Jim Bunning Holds Nation Hostage, Gives Filibustering A Bad Name

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by Glynnis MacNicol | 3:08 pm, March 2nd, 2010

» 23 comments

Thanks to Senator Jim Bunning the nation — particularly the 1.2 million Americans to lose unemployment benefits, 2,000 construction workers who’ve been furloughed, Medicare doctors who’ve had to cut 21% of their fees, and the 2 million Americans who’ve lost television access — is becoming acquainted with the ins and outs of the dark side of the filibuster (as opposed to the Mr. Smith Goes To Washington side). Also, the ins and outs of the special Senate elevator.

Technically, however, technically this is not a filibuster! Though the outcome — one person holding up legislation is quite similar. Senator Jim Bunningis technically objecting to a repeated unanimous consent request by Senate Democrats…”Withholding unanimous consent simply means that the Senate will have to hold procedural votes that it would otherwise waive in order to finish its work.” Red State (via Hot Air) explains the difference in rather exasperated terms:

Yet, news account after news account of his continued objection to this unanimous consent request report his actions as a filibuster. Politico, Roll Call, Fox News, CNN, and the list goes on and on. And the accusation of filibustering is even worse among Senators and Congressmen, as exemplified by the DCCC Chair, Chris Van Hollen and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. But it simply is not the case that what Mr. Bunning is doing is a filibuster under the rules, as anyone with a rudimentary understanding of the U.S. Senate fully comprehends…

Nevertheless! Bunning, thanks to a general ignorance of the term filibuster, is giving filibustering a bad name! WaPo’s Ezra Klein thinks Bunning is doing the world a favor: “Senate reform, however, could have no better friend than Bunning. Last year, ending the filibuster was a quixotic blogger obsession. Now it’s the subject of a petition by the Senate majority whip. Former Republican majority leader Bill Frist says his colleagues are ‘overdoing’ the filibuster. This is how change begins, and without Bunning making clear exactly what the problem is, it would be impossible.”

I’m not sure “quixotic blogger obsession” is a fair description, actually, since Rachel Maddow has been railing on the filibuster for weeks now. This is Maddow from two weeks ago discussing the problematic filibuster with the New York Times’ Gail Collins.

Gail Collins, Hot Air, Jim Bunning, Jimmy Stewart Makes Everything Sound Better Than It Is, Rachel Maddow, Red State

The Real Royal King

Maddow did begin expressing her concerns about the Insane Senator from Kentucky before the rest of the media joined in, to be sure. I don’t think anyone could have expected he would be sharing his lunacy with us for this long, nor did anyone expect he would be knocking the Drop Out Governor of Alaska out of the headlines for so long.
same2u

It is time to do away with arcane Senate rules. It is time that the majority rule this country, instead of these Red State senators who represent tiny states with few people living in them.
The Real Royal King

Indeed, the British came to the same conclusion with reference to Lords as you have with the Senate. Lords still exists, but in a very different manner. We may need to think about doing the same. When you consider that Demented, Shelby and now Bunning, from three small, inconsequential states, have effectively stopped doing the people’s business and shut down our nation for their own narrow self-interest, you point becomes clearer still.
Grammie

Be careful what you wish for, as that old saying so wisely points out b/c you just might get it.

Both parties use them, and rightly so, to fulfill the bicameral nature of our Congress. The Constitution gives the Senate the right to determine their own rules and that has stood us, overall, in good stead as a nation wary of pure majority rule.

The Dems used the very same rules to block GWB’s appointments from an up or down vote just as the Repubs have done with BHO appointments. If you support one as the right way to bring minority concerns front and center than you must support the other side doing it with your guys.

I myself much prefer a system that can put the brakes on in a legal and peaceful way that helps restrain majorities from rushing thru the political du jour of the day that is wildly popular but not necessarily wise, just or beneficial to the country.
The Real Royal King

Well put, Oma. A royalist to the very core! The will of the people be damned!
ImNotBlue

Grammie says:
March 2, 2010 at 3:39 pm

You’re asking them to see a few years down the road… come on, Grammie… never gonna happen. It’s bad when Republicans can do this… but good when Democrats do.
The Real Royal King

Actually, Ashley (that’s hard to say): I opposed the filibuster when the Democrats were doing it as well. So, your point is pointless.
ImNotBlue

The Real Royal King says:
March 2, 2010 at 4:07 pm

Actually, Ashley…

Well, good for you.

