Senate Dems threaten to go nuclear today.

[longship]

It didn't happen on one of those Constitution-shattering bills. It happened on a rather innocuous emergency funding amendment for drought suffering farmers. It wasn't Edward Kennedy or Barbara Boxer threatening to pull the trigger. It was Kent Conrad.

What happened in the well of the Senate this afternoon should leave no doubt about the extent to which these newly revived Democrats will fight for everybody in this country, even before they have the power to do so. The fact is that Democrats have always had the power, but the prospects of being a "permanent minority" undoubtedly stayed their hands. No longer. Not this afternoon.

Daniel Akaka and Kent Conrad spoke eloquently about the need to assist farmers who have suffered untold losses from drought. The amendment was to be attached to the currently being debated reauthorization of oversight for Iraqi reconstruction. The Republican response was inevitable. Judd Gregg (R-NH) stood in opposition along with Kay Bailey Hutchison. Gregg threatened to invoke Rule 16, governing appropriations bills, to crush the amendment. That's when Kent Conrad had had enough.

Conrad let the Republicans have it. He explained in all too unambiguous terms just how far the Democrats were willing to go to preserve their right to vote on the amendment. He responded to the Rule 16 threat with one of his own. If Gregg crushed the amendment, Democrats would go all the way. The proceedings of the Senate would grind to a halt as Democrats would deny support for unanimous assent motions. This is the same threat Democrats talked about using in response to the Republican's own nuclear option so many months ago. Then, it was the killing of the judicial nominee filibuster which threatened the Democrats. This time it was a funding bill for farmers. How times have changed. It's amazing what an election can accomplish.

The Republicans were notably stunned. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who controlled time on the other side, went white in the face. Nearly speechless, her sole action was to delay further proceedings by setting aside further debate on the amendment and calling for a quorum. The last one saw of her occurred seconds later as C-SPAN turned off microphones and cued the ominous sounding Prokofiev Symphony #5. At the side of the TV frame one saw Kent Conrad poking his finger in Kay Bailey's face, explaining to her the meaning of high dudgeon.

It was a pleasant sight. God, I'm proud of these people.

I posted a post earlier today about this. I thought a more full report would be appropriate for evening DUers.

[thatsrightimirish]

1. is there a site where we can see a video?

good report

[qnr]

2. About time n/t

[William769]

3. Thanks for the report. Thats great news!

[Disturbed]

8. I have a feeling that some Dems are going to no longer

take crap from Rethugs. The days of Rethug bullying are going to change.

[rockymountaindem]

4. Those upper-midwest Dems are real firecrackers

Dorgan's always had my respect, and maybe I should take a closer look at Conrad, too.

[Stand and Fight]

43. Conrad once worked for Dorgan...

In fact Conrad career has followed and mirrored Byron Dorgan's career very closely.

[niallmac]

5. Thanks! News I don't seem to find on MSM.

[texpatriot2004]

6. Thanks for the recap. I am sorry I missed that crook Hutchison

being stunned. Got video?

[JeffR]

7. K & R, longship

Thanks for posting this.

[Rainscents]

9. K & R!

[rodeodance]

10. Sweet, but did they get to vote on the amendment?

[tblue]

11. What a breath of fresh air! Oh my gosh, it feels SO GOOD!

I guess the Dems don't know that we'd have had their backs if they'd done this before. Absolutely. This is what we've been waiting for for 12 years!

[magellan]

12. Maybe someone can explain why they didn't do this sooner

But it's good to hear and I hope more Dems follow Conrad's example.

[California Griz]

23. They had to let it hit bottom

After the 2004 election was over I came to believe that Kerry losing was a good thing long term. I think that's why he didn't put up a fight about Ohio. I'm not sure how bad he wanted to inherit the mess Bush had made. With Republicans still in charge of Congress his veto pen would have been very busy. Iraq was at a point where it was only going to get worse. Bush's idiotic war would have brought Kerry down and diminished our chances of retaking Congress. Democrats gave them enough rope and they hung themselves. If the Democrats play it right they will be in control for at least the next 2 decades.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

24. Why Kerry Caved - Palast says...

from Armed Madhouse...

Why Kerry Caved

Add up the spoiled and provisional ballots lost in Ohio, New Mexico and Iowa, and John Kerry would have overtaken George Bush's teeny lead - if all the votes were counted.
But Kerry conceded, and not without reason. Ohio was the key, and, let's face it, just as Katherine Harris stopped the count of spoiled punch cards in Florida in 2000, Ohio's Blackwell would likely have done the same in 2004.
Still, the Democrats could have stood before the Supreme Court and argued, as Martin Luther King said, "Until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Kerry's attorney could have told the Justices, and the world, that this election brought back the methods of the White Citizens Councils and the hoodless Klan tactics of Operation Eagle Eye, outlawed 40 years ago. But before justice could get flowing, any well-read civil rights attorney would know that the man identified as "Bill" who directed the (black voter) harassment teams of Operation Eagle Eye back in the 1960's was, by 2004, none other than William "Bill" Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Case dismissed.

