while trying to fight the terriorist also.
the bottom line vote yes or no.
Finn-You don't have a clue what it says and yet you've made a judgment, I guess the people at Fox News do your thinking for you.
No wonder Finncrisp opposes START. 1) He's suffereing from that whole Rumpelstilskin thing, and 2) he thinks that the treaty calls for the United States to surrender its nuclear weapons to Russia.
Congratulations on the new and innovative use of the terms "giveaway" and "amateur".
1Hiram: ...but if I leave everything where it's at, I can wipe my nose at the same time. Multi-tasking, you know!
Merry Christams to you, too - thanks for the laugh! (I think we all take ourselves a bit too seriously sometimes...)
It seems that the Grand Old Party is planning ahead for many failures in the upcoming congress...maybe holding onto ANY semblance of success on their part. They are such a waste of oxygen....
Where's Reagan now?? We could use some 'Death Valley Days'
Way to go Mr. President. It's time we told the American people what is really going on in Washington. We cannot leave it to Fox News and Rush Limbaugh to frame the argument.
The START treaty is the right thing and NOW is the time. Henry Kissinger thinks so. Ronald Reagan would have approved it in a heartbeat.
It's time to fight back Mr. President and I'm proud of you. You're the best thing that has happened to this country in a decade maybe a century!
FIVE STARS, keep'em coming.
The Preamble states the "interrelationship" between offensive and defensive weapon systems. Sergei Lavrov, and everyone in Russia, says this is legally binding. If it is, the Russians have in fact leveraged the treaty into a defacto limit on our ability to defend ourselves. (Obama got punked by Putin again) Obama says "nah... it doesn't mean that", "you don't need to see the negotiating record," "look at all my old white guy props".......
The world perception of Obama is one of being weak on foreign policy/national security. Regardless, it is important for the world to know that there are American politicians, there is a party, that does have a clue.
Bottom line - If Obama is honest and believes that START does not limit America's right to misslile defense, then there is no principled reason to not add clear strong language stating that. He should put it in there in bold capital letters. Be a man. If he doesn't, Republicans should force the issue, before coming to the floor, and show that at least one party in America is not nutless and that there is one party actually concerned about America's ability to protect itself.
Skip:
Skip your azz back to sleep. All he is doing is creating a more hardened opposition to anything he wants in the future. Talking shyt is good until you need something. Democrats can't do anything alone anymore. They need Republicans and if he continues to denegrade elected officials then he does so at his own detriment.
He wants to set the tone for the upcoming year, keep talking shyt and see what gets passed.
I think you'll find out, inthemiddle, that Republicans will need democrats too. Wait for January, Republicans aren't the only ones that can block things.
Um...bob....interesting opinion, though I doubt it is your own. If your issue was truly legitimate and the treaty was so disasterously flawed, it never would have come out of committee...where it has been for the last year.
I would be interested to see your numbers, and quoted sources (which your kind always seems to have problems with), on the issue of the entire world thinking Obama is weak. Was there a chalkboard and a screaming man-child involved?
Why midtex, what a charming way of addressing the issue. With thinly disguised (misspelled to avoid the censor) curse words and middle-school wisdom.
I'd remind you that it was the President who compromised with the GOP over the tax deal. I would also remind you that he asked them to come meet with him to find some middle ground on the most pressing topics.
I don't recall him making any statements like Mitch McConnel's that he would work for the next two years to make sure the President served only one term or Boehner who told the President it was his way of the highway. Certainly sounds fairly threatening and uncompromising to me.
Please do some research next time and I don't mean listening to Limbaugh, Beck or Fox.
Remember, you can remain silent and let people think you are stupid or you can open your mouth (or write) and remove all doubt.
Merry Christmas
(see, that's how it's done with style and without all the obscenity)
Bob 18, you still don't get it do you? You really AREN"T very good at this. Russia is no longer the threat to world peace that you and your republican buddies would have us believe. You guys need to get another bogey man. China is far more dangerous and in a very few years will be THE super power on the block. We'll need a solid relationship with Russia and Europe then and now is the time to start building that relationship and START is the just that, the start.
