U.S. Government Shuts Down

[thegreekdog]

There's a very important difference between procedural tactics like the filibuster and procedural tactics like the one Van Hollen commented on. With a filibuster, you effectively change what it takes to obtain a majority in the Senate from 51 votes to 60 votes. The process is nevertheless still democratic in the sense that each person has the same vote. But this provision the Republicans passed goes well beyond that and essentially makes the vote of one member of the house substantially more influential than the vote of any other member.

So exactly like what Harry Reid has been doing in the Senate for several years, including as part of the way to block votes on the House version of the CR. Much of the legislation he allows on the Senate floor is banned from having amendments except those submitted by the Chair (him).

So... you're defending what the Republicans did here because the Democrats have done it too??

Yes, that's what he's doing. It's very slightly different than what I'm doing (which is attacking Democrats for doing the same thing).

[Metsfanmax]

There's a very important difference between procedural tactics like the filibuster and procedural tactics like the one Van Hollen commented on. With a filibuster, you effectively change what it takes to obtain a majority in the Senate from 51 votes to 60 votes. The process is nevertheless still democratic in the sense that each person has the same vote. But this provision the Republicans passed goes well beyond that and essentially makes the vote of one member of the house substantially more influential than the vote of any other member.

So exactly like what Harry Reid has been doing in the Senate for several years, including as part of the way to block votes on the House version of the CR. Much of the legislation he allows on the Senate floor is banned from having amendments except those submitted by the Chair (him).

So... you're defending what the Republicans did here because the Democrats have done it too??

He is saying that its the pot calling the kettle black. I don't think he's defending the republicans position, but it being slandered by the democrats would/is outright hypocrisy.

Since when is Rep. Van Hollen from Maryland's 8th district "the democrats?" Why is it not legitimate for him to call this out if Harry Reid has done similar things in the past (though not anything really close to this absurd)? Are Reid and Van Hollen the same person?

[thegreekdog]

Since when is Rep. Van Hollen from Maryland's 8th district "the democrats?" Why is it not legitimate for him to call this out if Harry Reid has done similar things in the past (though not anything really close to this absurd)? Are Reid and Van Hollen the same person?

What has Van Hollen done to demonstrate that, unlike the vast majority of, if not all, politicians, he is willing to be consistent with his opinions across party lines?

[Nobunaga]

I'm SO GLAD our government is up and running again!

U.S. debt jumps a record $328 billion — tops $17 trillion for first time

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/201 ... n-first-t/