Orrin Hatch dares Democrats to Fillibuster!

[shance]

LETS KICK HIS BULLYING, SMUG, MISOGYNISTIC REAR END**********


Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) predicted that Alito will win the backing of all 55 GOP senators, including those who support abortion rights and those who joined a bipartisan effort last year to avert a showdown over judicial filibusters. He practically dared Democrats to try a filibuster, a tactic in which they could block a vote on Alito's confirmation unless 60 senators agreed to end debate. Democrats used the procedure to block several appellate court nominees in Bush's first term.

"If they want to filibuster, frankly, bring it on," Hatch said. In return, he predicted, Republicans would change Senate rules to ban judicial filibusters. Democrats generally avoided mentioning the tactic. "We've still got a ways to go to figure what the strategy is going to be," Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), the committee's best-known liberal, said in an interview.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

[Not_Giving_Up]

1. Bring it on?

OK, Asswipe. Makes me want to watch the episode of West Wing where Josh tells a senator to take his legislative agenda and shove it up his ass.

SHUT IT DOWN!

[AuntiBush]

10. Took the words right out of this mouth.

I was about to post, "What's up with this Bring It on," crap, too!

Ok. I'm joining-in now, too.

SHUT ID DOWN! Repeat, SHUT ID DOWN!

Edited to Add: That link isn't working now...

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. That ass-wipe rat bastard! Bring it on? What about the repukes from

the Gang of 14???? Are you saying they're fucking LIARS? Don't keep promises? Gee....I'm SO surprised that you SOBs will renege on that deal.:grr:

Have I told you lately how much I hate these people???:grr::nuke::grr::nuke:

[Canuckistanian]

3. Bring it on, bigamist supporter

You apologist for ILLEGAL ACTS!

[LostInAnomie]

4. If they kill the filibuster...

... those mother fuckers are going to be hating life when we get back in power.

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. I say Call their bluff. This is nothing more than a threat.

Man I hate that SOB!

[Catrina]

6. Was he ever censured after his staff members were found

spying in the offices of Democrats? What was the result of that scandal? Another one that was swept under the rug?

So he wants to act tough? He's going to change the rules? What else is new, they did that to cover for their criminal colleague, Tom Delay also! What he needs to understand is that they only have another 11 months, maybe less if seats are emptied because of the expected indictments of his criminal cohorts.

Let him change rules, they will be changed back in a year, and I hope for his sake, he isn't swept up in the scandal.

Filibuster away and let them show the public what they are prepared to do to get their way. Republicans are not too popular these days, and as more and more of them are indicted, they will be even less popular. I would take him on, if I were the Democrats, call his childish bluff! Bullies always talk tough, but Orin is no hero, he'll run and hide as soon as he sees the Dems mean business.

[shance]

7. Orrin Hatch & Co. were caught spying on the offices of Democrats?

When did this intriguing event take place?

I have no doubt this information was looping 24/7 on the Corporate News Network and Fox News.

[radio4progressives]

8. I missed it too ... pray tell us more! sources too if you have it!

:hi:

[G_j]

16. I think this is the story

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/01/22/infiltration_of_files_seen_as_extensive/

Infiltration of files seen as extensive
Senate panel's GOP staff pried on Democrats
By Charlie Savage, Globe Staff, 1/22/2004

WASHINGTON -- Republican staff members of the US Senate Judiciary Commitee infiltrated opposition computer files for a year, monitoring secret strategy memos and periodically passing on copies to the media, Senate officials told The Globe.

From the spring of 2002 until at least April 2003, members of the GOP committee staff exploited a computer glitch that allowed them to access restricted Democratic communications without a password. Trolling through hundreds of memos, they were able to read talking points and accounts of private meetings discussing which judicial nominees Democrats would fight -- and with what tactics.

<snip>

[mattclearing]

33. Yeah, but in all fairness, Dems didn't secure their network.

They left important strategic documents on an unsecured Senate network share. Stupid. Their IT people should be fired.

[Catrina]

34. Thank you, yes, that's it. Republican staffers were spying on Democrats

for months because of a 'computer glitch'. I remember the story and there were supposed to be hearings and possibly some criminal action taken. I saw Orin Hatch on the news trying to minimize the damage. But then, like all Republican scandals, the story went away.