Merry Christmas to you as well
(not very good at this are you?)
skip,
What a moronic argument.
I never said Russia was the threat. Obama seems pretty concerned rushing it through in lame duck session though. He just lying about that verification worry?
Yea, Russia is not a threat. So why the rush? China is a threat. Why not a treaty with them? Why not a treaty that includes them? N. Korea is threat. Iran is an emerging threat. Threats popping up all over.
And Obama wants us to limit our ability to protect ourselves from all these threats by doing a unilateral treaty with someone that isn't a threat.
Thanks for helping my point.
Why are France and the UK not part of the treaty if this important relationship is tied to the treaty?
Feel free to try a rebuke anytime. You never know - you just might get lucky and come up with something someday.
booby-1805084, skip is much too polite to say what needs to be said but I am not.
You are a moron. You know nothing about what you are talking about and only spout off what you hear form the morons on Faux Noise and Rush Limbaugh. You haven't written an original thought nor have you everprovided sources to back up your assertions. Your arguments are illogical and based on fallacious facts and reasoning which renders them moot.
Oh, and, booby, you can say anything you like about me and point out the one or two less than brilliant posts I may have made in the past that you have dug out and it simply will not matter. Coming from you, it is like water off a ducks back. But know this: no one has to look any further than your last post to find you saying stupid things or being a total a$$.
Flag me all you want, righties, even when censored, the truth remains the truth.
Matt,
Hey thanks for the shout out and the help. Bob-18 and I are old friends. I know he's not very good at strategic thinking and is too busy looking back and preparing to fight the last war to realize that that's soooo 20th Century.
Bob likes to tell people in his "superior than thou" attitude that we're "not very good at this." But if you look at the record of our exchanges you'll see that Bob-18 is an army of ONE whereas I have green stars and supporters by the dozen. My comments are approved and repeated. His die on the newsvine. Sad really.
Bob's just not very good at this, is he?
Merry Christmas all, you too Bob
Bob -
Missile defense is a myth. It never worked in the '80s and the latest tests showed that it hit the target one out of three tries. That's a 33% success rate which is worse than the democrats success in congress this last term. I believe the Republicans used the democrats success rate to win victory in the coming term so how can you says it's a good argument for killing START?
Righties - PLEASE do not flag Matthew. That is way too funny to be collapsed.
Thanks, Pickles.
Anywhoo,
Calling you Pickles - (after you talked about being by yourself with a bottle of Stoli and cut up pickles was a party) - that was original, wasn't it?
But other than stuff like that, not much is original. I'm not actually a politician, or involved in the actual START negotiations. I read RCP, NRO, WSJ stuff like that.
And as you stated previously - a moron too. Yet you got nothing, no challenge, no rebuke... just a bunch of histrionics. (And skippy mocks me for saying you're not very good at this?)
Sounds like the duck is still pretty upset. (BTW - Was I right about the Bachman blow-up doll or what?)
Thanks for the early Christmas present Pickles.
You have a Merry Christmas too.
skip,
I appreciate your ability to laugh this blog stuff off. Hope Pickles can learn to let go. Since those Green Stars so important to you guys, I'm giving both of you 5 votes each as your Christmas presents.
It is funny you mentioning the Green Stars again. It really is. This is a liberal blog that probably runs anywhere from 7-1 liberal to 30-1 liberal. Look at this one. ITM and I are the only conservatives I've noticed. Above your post, the most insightful, intelligent and articulate (according to votes) is by:
gofinsgo
He got 18 votes for that bit epistomlogical advancement.
As Feisty would say lol.
