Senate meets for a matter of seconds to prevent recess appointments

Source: AP/IHT

Gavel to gavel, the Senate met for 22 seconds on Tuesday. That was enough to prevent President George W. Bush from making appointments that the Democrats might not like.

The senator standing sentry duty against unwanted recess appointments was Democrat Jim Webb of Virginia, who earned that distinction by being a low-ranked first-year man and living in northern Virginia, minutes from the U.S. Capitol. He wielded his gavel before an empty chamber, devoid of senators and even the young pages who serve as messengers.

"I'd much rather be doing this than allow the president to skirt the confirmation process in the Senate," Webb said in a statement. "This is an exercise in protecting the Constitution and our constitutional process."

. . .

Showing the level of distrust between the White House and the Democrats, Majority Leader Harry Reid, who controls the Senate's operations, announced that he would use, apparently for the first time, what are called "pro forma" sessions as a tactic to keep the Senate technically on the job to prevent recess appointments.

A pro forma session, during which no legislative business is conducted, satisfies the constitutional obligation that neither chamber can adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other.

Reid blamed the president for the move, saying the White House had been stalling on Democratic-recommended positions to several independent agencies. Agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are by law required to have Democratic representation. In a floor speech last week, Reid said he would confirm various appointments if the administration would agree to move on Democratic appointments. "They would not make that commitment," he said.

Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/21/america/NA-GEN-Quick-Senate.php

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Presiding alone in the Senate chamber standing guard over the constitution.

What a great job. I'd readily give up a family holiday to do it.

Now, let's send him some company next year!

But don't forget Harry Ried is at the helm. Webb said ruefully that he is "very Junior". The Senior leadership, had a lot to do with this decision.
ANd Don't let Feinstein & SHchumer speak for the entire Senate.....they are only 2. 2 who need to be voted out by US!

Any senator in the DC area should join him and the other junior senators to demonstrate unity and support for this effort.

You can get to the Senate room by lunch and be home for dinner with the family by nightfall.

Before lunch is over.

That's just a commute away, but a "commute" in the bizarre DC standard of commuting (ie, 2-3 hours each way)

it is nice to see someone doing something.

I bet he's throwing red-faced tantrums at the pig farm between worrying what else Scotty might say.

Then again maybe Bush doesn't even know the Dems are doing this, since he doesn't read the newspaper.

Gotta keep the illiterate informed ya know! That's the way it's been done before, and will continue to be done...

Oh the trauma...

Bush still has people like Rove calling him up and telling him things from out of the newspaper--you know, like, "what the Senate is doing", who is Pervez Musharraf .;-) :eyes: :rofl:

This is the first time I feel the Dems have really given an F-YOU to Bush. I hope we do the same for the Christmas break. No recess appointments period.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!:toast:

And....neener to the Yankees!

...why don't they save us the trouble of hearings?

This would sound like a brilliant move to me if it weren't for the Democrats who supported Michael "Is Waterboarding Torture?" Mukasey.

pressure from the * administration again and again this year. So I must applaud this move and admit a certain sense of patriotic pride when I think of Jim Webb standing solo guard over the Constitution.

:toast: :toast: :dem: :kick: To Sen Webb Happy hoildays

And today, I thank Senator Webb as well.

Must've been a little eery--but good for him! :patriot:

A true patriot. I'm proud.

This is one of the best things the Democrats have done since coming to power.

"I'd much rather be doing this than allow the president to skirt the confirmation process in the Senate," Webb said in a statement. "This is an exercise in protecting the Constitution and our constitutional process."

Yessir and thank you! :patriot:

glc

an email link for Senator Webb? I'd like for him to know his "pro forma" duty and comments makes me very proud.

http://webb.senate.gov/contact/ I agree that we need to let him know we are thankful for his actions. I thanked Senator Reid too.

I sent him a Thanks

:patriot:

angry right now, because you have compared these beautiful birds to our disgrace of a President. They are awaiting an apology. ;)

And while we are being ornithologically correct, how about all of the disabled waterfowl who have to hear Bush called a "lame duck"?

Our feathered friends are considering air strikes as we discuss this.

And therefore is one I very much DO support.

The guardians of our liberty do not carry firearms all the time.
Some carry weapons far more powerful. Such is Jim Webb.

enjoyed those 22 seconds, too. Remember the Chimp's insensitive, and cruel remarks regarding Sen. Webb's son, serving in Iraq?

Frohttp://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/12/3/202133/415m Daily Kos....

Democrat Senators is derogatory Repubspeak, just so you know.

Low down dirty trick george bush is keeping with his election stealing by miss-using recess appointments to advance his political agenda.

Recess appointments were intended to fill gaps in the government during an emergency when Senators had to travel by horseback to reach Washington. Now they are used by the right wing to force unwanted people down the throats of the American citizens.

Go Senator Webb! Help keep the government honest.

Oh...what a beautiful object it is...the human spine...oh how BEAUTIFUL IT IS!:bounce:

For the evening shift :kick: :kick: :kick: :toast: :bounce:

:applause: :toast: :patriot:

He's really a good man. It's terrible that things are so bad that this had to happen. Hopefully no other future presidents do this sort of thing.

And thanks to Webb to do that as he is the closest.

(Can't you just see those rusted neocon gears grinding to come up with a spin...)

came up with the idea.

Sen. Webb--we're looking forward to the day Senator Mark Warner joins you.

that is what bush will do...looks like the senate is going to be open 24/7 for another year and change..