Hatch seemed to be a bit scared and did not deny that it was serious. The information they were accessing had to do with the Dem. strategy on judicial nominees.

As always with 'computer glitches', it favored Republicans. I hope Democrats are being very careful using their cellphones, or any other electronic communications device, since it was a friend of Abramoff who installed Congressional cellphones etc. in the Capital building.

Having learned that recently as more comes out in the Abramoff affairs, I wonder if the guy hired by the Democrats was one of Abramoff's friends and the 'mistake' he made was not a mistake at all.

For a while, that little spying episode seemed to have the potential to blow up into a real scandal, but for some reason, disappeared completely.

Here's what Orin Hatch said at the time from G_j's link:

After the contents of those memos were made public in The Wall Street Journal editorial pages and The Washington Times, Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah, made a preliminary inquiry and described himself as "mortified that this improper, unethical and simply unacceptable breach of confidential files may have occurred on my watch."

Hatch also confirmed that "at least one current member of the Judiciary Committee staff had improperly accessed at least some of the documents referenced in media reports." He did not name the staffer, who he said was being placed on leave and who sources said has since resigned, although he had apparently already announced plans to return to school later this year.

[EST]

9. This would be a good time to test that rationale.

If the filibuster can't be used because we are afraid it will be taken away, then what good is it?
If this jasper is not a unique enough threat, then what's the point? The whole reason the dems agreed to the nuclear sidetrack was to preserve that option for stopping a scotus appointment disaster. Scalito is that disaster. If the weapon you have cannot be used, it is already no weapon at all, useless. Actually it's worse than useless b/c it is not really there.

[AuntiBush]

11. Republicans Filibuster, Historically.

What's the point in even having Democrat representation up there, if no matter what they say, what they stand for and who they support (more the half of this country) is total worthless bulls#it.

SHUT IT DOWN!

[EST]

12. Well, the biggest reason they are there, right now,

is so they can get on TV occasionally and keep pointing out the corruption, jeering, and, at least, keeping the crooks from operating in total darkness. It's not much and they know it, but the thugs are so outrageously incompetent that it'll break down, soon--is breaking down, now.

F'rinstance- Roy Blunt is not only a crook, he is a dumb crook. His opponents are so desperate to grab the leadership that it's not inconceivable one of them will drop the dime on him, big time.

Remember the mafia wars of forty years ago? One capo would die, get locked up or executed and there would be this huge rash of killings and arrests as the struggle ensued for control of fu**ing over the public. Often, the opposing gangs would also get into an uproar and have their own meltdown-something the dem leadership should remember and guard against.

[AuntiBush]

17. We're Witnessing a Constitutional Crisis

More like a nightmare. Couldn't you see it in Durban's eyes...

You might have something there, granted in that they're needed there (watching the watchers) and what good is it if they're not there (no votes). But, if I know my US History, if the Democrats walked out and shut the other side of the aisle down, would you not think it would take all the headlines?

I think the M$N would go morbid over it and it might awaken many that do not realize just how bad things are. Which is why I'm all for SHUTTING IT DOWN!
And that was something I logged off, and thought long and hard on before logging back on and stating as such.

[EST]

20. You're right; we are in the midst of a constitutional crisis.

When you said SHUT ID DOWN(upthread), I thought you were making a statement about intelligent design. (silly me)

I don't think I can agree that the lame media or the public would stop in awe. The liars would spin, as usual, and the corrupt criminals would happily operate with zero oversight.
Those people really are liars and crooks and they would complete their seizure of power tomorrow, turning the govt into a constitutional monarchy immediately, proclaiming it from the rooftops. The DLC cronies would not allow the total theft of their own power.
My guess would be that there would be a call for conscripts and a nice, juicy civil war would erupt immediately, dragging the rest of the world into it, ending man's miserable existence on this planet.

[sendero]

31. Exactly..

... if not now, when? It is time to push the filibuster and let the Reps change the senate rules if they want to.

[Cleita]

13. ? What's he going to do? Release his legions from Hell

on them? Yeah, if you say "bring em on" you'd better have something to back you up, like an army.