[Canuckistanian]

36. Wow, I didn't know that about Rehnquist

He was practically a member of the '60s version of the Minutemen. I found this article about it on Common Dreams:
http://www.commondreams.org/views/120200-101.htm

[progressoid]

38. I say Wow too. I only had time to read one chapter in Greg's book

Looks like some more holiday reading for me.

[iamjoy]

47. Kerry Losing Was NOT A Good Thing

In any way, shape or form. I would rather have the Reps with the majority in Congress and the Senate if it meant that Alito and Roberts weren't on the Supreme Court.

I would have rather had fast action taken after Katrina rather than our leaders goofing off while people drowned and died of heat exhaustion.

And Iraq only got worse while Republican leadership kept saying we'd turned a corner.


Better in the long run that Kerry lost? BAH!

[upi402]

13. better than sex

well almost, but there are no words worthy of the lift this has given me.
thanks for this, thanks for watching these guys.

I love C-SPAN!

[LittleClarkie]

14. CSPAN is gonna be good tv from now on

I can't wait.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

25. I'm hating being gainfully employed...

well, not really... but I do miss my daytime CSPAN TV.

[SeattleGirl]

15. I read your earlier post on this, but thanks for additional details.

I think some of these Dems are going to really start kicking ass, not to get revenge, but to get the people's business done.

[MzNov]

16. thank you. I think we're going to see some real ass kicking by

the Democrats. Yes, it's sad they didn't do it before, but let's move forward, pass the popcorn and enjoy this new Oscar winning show!!!

[pacalo]

17. Thanks, longship. Wish I had seen that.

[datadiva]

18. I do hope this gets on the internet

I couldn't watch today, too much work to get done. I would love to see this.

Edited to fix spelling

[porphyrian]

19. We have power again. I'm glad they're using it. - n/t

[Swamp Rat]

20. KICK ASS Kent Conrad!!!

[TygrBright]

21. I'd feel better about this if I could be SURE...

...that this bill would benefit only those farmers who farm their own land, who are not under contract to some agrimegabusiness monocropping arrangement, and who are not millionaire owners of multiple farms in multiple states as cogs in the industrial food machine.

Don't get me wrong, I think we should be doing WAY more to help farmers-- help them reclaim their land from the twin poisons of monocropping and chemicals, help them diversify and integrate their crops and livestock, help them farm sustainably, help them bank soil as a form of price supports rather than pure subsidies, help them build farmer-controlled distribution and processing networks in cooperation with grocers and restaurants, etc.

I think the less we do to continue subsidizing the wealth of the Cargill family and the top executives of ADM, the better.

worriedly,
Bright

[longship]

22. The issue here is not the specifics of the amendment

It's the extent to which the Dems went to defend it.

They went to the wall on it and the Republicans were utterly shocked.
You should have seen Kay Bailey Hutchison's face when she got the floor back. She was stunned dumb. Then, to see Conrad giving her the LBJ treatment after the mikes went off was the frosting on the cake.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

26. mega agri-business is death to the family farmer...

we agree there, Bright!

looking up the bill now... will let you know what I find...

[Viva_La_Revolution]

27. I'm having trouble finding it... do you have a bill #?

or the time of day this happened?



edit: S.3991 maybe?

[longship]

31. Let's see.

My orginal post on this is time stamped at 12:53 PST, so it would have had to been just before that time. They were just finishing up on the Feingold-Collins amendment and Daniel Akaka spoke for this bill, then Conrad. Then, all hell broke loose when Gregg and Hutchison stepped into it.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

32. 9:30 or so Eastern...

None of the Senate schedule pages update very fast... I'm not finding anything for today, so far. I'll try again tomorrow.

Thanks!

[jaysunb]

28. Thamks for this...

These kind of "honest" tactics are a win for America. I hope there'll be many more of these moments, so that America will see these pigs for what they really are ! PIGS !

[Odin2005]

29. Senator Conrad is Da Man!

[XOKCowboy]

30. This is gonna be fun. Thanks. NT

[orleans]

33. ha! that's great. (sorry i missed it) thanks for posting a p.m. edition n/t

[Pryderi]

34. I'll slip DU a Donation for a video link!

[mikelewis]

35. High dudgeon - A definition ---- (I had to look it up)

dudgeon \DUH-juhn\, noun:
A state or fit of intense indignation; resentment; ill humor -- often used in the phrase "in high dudgeon."
http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/archive/20...


