Oof.

Best of luck staying sane.

Draconian, but merely dubious?

Legally dubious and morally repugnant.

You say 2 years, but the election is 19 months away and early campaigns will start in 8. Shit, we’ll probably see the first early messaging by the end of summer. So it’s no stretch to believe that some candidates for target races are being vetted already. And that means anger now makes a difference.

I assume you mean the bumbling of multiple “questions” from senators who for some inexplicable reasons couldn’t follow the basic parliamentary rules requiring their interrupting be in the form of a question.

He definitely rubbed in the fact that he could deny Schumer the floor.

Booker constantly read the required “I yield for a question while retaining the floor” phrase off a piece of paper.

There were a bunch of committee meetings today, so I get that people were popping in and out, but you’d think they could be briefed in 10 seconds.

I enjoyed the subtle fuck yous booker got in when Schumer bumbled his “questions.”

For sure.

I just expect to be disappointed by many of them taking a victory lap and then doing absolutely nothing else.

What I’d love to see is many of them taking turns doing the same at more opportune times (if not setting records). Make Republicans worry about bringing their bags of shit to the floor. Grind the bastards down. Constantly.

I can’t wait to see all the senators that asked 5 minute questions take a victory lap for participation.

Well, the Republicans could barely wait to motion for a vote on the nomination of Whitaker to NATO ambassador.

Yeah, I see that now. Just us nerds over here watching PBS.

Yeah, the Senate doesn’t seem to publish plans in advance, so it’s not really possible to do more than wonder.

I’ve had the livestream running since I got up today and it’s good to hear the words from the senators “asking questions”.

And there’s a whopping 11,437 people watching it on YouTube, so I’ll be one of almost no one that hears more than a few sound bytes.

“Global warming” and “potable water” slated for comebacks?

Full disclosure: I didn’t click through, but also didn’t see these on the quoted list.

Yeah, reading about the cloture rules now. Seems like the motion for cloture happened a couple days ago (temporarily ending debate) and it “ripened” today prompting a cloture vote, itself not apparently subject to filibuster. But simple majority is all that’s needed on most nominations, and filibuster is limited to 2 hours before the final vote.

Even that will be performative.

From the CNN article:

The speech is not a filibuster because Booker is not blocking legislation or a nomination. The Democratic senator’s speech will keep the Senate floor open – and floor staff working as well US Capitol police members detailed to the chamber – for as long as he continues speaking, but lawmakers had concluded voting on Monday before he began his remarks.

So purely performative. Not a filibuster.

I mean if it’s a first step and others follow, then good. But why not filibuster a nomination you disapprove? (I have no clue if filibuster applies to a cloture vote. These fucking stooges and their silly made up rules of decorum…)

(again)

I’d like to think they were just trying to be transparent with the media. Yeah, that sounds right.

Hassan and Shaheen both seemed like abortion allies just 2 months ago.

New Hampshire must have changed their state motto when I wasn’t looking. It used to be “live free or die.”

And that Dick in Illinois? He seemed like he was on the good side too.

She did an appearance on Some More News and I really hope she wins. Wish I was half as good of a communicator as she is.

Who cares about other countries. The law is the law here. For everyone.

You don’t like it, that’s fine. But your feelings don’t matter to the law.

The Uihleins are huge pieces of shit. Dick especially.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/06/megadonor-gop-richard-elizabeth-uihlein-00081267

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2023/01/27/where-the-uihleins-sent-their-cash-after-the-insurrection-00079999

You’re doing the world a favor by taking some money out of the Republican pockets they line so thoroughly.

On a positive note: at least the motherfucker retired unlike most politicians of his generation.