5 GOP break with party on jobs bill, vote w/Dems

[AeWingnut]

no we just need to get the dems to vote with their constituents instead of with their party

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by AeWingnut

no we just need to get the dems to vote with their constituents instead of with their party

the same could be said of the republicans. most voters, just like in massachusetts, consider themselves to be independant. they don't follow the party line, they don't blindly vote. i know a few people vote dem/rep because they always have voted that way. i know others who won't vote, rather than vote across lines. so, it comes down to all of us in the middle. we don't agree with either candidate, so we vote for the one we like better-or dislike less! but on individual bills, we expect to be heard. that's the way it's supposed to be, isn't it? they 'represent' us. they being both parties elected members.

[timmgirvan]

Originally Posted by Danzig

the same could be said of the republicans. most voters, just like in massachusetts, consider themselves to be independant. they don't follow the party line, they don't blindly vote. i know a few people vote dem/rep because they always have voted that way. i know others who won't vote, rather than vote across lines. so, it comes down to all of us in the middle. we don't agree with either candidate, so we vote for the one we like better-or dislike less! but on individual bills, we expect to be heard. that's the way it's supposed to be, isn't it? they 'represent' us. they being both parties elected members.

one would think so..........

[Riot]

Originally Posted by AeWingnut

no we just need to get the dems to vote with their constituents instead of with their party

Well, if so, we would have had health care last August

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by Riot

Well, if so, we would have had health care last August

why should we have had healthcare last August, when Obama only published his half-assed "plan" yesterday? It doesn't even contain enough specifics for the CBO to score.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

why should we have had healthcare last August, when Obama only published his half-assed "plan" yesterday? It doesn't even contain enough specifics for the CBO to score.

I guess you haven't been following what's happened, and what has been trying to work through the House and Senate, and public polling from early last summer, since this President was elected.

[Riot]

Let's try copying this image, and see if it works:

[timmgirvan]

Originally Posted by Riot

Let's try copying this image, and see if it works:

all this graph demonstrates is that Dems, even if they are the majority, can't get it together!

[Danzig]

more in total for all three categories. you might want to figure percentages, which tells the tale better than overall numbers. for instance, in the 97th congress, when republicans took over-look at motions, look at votes on cloture-virtually even. about 40 of each, compared to now with over 100 more motions than then, but about 80 more votes on cloture. number wise, both are higher-but percentage of cloture to motions isn't the same.
look at when republicans again took control, motions are similar to the last democrat controlled, 95-96. motions similar to 94, but look at the grey and yellow bars. especially for 2000-'02.

not a very good graph tho, it doesn't say which side filed the motions.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Danzig

more in total for all three categories. you might want to figure percentages, which tells the tale better than overall numbers. for instance, in the 97th congress, when republicans took over-look at motions, look at votes on cloture-virtually even. about 40 of each, compared to now with over 100 more motions than then, but about 80 more votes on cloture. number wise, both are higher-but percentage of cloture to motions isn't the same.
look at when republicans again took control, motions are similar to the last democrat controlled, 95-96. motions similar to 94, but look at the grey and yellow bars. especially for 2000-'02.

not a very good graph tho, it doesn't say which side filed the motions.

'Zig, I love ya, but the party in control doesn't fillibuster itself <g>

You make a nice attempt at spin, above, with the "percentages" thing, but that doesn't stand.

It's crystal clear who are filing the fillibuster motions that block everything and grind everything to a complete halt (dark gold line) - it's higher than it's ever been right now, and it's the GOP.

The actual votes the GOP has made this past year (No versus Yes votes), and the number of bills approved by the House but languishing unvoted upon due to Republican blockage not allowing those bills to even come for a vote in the Senate, is on the .gov website. *** and I just found that number, it's 290. 290 bills sent from the House to the Senate for action, and nothing. has. been. done. because the GOP votes to fillibuster and refuse to act upon virtually every damn thing.

Note:
The gold line indicates fillibusters by the opposition party. You don't have to stand on the floor and physically fillibuster now, you just have to "file the motion" with intent. That essentially starts a fillibuster for all intents and purposes. That means everything grinds to a halt, as if some Senator was standing on the floor reading the telephone book.

The "cloture vote" is someone calling for a vote to vote upon closure of the fillibuster, and a vote is taken to close the fillibuster or not. And "cloture invoked" means that the votes were enough in favor to stop the fillibuster. At this point, the Senate continues on with business.

[AeWingnut]

Originally Posted by Riot

Well, if so, we would have had health care last August

umm no

that was my point an overwhelming majority of working American are totally against any Obama healthcare reform

[Riot]

Originally Posted by AeWingnut

umm no

that was my point an overwhelming majority of working American are totally against any Obama healthcare reform

This President was elected with one of the largest electoral majorities in history, and ran on a platform including healthcare reform.

Polls that show people are "against healthcare reform" didn't start to go that way until after the protracted arguments within the Senate and House, and the August recess emphasizing loud and persistent lying about crap like "death panels will kill your grandma!"

Yet people today still overwhelmingly support the creation of the public option, and still strongly support individual health insurance reforms when line itemized.

My point is the Dems should have listened to their constituents last year, and passed healthcare reform by August.

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by AeWingnut

umm no

that was my point an overwhelming majority of working American are totally against any Obama healthcare reform

wheres the proof..