The 30-Second Senate Session

November 21, 2007 11:38 AM

The 30-Second Senate Session: In order to prevent President Bush from making recess appointments, the U.S. Senate will technically stay open over the Thanksgiving holiday. The result? A U.S. Senate session that lasts, gavel-to-gavel, exactly 30 seconds.
posted by Cool Papa Bell (79 comments total)

Just another reason to give thanks!
posted by sfts2 at 11:42 AM on November 21, 2007 [3 favorites]

Our Reid who art in Senate, hallowed be thy name.
posted by DU at 11:44 AM on November 21, 2007

Good. Give the GOP a taste of its own medicine, for once.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:48 AM on November 21, 2007

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said he would schedule "pro forma" sessions during the two-week break, even though lawmakers will be absent and no business will be conducted.

So... it'll be like any other Senate Session.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 11:49 AM on November 21, 2007 [8 favorites]

Stupid underhanded procedural bullshit to combat stupid underhanded procedural bullshit. Yay government.

It's sad that it's come to this, but I suppose it's necessary.
posted by LordSludge at 11:50 AM on November 21, 2007 [3 favorites]

Oh and Cokie Republiberts take on this on Monday was typical. She thought the fact that the Democrats thought it necessary to block recess appointments showed how hyperpartisan DC has become. Naturally the fact that Bush has in the past done this and that there is compelling evidence he planned to this time did not show hyperpartisanship.
posted by DU at 11:50 AM on November 21, 2007 [3 favorites]

Very good.
posted by Ironmouth at 11:52 AM on November 21, 2007

Compelling evidence, meaning he announced his plans. AND refused to unblock certain Democratic appointments that they were blocking.
posted by sfts2 at 11:53 AM on November 21, 2007

I for one, prefer a government that is completely brought to a standstill. Much less fucktardary then.
posted by sfts2 at 11:55 AM on November 21, 2007 [7 favorites]

Compelling evidence, meaning he announced his plans.

Oh I didn't even know about that. I thought it was some appointee bragging about how he was going to be recessed in and word got around.
posted by DU at 11:56 AM on November 21, 2007

This is great and all, but...

I can has impeachment proceedings?
posted by mullingitover at 11:56 AM on November 21, 2007 [5 favorites]

How dare the Defeatocrats tie the President's hands while America is At War!
posted by Flashman at 11:56 AM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

I guess when the senates away, president douche bag won't play!
posted by Mastercheddaar at 11:58 AM on November 21, 2007

Finally, YouTube is good for something: watch your Senate at work.
posted by Plutor at 12:00 PM on November 21, 2007 [2 favorites]

Up or down vote, UP OR DOWN VOTE!!!!

One would think a recess appointment would be something one would do in emergency situations, not as a means to circumvent the... oh wait, riiiight, this is still the mid '00s
posted by edgeways at 12:08 PM on November 21, 2007

Cokie Republiberts

Really?
posted by cortex at 12:08 PM on November 21, 2007 [4 favorites]

I for one, prefer a government that is completely brought to a standstill.

I would not be happy to be locked into what we have now. If we can't move forwards, at least let's move backwards.
posted by DU at 12:09 PM on November 21, 2007

DU, I was just being playful, not mocking you. (I hope you know)

edgeways - didn't you hear? 9/11 changed EVERYTHING.
posted by sfts2 at 12:11 PM on November 21, 2007

I didn't take it as mocking, though I did take it as a serious position.

Really?
posted by cortex

I don't know if you are questioning the quality of the name-calling (which I agree is poor) or the content of the opinion (which I stand by, as long as it is understood that I am being partly, but only partly, hyperbolic).
posted by DU at 12:16 PM on November 21, 2007

*GAVELS THIS SESSION CLOSED*
posted by quonsar at 12:22 PM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

The former, not the latter—I don't pay enough attention to Cokie Roberts to really care. Sometimes I can't help but cringe at that sort of thing, is all—few things frustrate me more than seeing an ideological compadre undermine our shared position with something dumb like that.

See also "Amerikkka". Gah.
posted by cortex at 12:25 PM on November 21, 2007 [2 favorites]

I plan on DVRing each of these.
posted by drezdn at 12:26 PM on November 21, 2007

A U.S. Senate session that lasts, gavel-to-gavel, exactly 30 seconds.