Have a good evening skip. (You too Pickles)
Hey Bob- you're right about ONE PARTY not being nutless (grammatically incorrect double negative) but it sure as hell isn't the GOP obstructionists. They're scared of they're own shadows and Obama is just trying to reduce the redundant nuclear weapons systems on this planet. But the ignorant as an ant GOP is living in the 70's and trying to turn the TREATY into an issue for the sake of the 2012 elections and that's the ONLY reason they're doing this. They could care less about the National Security of the United States. The only thing the GOP cares about is money. They've proven this by adding another $900 billion to the deficit which weakens our national security because we'll have to borrow that much from CHINA to stay fluid. THE GOP, the NUTLESS WONDERS!
In The Middle- Obama doesn't need the Republicans to pass anything. He has the power of persuasion in his VETO power. He's a bit of a coward when it comes to using it but he does have it. If he uses it on the GOP legislation enough times they'll get the idea of what he can do to them when they don't follow instructions.
I suspect this may be a ploy to run out the clock and avoid having to vote on a stand alone repeal of DADT. The GOP now holds the defense appropriations bill hostage trying to force the Dems to bring that bill to a vote and abandon all the other matters.
The solution is easy, let them block it, and in the new year block their bills.
I suspect you're correct. They're truly cowards in the way they conduct themselves. And when it come time for them to try to pass some of their precious legislation and the Democrats do the exact same thing they'll be crying like babies about how unfair it is. The GOP are such losers. I don't know how they can look in the mirror without being repulsed.
BTW no one complained about Bernie Sanders blathering on for 8 + hours last week. Double standard?
Nothing was scheduled on the floor for that day anyway. No one was even there to listen.
There were no votes or Senate business scheduled on the day Sanders took the floor thus he didn’t delay a single thing.
I'd rather listen to Sanders than the treaty being read.....
um well oh....they done never did tell us nuthin 'bout that on FOX..so youse all must be commies.
Bernie wasn't blathering and if you actually listened to the CSPAN broadcasts you might have listened in and learned a thing or two.
If the Republicans want to filibuster, fine, let them. They can have Christmas on the Senate floor. The time they are wasting is coming out of their own vacation.
Unlike Obama, Republicans don't always have their minds on their next vacation fling. Republicans, some of them anyway, care about the future of the United States. Blocking bad legislation is worth missing a few holidays.
Hmmmmmm,,,,Wasn't our last Republican Prez the one who set the record for vacation time while in office?
Every sane person who has analyzed this issue has said that the lack of inspection presents the best chance for terrorists to get their hands on a nuke. Not even Pakistan with all its issues pose as grave a threat. And these dumba$$ Republicans in Washington are playing politics with this issue. Makes you wonder about the con job they played on the American electorate these past few years with their BS hogwash about protecting America. You've got a crucial treaty held up by a South Carolina red neck, an Arizona has-been looking for airtime and a bunch of ignoramuses who probably peaked in middle school calling the shots on this thing. Add to that a pending speaker with a penchant for being a slobbering puss! They've had ample time to review this since it was signed in April and now they whine like ninnies about not enough time. I hope we never have to face the prospect. But if we do, I hope that the Al Qaeda missile can be rerouted to AZ. There's a lot about that backwards a** banana republic that could use a fresh start!
Thank you, Mad in CT! It's also sad to see the palinite FOX-watchers speak out against this. I'm pretty sure that a certain Saudi prince that owns major stock in FOX does not what the FOX minions to know what is going on with Russia's nuclear arsenal.
I get it...make your "news" broadcast go against every Republican in the past that they have worshipped, get a bunch of ignorant people to call it "a give away to the ruskies"...then slip in Russia's back door, buy some nukes and sell them to the highest bidder. What?? A Saudi prince would never do such a thing??
I'm just not surprised that Palin and her Saudi benefactor are against this treaty.
I would call Mr. Obama's healthcare plan;
Russia is NOT our friend. They are helping Iran gain nuclear technology. And who knows who they will assist next.
So I guess in your mind the best option is not to agree to mutual inspections because we are such bada$$es we can do it alone? Screw diplomacy and a key part of your party icon, Reagan's, nuclear reduction strategy? Right? Hear this Truth: go back to bed. The psych nurse will bring the meds to your padded room shortly!
