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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.
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Let's see, the Dems want to mess up the good old boy's Christmas? I want to see all the Repubs. church going records while they are in office. It's such a big deal about the Pres., man up boys and tell us, no prove your attendance in church. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, and all about "Peace on earth", so show us you care about peace. Ratify the Start treaty now, and Jesus will forgive you for being such hypocrites.
If this is another case of we have to pass the treaty to find out what's in the treaty... I say read on!!! Passing this thing without knowing what is in it could jeapordise national security far more than delaying the vote on this treaty.
Why do people post things like this one??? Do you not actually read about this treaty or do you simply pass along what you have heard in the grapevine?
If the Republicans have NOT YET READ it, the bad is on them.
This treaty has been in the Senate for 8 months with over 1000 committee meetings. It has passed out of every committee. This is obviously nothing but a cheap attempt to make our President look bad. If Kyle or McCain truly valued the security of the U.S., this treaty would have been passed months ago.
These people need to stop business as usual and get their asses to work.
Does DeMint need this read to him because of some deficiency in his reading ability or is he implying others have a reading impediment.............or is this just a So. Carolina problem?
I would like to see the whole thing read but there would have to be a requirement that ALL legislators who vote for this requirement be in attendance.................and not dinking on their Blackberries during the whole process.
Wanna bet how many will vote for this idiot move??
OBX RON-- WOW you must be the smartest person in the world. You get to hide behind you computer and make fun of people!! This is important I how they all read THIS ONE since NONE of them read the unconstitutional Obamacare. BOTH sides were dragging their feet prior this, the budget could have been voted on before Dec. the Bush tax cuts could have been voted on before Dec. Then they would have plenty of time for the start treaty. Reps. and Dems. the name calling just shows lack of a singular intelligent thought. I ve been a union dem/lib for a long time but the party doesn't mean sh** anymore . Results Results Results
Let's see.... who is it that MSNBC is demanding that America should ridicule and HATE today ???....
One of the things that some of the Europeans worry about (Poland in particular) with the Treaty is that it does not deal with the tactical nuclear threat that Russia can deploy along its borders with Eastern European countries. These tac nukes and SRBMs, IRBMs MRBMs can reach much farther than the border countries. They just can't go "intercontinental" unless you consider Asia, Europe, and Africa continents! We have always looked at intercontinental meaning from Russia to the US and the US to Russia. While not really correct, it is what has evolved over time as the definition.
The Treaty does not limit the number of these types of weapons.
Why not try to tackle some domesstic issues first? Like the federal budget, unemployment, the omnibus package and the Bush era tax cuts? This administration gets sidetracked every time it sees something shiny.
No, this administration understands that the US doesn't exist in a bubble, what many people tend to forget.
You're right doctor. The incredible wisdom of the Obama administration is making great strides throughout the world while things fall apart at home. Thank you o great Obama.
This administration has been forced into a super majority for EVERY issue. Why is this tactic being ignored by Obama critics? The Republicans will face the same problem. Less will get done. Watch it happen.
If you really believe that the Russians (Putin) would ever agree with a treaty that would diminish their tactical, diplomatic, and psychological advantages - one would have to suspend reality and ignore history.
I wish the Treaty made the world safer, but I fear that it will only give some the "feeling" of safety. I suspect it is more symbolic than substantial.
As I stated earlier, it is hard to believe that this Treaty is so important that it was relegated to the bottom of the priority list until the very end of the session. If it was so important, why wasn't it acted upon, say in June of 2010?
I can't answer that question either, don't feel bad.
Great point jcg! No one can answer that and the last time I checked unemployment wasn't hovering around 10% because of radioactive fallout.
They have...like 8 times! The Rethuglicans, in their quest to make the President and Dems look bad at any cost, keep delaying it!
They got their tax breaks for the rich; so now they are back to their old bull. When will we learn not to deal with snakes?
Linda there is no additional tax break things are staying the same. All the people that feel they aren't paying enough CAN PAY MORE! The dems act like everyone truly feels they aren't paying enough so write an extra check to the IRS. Oh you want people who worked hard to make more to give more. I suppose you believe people who make $250,000 are millionaires. It doesn't equate LInda. The top 3% money EARNERS pay almost 50% of the taxes and almost 50% of "working " families don't pay taxes at all!?!
This is shades of the passage of the Obamacare bill that we vote on and then read. This treaty (partly written in Russian[Why?]) is just one of many bills that the Dims are trying to Rham through. Reps are not blocking anything that the Dims couldn't have done in Aug or September but were to lazy and concerned about their images to do! As far as this treaty we have gone this long without one and no one has been nuked, why the push from the left to bolster their failing pres. They just don't learn do they!
Well said Mimi
Just a thought....maybe because it is a treaty with RUSSIA?! Would make sense to me if it was in both of the languages of the countries signing it!
