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"Secret hold", dirtier than it sounds.
So I recently discovered this little nugget of information. Apparently ANY congressman can, at any time, put a 'secret hold' on almost anything. What is a secret hold you ask?
The thing that's really bothering me is this little tidbit:
The article gives even more horrifying detail.
FTAThe practice, which has been around a long time, is essentially an anonymous threat to filibuster any attempt to vote on a bill or nomination.Now, normally this is used on rare occasions, typically because someone wants more time to gather information or stall for another reason. It's normally not something that's used with any kind of regularity. I think it's stupid in the first place that some mystery member of congress can hold everything up on a piece of legislation or nomination and not have to identify themselves or even the reason for the threat. I also think that every time someone says they'll filibuster, make that ass get up there and do it.
The thing that's really bothering me is this little tidbit:
FTAAt a comparable time in 2002 when George W. Bush was president and Congress left for its Memorial Day recess, only 13 nominations had been pending in the Senate for more than two days. This Memorial Day, 120 of Obama's nominees awaited confirmation, and most were held up anonymously. The nominees who have gotten confirmed have had to wait on average more than 100 days after winning approval in committee.This is outrageous. It's a clear and obvious sign that the conservative wing of the government has no intention of doing any work, at all, ever as a form of petty protest that they got raped in the last election cycle. I'm even willing to bet money that they continue this same self-serving behavior until 2012 and then try to call the Democrats a "do nothing party".
The article gives even more horrifying detail.
Comments
Hey... does that make the obstructionist republicans hippies? They are basically chaining themselves to trees to prevent any change from happening to the forest. Never mind that the whole forest is blighted and half of the trees are already dead!
I'm also disappointed that Fark didn't provide more entertaining photoshops of this article. "Secret Hold" should have been cake.
Were I the Democrats, I would step up the game. I would use every procedural, pedantic technicality in the book to force this bullshit into the light. I would keep Congress in session 12 hours a day every single day, constantly hammering them, forcing them to constantly fight every little fight until they tired. Want to go home? Stop abusing your minority rights to prevent progress. Passionate about your obstructionism? Then stand and deliver. Filibuster until your black little heart is content, and all the while we'll roll cameras and show the world what you're spending their tax dollars on.
The Democrats are allowing all of this to happen.
If I actually agreed with most of the Republican platform, I'd be on board.
Calling people out in Congress might work for him, but it will also make him look combative and divisive. It's a tricky situation. What I want is to see the Majority Leaders call out the minority party on their bullshit.
I have no idea why any kind of hold like this should be secret, ever. If you believe strongly enough that something being introduced is wrong, you better have the testicular (or ovacular I guess, no need to be sexist :P) fortitude to stand up and say it. Not whisper to a friend that you want to put a roadblock up but you don't want anyone to know you're doing it.
Also, Republican solidarity is not as tight as it was. The next election cycle doesn't look too good for them, what with Rand "Civil Rights Are Bogus" Paul winning a nomination and Sue "Give Your Doc A Chicken" Lowden looking like a major candidate by ousting more moderate Repub's.
But, ya know, we're lazy... so instead, we will just toothlessly complain about our representatives while not actually doing anything to affect change. Cuz that's what we do in America.
So you're getting the ammo, right?