HMT, first, how did Healthcare get back into this? Second, this treaty is about each side being able to inspect the other's arsenal. If we don't talk with the Russians and sign this, the Russians might indeed go to Iran. Or North Korea, or Pakistan or... You have it absolutely backwards.
Russia isn't our friend, though it isn't the Evil Empire of old either. It has become just one of many nuclear powers we have to deal with in a more and more unstable world. 23 nations have nuclear weapons. 5 have significant numbers of weapons, enough to hurt us badly. We have to deter all of them from attacking us. The 30,000 we once had was barely enough to deter the then handful of nuke nations. 1500 nukes isn't enough to do that job, and certainly not enough to promise Assured Destruction to all 23 potential nuclear adversaries.
START and now START II are making the world safe for nuclear war. These treaties are reducing our power to retaliate sufficiently to make nuclear war THINKABLE. That's incredibly dangerous and destabilizing.
To think Obama actually thought Republicans would even consider working in a bipartisan way is laughable. Two years of being stabbed in the back at every turn of his head should be enough to wake him up, but sadly he still has hopes of changing Republicans into human beings. That, is an impossible task that many have tried before. Republicans are and always will be the tongue of the rich and the barrier to the middle and lower class. One day the voter will wake up and see that they have been duped year after year and finally do whats right,,erase all evidence that Republicans ever existed and work to make this country what is use to be before the Republicans trashed it for their own agenda. Tomorrow would not be to soon to start.
I wonder if Obama has learned yet that when you reach out to Republicans, like with the tax breaks for millionaires giveaway, you will get burned every single time. Every single time.
But he'll keep chasing that dream, no matter how much he has to sacrifice on the altar of right wing lunacy. Enjoy your single term.
he has to try because thats what american people want you idiot
Not this American. Not anymore. The Republican leadership has been bullying everybody to get their way since 2000. They had their way and derailed the train. President Obama has tried to talk sense to them for the last 2 years to no avail. It's time to stand up to the bully. If he doesn't back down, punch him squarely in the nose. The President may feel that he is too civil for such action. I'm sorry Mr. President, but the fate of the nation hangs in the balance. You must hit them firmly and hit them now. It's the only language they understand.
The American People have been convinced by wholly corporate-owned mass media that "compromise" is a good thing, regardless of who you're compromising with and what you're compromising about. You can take any position however extreme and deranged, and the media will think they need to meet you halfway to generate an illusion of balance rooted in false equivalency, where everyone must be a little right, unless their ideas are a threat to the wealthy.
The Republicans have successfully twisted the definition of "compromise" to mean "we get everything we want and we oppose you anyway". That's what they did in the stimulus bill (with its generous tax cuts), that's what they did with the health care bill (which didn't create single payer health care or national health care or even a public option), that's what they've done with every single thing Obama has tried to get passed through Congress, and still he just does not learn.
When a supposedly liberal Democrat president is pushing Reagonomics and claiming that tax breaks for millionaires are stimulative, there's nothing of compromise about it, it is complete collapse. If you think tax cuts are stimulative, get back to me two years from now and let me know how many jobs this has created... of course, the GOP-friendly businesses won't have picked up hiring at all, they'll just say that there's uncertainty over the tax breaks expiring at the end of 2012, and justify their continued profit-hoarding in that way.
But smart move on Obama's part, rescheduling the unemployment benefits fight for a year from now as the presidential campaigns are just getting started, and the permanent extension of the tax cuts (which, we will be super extra promised, will help the economy this next time) for the end of 2012 and the home stretch of the presidential campaign. He'll either waffle in agreement with his opponent, or he'll have to attack tomorrow the positions he holds today, and either way it points to a single term being his reward for selling out to the wealthy.
If you think any other Democrat President would have had it better, think again. If McCain, the epitome of a flip-flopper, were elected instead, what EXACTLY would he have done differently????
