The Senate broke its own rules yesterday. Yet nothing can be done to fix it.

The rules allow a Senator to request the reading of any amendment to proposed legislation. The Republicans did just this, requesting the reading of an amendment offered by the only declared Socialist in the Senate. His amendment clearly spelled out the entire plan for getting to a single-payer, government-run system.

The republicans, entirely within their rights, requested that the Amendment be read--all 700 some pages of it. The dems protested as it would cause quite a delay. Soon they realized what was actually in the amendment, and the Senator who offered ir, took the floor and withdrew it. Sounds simple enough.

But that is not according to the rules. Once it has been requested, and the amendment is being read, it can be stopped ONLY by a unanimous vote of all Senators present. This was not done.

How can the Senate have any credibility when it breaks its own rules?

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

The senate lost all credibility a long time ago; it is a farce...

I guess they can go public an ruin the chances of the socialist party getting a majority.

Oh, I'd say credibility is an over rated item in US politics, wouldn't you?

http://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_index_subjects/Rules_and_Procedure_vrd.htm

BTW . .

Democrats never agree on anything, that's why they're Democrats. If they agreed with each other, they would be Republicans.

Dean and Sanders agree that the present Senate bill should be scrapped. Sanders says he'll vote against it (as of last night's news, at least). He gets on health care at about the 4:00 minutemark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SMf5DsvTfU
Sanders is too old to read through all that text.
Hey, aren't these guys both from Vermont? What's in the maple syrup anyway. Too much sugar?

Maybe I'm in the minority ( wouldn't be the first time), but I think this is a very big deal.
If they can so easily ignore their own rules, what prevents them from ignoring ALL rules and laws that they don't like?

Candidate Obama promised transparency--promised to have all health care debates on CSPAN so we could see who was obstructing.
President Obama likes closed door meetings with back room type deals.

This entire health care "debate" is corrupt. It needs to die, and a clean sheet of paper approach to real reform which includes reform on litigation.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

I agree. But there's zero chance of that ever happening.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

It sounds to me like the republicans tried to use some arcane rule to cause a delay and were outmaneuvered by the majority. I also assume they expected this to happen and were just trying to generate their talking point for the day. Sounds like business as usual in congress.

You might...........but, in reality, Congress, or the President, or the Supreme Court for that matter can disregard any rule of law that they please. The only check or balance would be done by one of the other three branches. That's certainly not likely to happen in this case.

Any politician can violate laws with impunity unless he's called on it............and that's rare.

This doesn't sound like a "rule of law," this sounds like a procedural rule.

Indeed... one side asks for a little used rule and the other side says FU we'll just break the rules aka"business as usual". Where oh where has my little dog- er, where oh where has the CHANGE gone to? I'd submit the "change!" was a load of BS.

I'm shocked, shocked to find that politics is going on in here!

And I thought the U.S. congress was going to magically turn into a utopian society.

Yup, that's pretty much how it works. Are you surprised?

With the rock star status of BHO and all the folks going hyper over his message they sure did think it was going to be magic. So you agree BHO just sold us a load of BS with his change talk?

Big dog.

Little pony.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)