There are many times when I am proud to be a Democrat, and this is one of them.

Here we have a Senator manning the gates to ensure that bush doesn't get a "pass" to add to those whom already have done much damage to the nation. It is kind of sad it has come to this, but it shows that the D leadership is using not just it's head, but it's spine as well.

Over the past year, we have seen how the obstructionist R's have whined like schoolyard bullies after a whipping, complaining about precisely what they did to the D's since Congress went to the R's initially. I am happy to see they are being taken to task, even if what I'd really like to see hasn't happened yet...an end to the war and an end to the incursion into American Rights and Liberties; but I see that coming as well, it merely takes more time than most of us would prefer to accept. Accept it we must though, Congress rarely does things in quickly and swiftly.

What more appropriate senator could have been the first guard of our constitution? Thank you, Senator! Glad to see the leadership come up with this plan-it's about time! :yourock:

had any sack or guts they would have been right there beside him as a symbol of solidarity.

just across the river; it's less of a sacrifice for him. If no one else has to be present, he probably volunteered because he can go in quickly and no one (e.g., who lives in California and needs today to travel) has to give up time with his or her family or friends for the holiday. I am sure his colleagues will return the favor. I am glad the Dems. are thinking strategically about tactics. They have to, with these ethics-challenged opponents.

1) I'm in Virginia
2) I'm just about the most Junior Senator.

He had a big grin on his face when he said it, though. I'm guessing he enjoyed it.

K and R

The whole notion of recess appointments is absolutely archaic. While this might be a parliamentary trick, it is well justified. The founding fathers would be turning over in their graves if they knew how the recess appointment provision had come to be abused.

I certainly hope they intend to do this at every break from now until Bush is gone. Make every one of the bastards go before a proper Congressional review.

and when it comes to making appointments that will result in political debts owed to them, they want to. In contrast, defending the Constitution and the people's rights are just not important enough to the likes of Reid and Feinstein and Schumer and Lieberman and the Blue Dog Democrats, so it's impossible to stand up to Bush. Sorry to be so cynical. I'm glad Reid and Webb are not allowing recess appointments, but I wish they would stand up every day, and not just when they want to give political favors. Of course, I realize that the appointments of Democrats are important to all of us, but it is such a rarity.

He is the poster child for many lower middle class poor voting for repukes, because of his excessive mental masturbation over gun control

ie 750,000 deer hunters in WI this week

Sen. Webb, YOU RAWK!

So, the senate can approve/prevent Bush's appointments, usually. But during their holidays ( which are how long exactly now? ), Bush can appoint whoever he wants without having to ask Senate for approval? Just because they are in recess? What's the whole point of Senate being able to prevent appointments then, if it can be bypassed just by waiting for recess?

The Senate used to recess for months at a time. The President's ability to make recess appointments helped the government continue to function when vacancies arose during those periods. Any recess appointment expires at the end of the Senate's next session.

These days, the Senate is never in recess for very long. There's little or no genuine need for the provision. It's become a way for the President to make appointments that are expected to run into flak in the Senate. Although Presidents of both parties have used the mechanism, it really exploded under Reagan, who made 243 recess appointments during his eight years in office. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recess_appointment for more information.

A congressional meeting attended by one?

Thanks Senator Webb! And thank you Senator Reid for showing the rest of them democrats what a real pair looks like!

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

how about a one man impeachment... hehehe
or a stop the war now bill
or an anti-eavesdropping act
or a prosecute the torturers legislation or...

C'mon Jim : - )

what a way to start the day!!! :patriot:

Take the Point!

"This is an exercise in protecting the Constitution and our constitutional process."

Thank you, Senator Webb!

You are doing an excellent job.


:patriot:

This is exactly the type of tactic the Repubs would use. They deserve it!!!!

what a pack of useless phux they ALL are

There were approximately the same number of backbones in the room as usual.

no back bones in the house since their asses went home for the holiday

The same number as usual.

This tactic will come back to haunt them.

Just rarely used.

beware the enemy doin the same. They are shrewed ones. Don't underestimate em.

showing up to bang a hammer?
Oh, anybody think he did it out of the goodness of his tidewater heart

You mean the taliban or al-quaida or terrorists are coming after congress?

And Democrats are "them" to you?

nt

snip
In a state-by-state, district-by-district comparison of wealth concentrations based on Internal Revenue Service income data, Michael Franc, vice president of government relations at the Heritage Foundation, found that the majority of the nation's wealthiest congressional jurisdictions were represented by Democrats.



He also found that more than half of the wealthiest households were concentrated in the 18 states where Democrats hold both Senate seats.


snip
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071123/NATION/111230087/1002

are you with us or against us?

Just don't want the boomerang effect. I just like to take all precautions.

Which is a smarmy tactic used to keep their base stupid and riled up against everyone and everything that the elite of the party tells to hate.

Using GOPer propaganda tactics and calling Democrats "them" sure does send out a clear signal where your sentiments lie.

If we win the WH, the republicans at the senate can do the same thing.

As long as we keep our Senate majority, it won't be a problem. The minority can't force the holding of a 22-second session.

Besides, after Mark Warner thrashes Jim Gilmore next year, the Republicans won't have any Senator from Virginia or Maryland who can hold the fort without missing Thanksgiving dinner. :)

:thumbsup:

This is politics. there's pluses and minuses to every precedent set.

to feed on the carcass they brought down.