Republicans promised to pass the START Treaty if the Bush's Tax Cuts were extended. They were but Republicans have failed to keep their word.
It has been said, "When people show you who they are, believe them."
Republicans have shown themselves to be:
1) people who do not keep their word so they are "untrustworthy";
2) people who act as a group or gang so they are "gangsters"; and
3) people who are willing to hold fellow but poorer Americans' unemployment insurance checks (not a hand-out because it is an insurance payment taken out of employees' paychecks) hostage until they get the extra bonus money they want from tax cuts, so they are "thugs".
That behavior by the Republicans makes the untrustworthy, gangster, thug Republicans unworthy of holding the highest offices in our Nation's Capital.
Are you talking about the Democreats and Obamacare bill, the Omnibus bill, Stimulus Bill, as I've mentioned before, I think all the libs are in last stage of dementia as you cannot remember anything past the last 30 seconds. The Senate passed the tax bill, but it still isn't law, because the House still has to pass it. So, as of now the Bush tax cuts have not been extended, sorry but I'm not for extending , but to make them permanent so it was a compromise with President Obama versus no extension for the top 2% which includes allot of small business owners who create jobs, to extend it for 2 years with extending unemployment benefits for 13 months. It wasn't about passing START it was about looking at it after they passed the Tax and Unemployment bill which still isn't a done deal. Anyway, if this treaty was a National Security issue than why did the Democrats wait to the lame-duck session to address it. Just another lie. I rather be the party of "no", than the party of " liars ".
Because the Repubs kept delaying...you know McCain had to have a report from the military first, etc etc etc......
It seems the elected officials who were told before to just pass something quick, and we'll read it later. They have learned their lesson. No more just passing something without a full study, and much discussion. Discuss every paragraph, every sentence if need be. Just get it right before you pass it. If the Democrats don't like it?? TOUGH. Then, don't pass anything.
Another,If the Democrats thought this was so important why did they not pass it 6-9 months ago? Now they want to rush it throught with out it being read on the floor of the Senate? All bills should be read on the floor of the senate before voted on and all Senators should be required to vote yea or Nay no more present votes.What the hell do we pay them for if they are voting on bills they don't read?
What do you pay Repubs for when they filibuster anything and everything for the past 2 years? Dleay & obstruct, isn't that the motto? Don't pretend they didn't stand there on the floor and say that their main goal was to stop Obama. They have made their intention crystal clear.
Yes Charctine,
That's exactly what we pay the republicans for. To block the liberal, socialist agenda of Obama. To show the people what a fool they have elected as president. To stop the crazy deficit spending spree. To repeal the aborted health care "reform" bill, to seal our borders and deport all the illegal aliens, and above all, to stimulate businesses so the hiring will start again and maybe we can pull out of the Obama recession.
"maybe we can pull out of the Obama recession."
That started in September 2008... Before he was even elected.....
It's just amazing to read some of these pathetic comments from the ultra-right wing moron brigade over this "latest" display of GOP stupidity in their brainwashed attempts to somehow "justify" the "unjustifiable"...
Each and everyone one of you ultra-right winged "hypocrites" on here "knows" this flat out "partisan" Republican bull$hit has "nothing" to do with "The Will Of The People", what's in the "best" interest of America or Kyl and the rest of these GOP jackasses "suddenly" wanting time to go over the S.T.A.R.T. treaty with a damn Electron-Microscope.
It has "everything" to do with "one" thing only and that is continuing the "smear" campaign they've been running 24/7 since 2008 to undermine "everything" this President tries to do-and clearly it doesn't matter to the Republican Party "what" the issue at hand may be.
This is nothing more than the GOP testing the waters to see how much $hit their "base" is going to allow them to get away with the next 2 years by "deliberately" playing to the "cesspool" portion of their voting base that they know is illogical and f.u.c.k.e.d in the head enough to even "try" defending Kyl, McConnell and the rest of these asses over this borderline "Treasonous" behavior.
Seriously...If all these "Fox controlled" douche-bags out there will run to the GOP's "defense" over something this ridiculous and potentially OMFG "catastrophic" not only to America's security but "other" countries as well for absolutely no "logical" reason whatsoever when put under scrutiny, it just confirms for Boehner, McConnell, Kyl and the rest of the GOP that this same core of oblivious "Patriots" will let them get away with pretty much "everything" and just come up with some absurd way to exonerate the GOP of accepting any responsibility for the mess they leave behind to keep the "fantasy" alive in their heads that these same obscenely "selfish" people are somehow "still" the ones that actually give a $hit about them despite ALL the overwhelming "evidence" that blows this clear "delusion" all to Hell...
As their "base" did for the better part of this last "decade" when the GOP controlled "everything" and after decimating this country they all just said "f.u.c.k. it" suddenly came down with acute "political" amnesia and brazenly walked away from owning up to "any" of it...With their "base's" blessing.