There have been plenty of Democrats who've managed to hold a firm position. FDR, Kennedy, even Truman and LBJ.
If McCain had been elected, we'd be at war with Iran, North Korea, and Russia right now. That doesn't mean Obama gets a free pass when he screws up.
Not having the votes doesn't equate to screwing up. Reality is a bitter pill.
Please take your time, read this treaty and make adjustments if necessary. As a citizen I don't want another thing passed unless it is read!
Um, this has been available to the members of Congress and the American public for EIGHT months, plenty of time, lame excuse.
What have these Senators been doing for the last six plus months that the treaty has been sitting in front of them?!
What have they been doing for the past eight months? Campaigning and working on pork projects!
No Shawn,,the ones that want more time now are the REPUBLICAN SENATORS who have spent all their time figuring out how to obstruct, slow down or defeat anything President Obama has done. They have done nothing that has advanced or helped the people of this country except of course the upper 2%. If that is considered a good way to spend our time and money,,God help us !
When they vote on new rules for the next Senate, how about adding one that says that if a Senator objects to waiving the reading of a bill on the floor, that they must remain IN the chamber for the entire reading, with their objection being withdrawn if they leave?
How about if the ENTIRE Senate has to remain in the chamber and the one who objected has to be the one who reads it!
How about shoving the entire written text down the throat of the Senator who made the motion to waste the entire Senates time by having this read page by page. Eight months is plenty of time to have read it,,,if they were not scheming of ways to obstruct progress.
in the grand scheme of things, what possible difference does it make, other than pure politics, if it passes now or in january ??
LOTS of things can be done without a treaty NOW and there can be no world objection if there is no treaty.
The WORLD is shocked by our political game playing and the WORLD does admire President Obama despite what you lemmings post here.
Why ? because nobody is stupid enough to think that once the Republicans are sworn in that anything will get done,,,other than maybe another tax break for the wealthy.
The current senate are thr guys that have been dealing with this for 9 months a new guy would have to catch up so now is the time
It will be a shame to actually have this treaty read and understood before they vote on it. What is the Obama administration hiding,why the rush if it was so important why did the Dimocrats not pass this 6-9 months ago?
You should read up on how treaty ratification works. A 2/3rds majority is needed for the Senate to give consent, not some simple 50%+1 vote. GOP support has been needed all along, and Jon Kyl has been doing his best to ensure that support doesn't come until he gets what he wants. The GOP has read it, they understand it, and now they're playing political games with it. If you want to read it, have at it. It's been available for all to read for quite some time now.
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/140035.pdf
Hammer 'em, Mr. President. Hammer 'em hard! They deserve it! Spoiled brats, the lot of them.
Why is a sitting president like odumbo so eager to disarm this country and restrict our defense?????
Russia has more weapons than ever, they are branching out like never before and building bomb shelters in moscow???? Yet odumbo wants to disarm the U.S.
They shoould kill this treaty and ramp up defense posture.
Nobody is disarming this country. START provides for mutual inspections (which we haven't been able to do in a year) and equalizes the number of warheads between the US and Russia. Now we'll each have the capability to destroy the earth 10X over instead of 50X.
Ranch, do you even know what the START is?
Rancher,,,i hope you are better at punching cattle than you are at telling our leaders what is needed for our defense and security.
NOTHING TO SEE HERE, Just the GOP putting Party ahead of National Security once again!
You libs are a joke, I believe most of you have the latest stage of dementia, you cannot remember anything past the last 30 seconds and talk about sheep. This president has shown he is a citizen of the world mentality which he stated, so everything he has proposed or pushed has been anti-america which is why if he is pushing for its passage now is very questionable because if it was in the National Security why wasn't this address sooner. Because it probably isn't a good treaty so the democrats weren't willing to address it before, as they probably would have lost more seats, but now lets push it through. I rather be a party of "no" then a party of "liars".
Can someone who is a history buff, please tell me if Congress has always met as a lame-duck Congress or not?
