I've never heard of a speaking rule in the Senate before. I remember learning when I was in high school that one of the "benefits" of the Senate is that there are no speaking limits, unlike the House. It was explained to us like this:

The House is the more "rowdy" of the two houses. It is chosen every two years so that the people's immediate will can be seen and this shows in the Representatives having only two minutes to speak. The Senate, on the other hand, due to their longer term limits, can take take as much time as they want in order to better think through an issue.

That's the jist of it anyway.

So, if there is a speaking limit, how are they going to do filibusters now? Or did Comrade Pelosi do away with that while I wasn't looking?

Originally posted by Doc Velocity
Sen. Joe Lieberman just wanted an "additional moment" on the floor Thursday to finish his speech about health care. But when he asked for unanimous consent to finish his remarks, Democratic Sen. Al Franken wouldn't let him.

He kept a firm hand on the gavel, like any good chair does...what's the big deal? I don't think Lieberman has earned any slack from the Dems of late, anyway...no coincidence it was a Republican that took umbrage.

Little too much whining going on here.

This 10-minute limit in the Senate is unusual, to say the very least, but it makes perfect sense for a party that is trying to limit debate on a poorly-crafted and less-understood piece of legislation that is being ramrodded down the throats of the America citizens who have to PAY for it.

Ever since Barack Hussein Obama's election a year ago, the Democrat Party has forced its will and agenda on the American people, stifling open debate and rushing the worst and most costly legislation through passage, driving us farther into debt than at any time in our nation's history.

Contact your Senators NOW and tell them to shelve this half-baked health care bill before it destroys our economy and our nation.

We'll deal with the Democrat Party in 2010.

— Doc Velocity

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
He kept a firm hand on the gavel, like any good chair does...what's the big deal?

Allowing everyone to conclude his remarks is a Senate tradition (it's an acknowledgement of free speech) that Franken chose to defy. Junior Senator Franken's objection was an insult and a slap in the face to Senior Senator Joe Lieberman.

You don't make friends and influence people in the U.S. Senate by insulting them. Perhaps you need a refresher course in Government so you'll understand the dynamic of the U.S. Senate.

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
Little too much whining going on here.

Perhaps if there was more whining in Canada, you wouldn't have such a pathetic, socialist government and a crappy health care system.

We don't want a Canadian system in the United States.

— Doc Velocity







[edit on 12/18/2009 by Doc Velocity]

Junior Senator Franken is a joke......even more so now that he's a regular commedian. Keep stifling, just keep stifling.......do you really think he's gonna be reelected?

Originally posted by adifferentbreed
Junior Senator Franken is a joke......do you really think he's gonna be reelected?

I'd be surprised if he isn't recalled after only a year. Even a liberal cesspool like Minnesota can only take so much shame and embarrassment.

— Doc Velocity

Originally posted by Doc Velocity
Even a liberal cesspool like Minnesota

...and you are trying to lecture the rest of us on decorum and American tradition?

Phew...

Originally posted by buddhasystem
...and you are trying to lecture the rest of us on decorum and American tradition?

I'm not an elected official, I'm an American citizen, and I can say anything I want.

The Senate, on the other hand, has a long-standing tradition of decorum and mutual respect — at least, it did until Al Franken and Barack Hussein Obama moved inside the loop.

— Doc Velocity

Originally posted by Doc Velocity
The Senate, on the other hand, has a long-standing tradition of decorum and mutual respect — at least, it did until Al Franken and Barack Hussein Obama moved inside the loop.

...buy some Kleenex to wipe off the screen, buddy... of course, how can one forget THE Hussein... by calling a State of the Union a "cesspool" you nullified any significance of you message it might had... for you it's just a vehicle of hate. Glad Al stuck it to you.

Originally posted by Doc Velocity

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
He kept a firm hand on the gavel, like any good chair does...what's the big deal?

Allowing everyone to conclude his remarks is a Senate tradition (it's an acknowledgement of free speech) that Franken chose to defy. Junior Senator Franken's objection was an insult and a slap in the face to Senior Senator Joe Lieberman.

You don't make friends and influence people in the U.S. Senate by insulting them. Perhaps you need a refresher course in Government so you'll understand the dynamic of the U.S. Senate.

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
Little too much whining going on here.

Perhaps if there was more whining in Canada, you wouldn't have such a pathetic, socialist government and a crappy health care system.

We don't want a Canadian system in the United States.

— Doc Velocity







[edit on 12/18/2009 by Doc Velocity]

Easy there. No need to insult canada, especially when we're economically in a much better spot that you guys are.
We have no reason to whine. It is awesome here. Your country is turning to #, while ours is not.
Our government is conservative, btw. Not liberal or ndp.
In my province, funding for social programs was cut, due to the recession. In the states, funding is increased. Who has the socialist gov't?

Franken still has a few things to learn about the daily protocol on the Hill. However, just watching him hesitate before his utterance is a glaring clue that he knew what the reaction to his very dim statement was going to be. Classic Franken and a classic attempt to provoke and to get his ugly mug back in the limelight. I will expect more of the same from this one term wonder in the months to come.

The power of the gavel clearly went straight to his rather large head. I am thankful that he does not represent me.

I wouldn't want to have to listen to Lieberman for another minute if I were him.

This all sounds like hot air and posturing to me.

The pharmaceutical and insurance companies paid big money for LIEberman so they deserve extra time.

Franken and Lieberman were calm and jovial but cranky old man had a snit fit and demanded 30 minutes of time all while rudely interrupting Levin who explained the same action was taken earlier to try and speed things along.

Franken was well within the rules while McCain's actions were out of line.

[edit on 18-12-2009 by Deny Arrogance]

Originally posted by Doc Velocity


We don't want a Canadian system in the United States.

— Doc Velocity

Well said! What would we do if our old people lived that long or that many of our babies survived. #37 all the way baby!

Originally posted by OldDragger
Gee, that would be the American People that elected Obama by a landslide margin?

Well, we don't really know that, do we? Given that Obama's political action organization ACORN was caught in multiple instances of fraudulent voter registration and outright voter fraud (for which the Democrat-controlled Congress awarded ACORN billions of dollars in taxpayer money), we don't really know by what margin Obama "won" the election, do we?

No. We don't.

But I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he didn't "win" at all.

— Doc Velocity






[edit on 12/18/2009 by Doc Velocity]