Okay, I know its a cutesy title -- and too clever by half -- but I like it and, dammit, I'm gonna keep it.
Moving on.
The bleat in the title refers to the sound made by the Republic sheep in the Senate. Like some lame ovine chorus, they baa at all who will listen that a non-binding resolution in opposition to the surge of tens of thousands more troops into the morass of Iraq -- an opposition shared by a large majority of the American people -- will harm the troops and embolden our enemies. It seems to escape them that this is the same tripe they were peddling heading into the midterm elections, the same elections in which they were handed their collective ass.
(An aside: One must truly stand in awe at the ability of Republicans [and, here, I have abandoned W's shabby attempt at humor] to march in lockstep with an avidity that only the SS could admire.)
In my last post (1-17-07) I ended with a rhetorical question and answer: "Will it ever end? Probably not."
That stumbling attempt at literary device referred to the stifling of debate on this question (not the resolutions, mind you, but the debate) in the US Senate through the legislative device known as the filibuster.
Time was, the filibuster required actual sacrifice on the part of the filibusterer. (Check out the Frank Capra/Jimmy Stewart movie "Mister Smith Goes to Washington", wherein the lone hero takes on the powers that be, collapsing in exhaustion after talking hour after hour after hour to hold the Senate floor against evil Special Interests.)
No more.
A few yearsago the Senate came to the realization that filibusters cost, not only the nation but the Senators themselves, time: Precious business-doing, fundraising, politicking time. So, they found a way to get around the inconvenience. Basically, the Senate (under Republican control) granted itself the power to simply 'call filibuster'. Under Senate rules, the only way to stop a filibuster is a procedure called 'Cloture', which can only be invoked by a 'super-majority' (a minimum of 60 votes). Therefore, it was decided, if ten Senators declare opposition to a bill, voila'! You've got yourself a toil-free filibuster.
And that is the tactic the SRS are using to block debate on several non-binding resolutions opposing W's surge, and therein lies the hypocrisy.
Moving on.
The bleat in the title refers to the sound made by the Republic sheep in the Senate. Like some lame ovine chorus, they baa at all who will listen that a non-binding resolution in opposition to the surge of tens of thousands more troops into the morass of Iraq -- an opposition shared by a large majority of the American people -- will harm the troops and embolden our enemies. It seems to escape them that this is the same tripe they were peddling heading into the midterm elections, the same elections in which they were handed their collective ass.
(An aside: One must truly stand in awe at the ability of Republicans [and, here, I have abandoned W's shabby attempt at humor] to march in lockstep with an avidity that only the SS could admire.)
In my last post (1-17-07) I ended with a rhetorical question and answer: "Will it ever end? Probably not."
That stumbling attempt at literary device referred to the stifling of debate on this question (not the resolutions, mind you, but the debate) in the US Senate through the legislative device known as the filibuster.
Time was, the filibuster required actual sacrifice on the part of the filibusterer. (Check out the Frank Capra/Jimmy Stewart movie "Mister Smith Goes to Washington", wherein the lone hero takes on the powers that be, collapsing in exhaustion after talking hour after hour after hour to hold the Senate floor against evil Special Interests.)
No more.
A few yearsago the Senate came to the realization that filibusters cost, not only the nation but the Senators themselves, time: Precious business-doing, fundraising, politicking time. So, they found a way to get around the inconvenience. Basically, the Senate (under Republican control) granted itself the power to simply 'call filibuster'. Under Senate rules, the only way to stop a filibuster is a procedure called 'Cloture', which can only be invoked by a 'super-majority' (a minimum of 60 votes). Therefore, it was decided, if ten Senators declare opposition to a bill, voila'! You've got yourself a toil-free filibuster.
And that is the tactic the SRS are using to block debate on several non-binding resolutions opposing W's surge, and therein lies the hypocrisy.