Past and present military leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, support this treaty. You would know better than they do?
And "citizen of the world" = "anti-American"? Really, so we all need to be provincial rubes, is that right?
Yes, lame-duck Congresses have met many times in the past. Otherwise, we'd have no government for 2 months.
You people are so clueless. All they ar asking for is to daly it;s passgae until the new congress convenes in January. The treaty was signed last Spring and now it is a BIG priority for Obama and the liberals to get it passed. The only reason why this is an issue is so the liberals can make a half hearted attempt at covering up all the bad decison's half truths and failed policies. It will be signed. AFter it becomes signing a treaty instead of a campaign button for the democrats. Such a bunch of losers this administraton is. Using National security to get elected. This administration is SO concerned about National security. Thats why an Army private walked out with thousands of classified documents. This adminstration and the idiots that voted for them are so pathetic...
All through the campaign we listened to the liberals and Obama claim the Bush Tax cuts ruined the economy. Now Obama is supporting them saying they will create jobs and help the economy. Obama used GWB's Iraq withdrawal plan. Is this buffoon even capable of an idea thaty someone else didn't think of for him? His history in Chicago was the same. He only ever completed someone else's idea. Has there ever been a democrat that ever had an original idea or do they all just pladgerize conservatives work?
Obozo the spineless President.. What an a$$hole....
That's about where I stopped reading. Your position in that paragraph is so ridiculous I have a hard time believing an actual person wrote it, and then you cap it off by complaining about the Democrats using national security as a campaign platform. Stunning. Wake up Steve, The GOP has been doing it for years. How many times did 9/11 get used by the GOP during the 2004 presidential election? How many times did Giuliani invoke it during his primary run for the 2008 election? Sorry, but both sides have used national security in an effort to get elected. Get real.
It's Lame Duck Session you P.O.S. for a President! You should of concentrated on doing what Americans wanted all along for the past 2 years, Tax cuts, Jobs, not Immigration/aka Amnesty, DADT, Obama Care etc.. Admit it YOU BLEW IT and Dems will pay for Decades! Trying to pass the START Treaty in a few days time is Complete Madness and shows the lack of competancy you bring to the table, repeat after me NONE... Your Minions, the one's who didn't get it were shown the door and exit January 5th... Good Luck after that, can you say that YOU failed your Party and the American People? Your pals in Congress have a 13% approval rating, your's is below 45%, great job you bunch of Wackos!
Listening to too much limbaugh are you? BTW, do you have any idea what you're talking about, I doubt it, but here goes a hint........the START treaty up for ratification was signed in April, and it was renewing the treaty signed by Reagan---you can't be complaining about his creation can you? As for the low, low approval rating it isn't for Democratic Congress persons only, it's the behaviour of both the parties, and as for Pres. Obama approval rating, higher than Reagan's at the time period in his Presidency. You really and truly should start listening to someone other than the limp one and FOX News.........are you aware that News Corp won a law suit, heard before the Fla. Supreme Court in 2004, which agreed with Fox that they are under NO OBLIGATION TO PRESENT TRUTHFUL FACTS as news. In other words they are free to make up what they want to say, to represent anything said on their news corporation in any way they wish and it's up to the reader/listener to discern which is fact or fiction. All news would meet the same criteria I suppose, but it was NewsCorp/Fox News which fired an anchor woman because she refused to read what she knew to be lies on air and she took the case up to the Florida Supreme Court before running out of money against the mega-corp. So perhaps you'd like a touch of reality now and then to mix in with the rubbish that has you screaming your idiocy out like limpbaugh does. Or are you profoundly deaf from drug abuse too?
FACTS.....FACTS.....they want no stinkin' facts.....
It is a waste of time trying to educate the uneducable.