Cheers
Oh whine
Get used to it.
Nothing gets passed for at least the next six years unless it proudly displays the "REPUBLICAN GOLD SEAL OF APPROVAL" This is the way that nature has always intended it.
"Oh whine"?
Wow, that's your way of "justifying" what the GOP is pulling "right now"?
Kinda interesting that's "all" you could come up with to say after reading all that...
Damn dude!
You could've at least "attempted" to address my post or "challenge" what I said about the Republican Party and this certain group of "idiots" out there willing to defend them no matter what.
...But then again trying to do so based on the "evidence" at hand would put you at risk of destroying that "Republican's actually "do" give a $hit about me" delusion now wouldn't it?
"Get used to it."
"Nothing gets passed for at least the next six years unless it proudly displays the "REPUBLICAN GOLD SEAL OF APPROVAL" This is the way that nature has always intended it."
So based on that statement I guess we can look forward to the "REPUBLICAN GOLD SEAL OF APPROVAL" to:
"Lie" us into more wars...
Nuke the economy "again" after deregulating the very institutions responsible for America's financial collapse...
"Over the top" obstruction of "everything" including voting "against" their own ideas if they're not the ones in power at the time like a bunch of spoiled petulant children throwing a tantrum...
Take "voting" power away from the public-as in "you"-so that politicians can elect "other" politicians...
Allow "unlimited" amounts of "special interest" money to be dumped into political campaigns without the public-as in "you"-having any idea who or what "interests" are behind the cash...
Continue to "screw" the middle-class of this country at every turn to pad the wallets those at the top of the financial scale who don't need it after already giving these same people a 10-year tax cut which was "never" paid for and also played a big role in "nuking" the economy...
Make it once again "fashionable" for health insurance companies to kill people for having the nerve to "get sick" because it may "negatively" affect their quarterly earning statement to shareholders to keep them alive...
Keep fighting for the "right" to "force" a pregnant woman or child to actually have to "bear" that child regardless of whether it's the result of rape, incest, potentially "life threatening" to the mother to continue the pregnancy or prior definitive medical knowledge the child will be born with horrible birth defects and will be in misery their entire life...
Continue trying to get rid of those "pesky" little parts of the U.S. CONSTITUTION "they" don't like while at the same time branding "anyone" who doesn't agree with them and their "agenda" as "anti-American"...
Ensure that through catering to the "dumbest" portion of their "base" with a 24/7 campaign of fear-mongering, lies and "political" bigotry to feed the paranoia of these already mentally unhinged and "violence" prone individuals that the GOP will "always" have a certain group of ultra-right wing lunatics out there who will "blindly" rush to their defense no matter what the issue at hand may be and no matter how "idiotic and stupid" and disturbingly "irrational" those individuals will "expose" themselves to be when doing so...
...As "nature" intended of course.
PS: This wouldn't happen to also be that "same" ultra-right wing nature in which the planet is only 6000 years old and people rode dinosaurs to school-you know, back in the day-and "Global Warming" is a "liberal" conspiracy because "Glenn Beck said so" would it?
So all I can really say about all this is "thank you" for offering yourselves up as "perfect" examples of the "detached from reality" mindset of the "Conservatively Insane" portion of the Republican "base" I was talking about!
Cheers
Does anyone edit these articles anymore?
"every living republican has endorsed the treaty leading backers to claim republicans are denying a victory for Odumbo ( my word, not theirs ).
Well if every living republican has endorsed it, according to the article, then it must be every living democrat holding up the passage. This also means the democrats are denying Odumbo a victory, not republicans.
This administration is - - unbelievable..... what clowns....
The first START expired one year ago - - WTF have they been doing before and after that to today?
Oh, spending more frigging money on favorite programs and WH staff.........
If it was not important then, why is it important now?
Vacations are more important than some silly old treaty. Barrack and Michelle are going to milk their position and live like royalty for the rest of his sorry term. It's called making the best of a bad situation.
(gave up) I think it would be helpful if people checked the facts before commenting about something. This treaty has been in the Senate for 8 months. It has had endless hearings in committee and been voted out of committee. It is the GOP Senators that have been holding this treaty hostage to try to use it as a bargaining chip. Senator DeMint said he would recommend ratification of the treaty if the Senate would not vote on repeal of DADT.
This present administration has been more productive, in spite of the Republicans, than any administration in the past 2 decades.
right middle class american - heaven forbid they READ the bill before its voted on - that would be crazy. Lets follow the democrat habit of ramming through sweeping bills without reading them - we "have to pass it so we can find out whats in it" . Let quickly pass it then we can discover what a disaster it is - just like obama care!!
Was signed in April, has been available on line for the rest of us to read since then. But of course, 8 months is not enough time for those who read very very s l o w l y. "Ramming through" - please!