But, you’ve never answered my question as to why you keep calling me Ashley. I’m STILL not Ashley. I’d like to know what your theory behind that is.
The Real Royal King

A rose by any other name ….
same2u

Ha. I doubt Blue is the she-man Assley, although both regularly lie on behalf of Fox News.

That said, why won’t Danny the Douche or Ashley man-up like some of the other Koldys Kluckers have done?
Grammie

kraptv Says: “There’s enough legitimate controversy on FOX without J$ making some sh!t up…”

What are you talking about?

And you are?
Grammie

Scratch the above b/c my copy didn’t work and is still not working..

My question “”And you are? is addressed to same2u.
same2u

Well, I am the same Same2u that use to comment at TVNewser. As for Johnny Dollar’s Place and Newshounds, I don’t comment at those locations but visit them enough to know the players and their game.
The Real Royal King

I feel like the grandfather in “Moonstruck”. You know, “I’m a so confused.” Who is “kraptv”? I agree with kraptv’s statement, but who is he, she or it?
Grammie

same2u says:
March 2, 2010 at 4:46 pm

Thks, I don’t comment at TVNewser often to remember you at all.
ImNotBlue

The Real Royal King says:
March 2, 2010 at 4:30 pm

A rose by any other name ….

Oh, so you know I’m not the same person… but I’m “like” that person, so you call me the same name? How convoluted.

same2u says:
March 2, 2010 at 4:32 pm

Ha. I doubt Blue is the she-man Assley, although both regularly lie on behalf of Fox News.

I’m sorry, what lies have I told about FNC? Enlighten the class.
http://www.nukethefridge.com MartiniShark

What has everyone pissed off at Bunning is that he is trying to get the Senate to actually hold itself to the standards it was declaring, namely the recent “Pay-go”, which Dems and the President himself were both declaring as needed a year ago. He’s halting this advance because there has been constant spending without the provisions these same complainers instituted one year back.
Fidoohki

I don’t think he is insane at all. If paygo is going to work at the lavel needed doesn’t it have to be applied to everything passed by congress?
Azarkhan

Oh my God! “2 million Americans…lost television access.” Call out the National Guard!
Grammie

Fidoohki says:
March 2, 2010 at 5:16 pm

If they can’t do it on a bill that all of them love and for ONLY 10 billion, when are they going to follow it?

It’s no different than the political clap trap of freezing Federal spending in 2 years.

First, they have been raising the baseline spending by over 10% per yr and after that they will freeze spending for about, what is it, 20-25%, of the spending?

If Bunning is able to bring the right kind of attention to this problem then he’ll be a hero in my book!
balpert1

I’m not surprised that the press does not seem to understand what a Filibuster is. From that confrontation at the Senate elevator they also don’t have a clue about the bell system in the Senate and why there are senator only elevators or why the subway system also turns senators only when there is a call to the floor. In this day and age of Google and search engines there is just no excuse for reporters not what used to be called doing their homework. Closing local bureaus was a disaster blow to good journalism.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-Callan/100000200979966 Joe Callan

So it’s not a filibuster. Great. Despite that–since when did filibustering, a legitimate part of the congressional process, become a bad word? It would have been nice if, way back in 2003, congressional Democrats had stood their ground against the war in Iraq that we’re still fighting, or–for that matter–ANY of Bush’s draconian or financially irresponsible measures from 2001-2008.

The Democrats hate the Republicans for being stubborn and immovable. That seems funny to me, because most of the problems we’re seeing now could have been prevented a decade ago if the Democrats had shown 1/10th of the spine the Republicans are (however irrationally) showing now.
Jim R

Excellent point, Joe, I’ve always admired Republican’s chutzpah, if certainly not their harmful policies. If only the Dems had half the nerve!