Hey know it all DEgardengirl, Don't listen to Limbaugh, watch ABC and Fox but didn't form my opinion based on their reports unlike you. It's Lame Duck Session you dweeb, this should of been done long ago, not just before Xmas like the last fiasco the Dems pulled... And it's mostly Democrats who are exiting in January so your rant on Congress appears to be a little off kilter like you. When it comes down to it my opinion is worth just as much as your's. Personally I think you use way too many of Obama and Clown Posse talking points, didn't you hear they don't work? You seem to have an odd fascination for FOX news, you really should go to a psyciatrist to get your mental disorder treated. Be glad I took it easy on you, don't push me to embarrass you. Enjoy the rest of your day! Better go deflate your head before it explodes Moron ~(:>)
Once again the repukes throw a wrench into the machinery of government. There was complete agreement with idol Reagan when he negotiated START, but now that it's a Democratic President well, needless to say they'll say NO. Just like they have for the past 2 years. BTW, can anyone tell me why all the cuts being made in government spending isn't going to affect the pols salary and bennies package. They get elected to what go to Washington and play Kabuki theater? Did you really elect a repuke just to go there sit down on their rumps and do nothing? Did you really send them there to take your money (taxes pay them) scream about getting health care at our expense, and throw wrenches into the machine? I'd love to have a job doing nothing but be a useless piece of dirt get paid more than 100K yearly and have a budget for people who SHOULD be reading these bills over the course of a year and advising the pols what is in it, and then after serving for a year or more get paid the ENTIRE amount of their salary plus all benefits for the rest of their lives sitting at home.................must be nice. If anyone knew anything about the Constitution and the men,and times,who created the document they'd be aware of the fact that only wealthy land/slave owners were considered smart enough to serve their country and to vote in the first place. Where the h*** would the Weeper of the House & Senate Majority Leader (crying at the podium today) McConnell be? Not in government service refusing to serve the people of the country I promise you, they'd be just like the rest of the poor folk, scratching at dirt trying to feed their families. Instead the families get treated like the Royal Family with pensions and health care and traveling privileges even if the Weeper & Choked Up died. How come none of those bennies and pay get cut? How come they have big staffs that do nothing and get paid for it, how come the families get to collect pensions and bennies if the crying, obstructionist repukes die? Maybe, just stinking maybe these men and women who have claimed they were all about defense of the country & national security and conservative values like balancing the budget and cutting government spending should get real and do their jobs------protect the country sign the blasted START treaty;cut government spending---start with your own benefits package and salary cut them by 20% since you all created the mess we're in; stop using up time and air space trying to make Pres. Obama fail because he's a black man and help him bring the country back. DO YOUR JOBS, not play games anymore.
That's right, let's pass the bill so that we can figure out what is in it" Nancy Pelosi.
Why weren't those objectionist studying this START over the almost year since it was signed? What were they doing besides saying "NO!"? Where was the staff members who were supposed to be reading, studying and advising these men and women for the last 9 months that the bill was before them? And you already know that taken out of context what Nancy Pelosi really said isn't clever and smart, it just shows your bias, prejudiced point of view. You object to everything Pres. Obama wishes to accomplish for the country and we just can't let a black man be smarter than the white one there before him. Period. All you Faux News and limpbaugh fans just cannot allow something like a black person being the one who actually pulls the country out of the skid row we were led into can you?
There you go again with that Republican diatribe based on taking Pelosi's remarks way out of context. Her statement was inartful but what she meant to say (and has reiterated since) is that a final passed bill stands on its own without all the deliberate confusion and demagoguery that you people and your death panel proponents were labeling the bill with at the time. NONE OF WHICH WAS TRUE!! No surprise that, inartful or not, feeble-minded, dim witted republicans and Baggers can only handle short sentences with mono-syllabic words.
If the START treaty passes in December it will be President Obama's legislative victory. If one Senator can stall, it will then pass in January - when those opposed will suddenly see the light and vote for it, then say it was their victory. I only wish the Republicans could govern as well as they can spin the truth.
You've gotta be kidding!? START a "givaway"? You know more about this treaty than, virtually all previous S's of State? Where do we find such hubris?