[kentuck]

14. Shhh-hh...Hey, Orrin....

Your boy is going to be filibustered as per the right of the Senators in the US COnstitution ... Read it very carefully, because if you pull this "nuclear option" crap, it is you that will have shut down our government because you have broken the laws of the Constitution and we cannot go along with that. If you shut down the government, the people will hold you responsible. Do not try a tactic that has never been done before. We will protect the Constitution over any tactics that you and Mr Frist may come up with. Yes, don't lose any sleep tonight, but we are seriously considering a filibuster.

[AuntiBush]

18. This Very Well Might be What We Need to Awaken the Country

Just a thought...

[barb162]

15. looks like this might get really ugly

but what do the pugs expect putting Alito up as a candidate

[Nutmegger]

19. I'm really getting sick of Orrin Hatch.

For that matter, I'm getting sick of

Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Chafee (R-RI)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)

[butterfly77]

36. These P'sOS are going to keep tightening the screws...

in this country and others until...:nuke: They love to say bring it on and they may get their wishes very soon.

[lala_rawraw]

21. I have always thought him to be in the closet

I wonder if he is being "asked" to be soooooooooooooo supportive. Or Mr. Graham?

[Binka]

22. My Gay Friends In Utah Call Him Back Door Hatch

He is as QUEER as they come.

[Pachamama]

23. I dare them too....if they care about the future of our democracy!

Guess we will all find out if the Democrats and this country have a future or not....I believe if the Dems don't filibuster Alito, its all over for the Dems and its grim for our democracy...very grim...

[The Backlash Cometh]

24. My nickname for Orrin Hatch is mocoso.

For some reason, he reminds me of that little boy, who everyone has on their street, that walks around with a permanent runny nose. I just don't know what it is about him that always brings that picture to mind.

[grateful581]

28. I call him Whorein Orrin

I wish we could get rid of his ass.
I am sorry that my state put such a POS in office.

[AtomicKitten]

25. I think they would love to apply the "nuclear option"

and I think it would be a big hit with their base. During Roberts' hearings, on Washington Journal, many GOP callers seemed to be chomping at the bit for a filibuster. I have many thoughts about the pros and cons of a filibuster, the pros having entirely to do with the fact that this nominee is dangerous. However, if the Republicans used the "nuclear option," what then? The Dems are defeated and Alito is still on the court. I just don't know.

[MadHound]

27. Senate can be shut down by other procedural manueavers

The nuke option can be taken to court on the grounds that it isn't constitutional. And the Democrats can take to the bully pulpit and use it and the public to beat the Republicans over the head with what fascist crybabies they are. Nuclear Option in January means that the 'Pugs will be out of a job come November.

SHUT IT DOWN!

[many a good man]

29. Put a "hold" on the nomination?

Can't one of the Dem committeemen do this?

We can try to delay and drag this through the courts hoping developments in SpyGate, TortureGate, etc. can galvanize public disapproval for Scalito.

We need public support or a filibuster could blow up in our faces. We have to take this to the people. Let 'em know exactly what they're getting with ScAlito and that's why they have to stop voting for the Antidemocratic Party.

[AtomicKitten]

35. I agree this guy must be stopped.

I just question the abilility of the Dems to be able to do it.

[Vyan]

26. And then the Dem's double-DOG dare Frist...

to pull the nuclear trigger. What are these people, in grade school?

Hey, watch where you swing that gavel Arlen - you'll put your eye out!.

The fact is, the entire point of the Dem's "keeping their powder dry" will have been a completely waste if they don't go balls-to-the-wall when it counts.

And this is when it counts.

Vyan

[DemonFighterLives]

30. Orrin was the hardest to watch in the committee hearings

Total asshat! He rarely asked a question, so was not fulfilling his civic duty to question the nominee. His fawning was unbearable.

Bring it on Hatchie, we're headed for a showdown.
The dems. need to take a stand at some point and the sooner the better.
Won't a filibuster place many topics on record that have been overlooked? I'm beginning to wonder if their nuke will work too. Perhaps enough reasonable Republicans will see the light about not ending filibuster and be sickened by the above the law aspects of this administration. Frist is a fool and has his own scandal to worry about.

[lonestarnot]

32. orwin snatch. snatch freedom and run...pig!