Kudos, Longship, for a most excellent new phrase of the day.

[WilliamPitt]

39. Kinda like "Reading the Riot Act"

[mikelewis]

50. I had to look that one up too... lol

I love language... even if I don't grasp most of it. I swear, without the internet, I'd be an idiot. It's so wonderful to be able to read something and just copy and paste your way to enlightenment.

[radfringe]

37. the drought aid bill/admendment

has been brought up multiple times by the DEMS, and has been shot down by the REPUBS...

remember bush/cheney signs/bumper stickers proclaiming FARM & RANCH? When are these farmers and ranchers going to realize that when repubs talk about farm and ranch it doesn't apply to regular american's farm and ranch

[mopinko]

40. bwahahahahahahaha hahaha

is all i can say. i fear i am about to become addicted to cspan.

[Javaman]

41. Hutchison is such a tool of big business. I loath and hate that woman...

It amazes me how she still maintains her job. She is a bain on Texas.

[elehhhhna]

42. WHY are they appropriating MORE Iraq recon. funds when the already-

approved funds are PARKED IN THE STOCK MARKET? Hello?

4/05

Of the $18.4 billion that Congess appropriated 16 months ago for postwar reconstruction in Iraq, only $3.6 billion has been spent to date. There has been much head-scratching over this uncharacteristic failure of the Pentagon to spend money promptly.

A recently unearthed portion of a Defense Department memo sheds some light on the issue, suggesting that more than $14 billion earmarked for reconstruction was actually invested on Wall Street. The memo’s author and date are unknown. This portion of the apparently classified document — marked “page 3” — was mistakenly sent to Mid-America Seed Savers, a nonprofit organization in Lawrence, Kansas whose members had filed a Freedom of Information Act request for documents related to the Army’s alleged distribution of genetically engineered wheat seed to farmers in Iraq. The memo fragment is reproduced here in full:

Reconstruction fund enhancement - p. 3

<…> that among these, the scenario with greatest potential was investment in a medium-risk portfolio of U.S.-based securities. To accomplish this without incurring excessive and unwarranted scrutiny, the Secretary issued a classified order creating the Office of Special Brokerage Services (OSBS), to which management of the reconstruction funds was assigned. The OSBS, quietly through third parties, purchased approximately $5 billion in stock in February, 2004. Another $9.2 billion was invested the following month. As of December 31, 2004, the fund had shown a net growth of approximately -1.7%.

http://www.discourse.net/archives/2005/04/iraq_billions...

[Oreo]

44. It's happening now

Currently a Quorum call... more info here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[dogday]

45. Anytime Kay B. Hutchison is upset

is a good day for me... My Senator... She never votes for the people's interest, never....

[tom_paine]

46. Huzzah! Huzzah! Fight, Dems, FIGHT!!!

A good old fashioned Colonial HUZZAH! for the Dems.

It looks as if victory HAS poured a quart of fresh guts into Democratic Congressional gullets!

Just what I'd hoped!

Let see these folks get tougher (sensibly so, though...no need for revenge for it's own sake). God DAMN! have I been waiting for this moment.

I know it's unlikely, but how I'd love to see that CSPAN spot of Conrad verbally standing up to and crushing Hutchinson on YouTube or something.

Huzzah!

I am so proud to be an American at this moment...

[Lost-in-FL]

48. That's awesome!!!

Let see if the Rethugs like that one. They will learn.

[lonestarnot]

49. Holy crap! I wish I could have watched! Will it be replayed?

Thanks for posting!

[Jeffersons Ghost]

51. you know what you didn't need another vote but it felt good K&R for the good guys

[Pryderi]

52. Quatloos for Conrad Vid!

[HappyWeasel]

53. Well, looks like our congress will not disappoint!!!

[warrens]

54. Just an early taste of what's coming, fascists

[Bitwit1234]

55. OUR COUNTRY FIRST

I know that, per bush, our country is responsible for the mess and destruction in Iraq. But is about damn time that our country is taken care of also. To appease bush's war machine they republicans are constantly and everlastingly promoting Iraq, Iraq, Iraq. Our farmers along with the rest of the country pay their taxes and deserve help when in need. Our money should go to help OUR NEEDY.

But you know what...Nothing absolute nothing is being replayed on network, or cable news. All they are showing is a fight within a courtroom and Emmitt Kelly winning the celebrity dance program. Again they are ignoring information concerning this country, if the democrats are involved.