So 30 seconds shorter than usual.
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:27 PM on November 21, 2007

Sorry, sorry--I'm in communications with people ALL OVER THE GLOBE via instant internet technology and sometimes our ironic use of things like "Cokie Republiberts" leaks into other compartments.
posted by DU at 12:28 PM on November 21, 2007

How about: Cokie "&hearts Judge" Roberts? or Cokie Robert-baron.
posted by delmoi at 12:31 PM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

_{Damnit. "♥ judge" I mean.}
posted by delmoi at 12:32 PM on November 21, 2007

Duelling Bureaucracies.
posted by blue_beetle at 12:32 PM on November 21, 2007

Bush hasn't and isn't going to let the Democrat congress do anything while he is in office. Nothing they can point to and say they did anything productive. So, I guess that the Democrats are totally justified with this move.
posted by Balisong at 12:37 PM on November 21, 2007

Glad he's doing it.

Still makes me want to euthanize the lot of 'em and start over.
posted by Parannoyed at 12:42 PM on November 21, 2007

Thank you Senator Webb for providing the necessary and critical function in protecting our country against those who would do it harm.
Yes, Cheney is a terrorist who will shoot you in the face.
posted by nofundy at 12:58 PM on November 21, 2007

What's funny about the Cokie-nanigans above is that the woman is the daughter of a notable Democratic congressman, her sister was the Democratic mayor of Princeton, New Jersey, she graduated from Wellesley, and she's married to a former NY Times reporter.

She's about as Democratic as you can get, in the wealthy, old-school, blue-blooded way.

But apparently not Democratic enough for some people.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:58 PM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

Still makes me want to euthanize the lot of 'em and start over.

What makes you think the new batch would turn out any different from the current?
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 1:05 PM on November 21, 2007

Probably a good thing. I hear Bush was going to get his ass kicked by the bike racks at recess anyway. (Reid once hit a guy so hard his braces split his lip and he was like bleeding pretty bad)

(Who the hell names their kid ‘Cokie’? Her sister is ‘Pepsi’?)
posted by Smedleyman at 1:06 PM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

CPB, we sensitive liberal lefties judge a tree by its fruit, the INTP way not the INTJ way.
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 1:06 PM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

Who the hell names their kid ‘Cokie’?

Actually, Cokie's parents named her Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne Boggs. Better? Worse? Apples and Oranges?
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 1:13 PM on November 21, 2007

few things frustrate me more than seeing an ideological compadre undermine our shared position with something dumb like that

i agree with gore-tax
posted by Armitage Shanks at 1:15 PM on November 21, 2007

.
posted by ZachsMind at 1:17 PM on November 21, 2007

She's about as Democratic as you can get, in the wealthy, old-school, blue-blooded way.

Cokie is about as Democratic as a Joe Lieberman supporter gets. Which is to say she's really a Republican.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:22 PM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

more like Arbitrage Stinks amirite
posted by cortex at 1:22 PM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

What makes you think the new batch would turn out any different from the current?

Well, at the very least they would know that we finally have it in our hearts to put them up against the wall when they aren't working for us, or even worse, actively working against us.

So that would be something I guess.
posted by quin at 1:26 PM on November 21, 2007

She's about as Democratic as you can get, in the wealthy, old-school, blue-blooded way.
As is Arnold Schwarzenegger's wife, and don't try to explain how Cheney could have a lesbian daughter.

Still, I patiently wait until Chris Wallace's adolescent rebellion against his father's journalistic standards finally comes to an end and he apologizes for his stint as a 'beard' for the Fox Propaganda Channel. Then again, Mike Wallace's early TV career was as a game show host.

CPB's ongoing insistence that his profession* is 'Liberal' is one of the most reliable running jokes on MetaFilter.

*he has stated he's a News Media insider, but has never admitted where; I make no secret that the only place I've been published the last 5 years is msnbc.com
posted by wendell at 1:31 PM on November 21, 2007

If we can't move forwards, at least let's move backwards.

Haven't we been doing that for almost 8 years now?
posted by yoga at 1:40 PM on November 21, 2007

I tend to be pretty dispassionate about how Congress works. I defy any large group of people from as many ideological backgrounds as Congress to accomplish as much. We bash them, but, as much as anyone would hate to admit it, they are us. They are our representatives, we elect them we are responsible for them. So, hating on Congress is analogous to hating on any random group of Americans, which plenty will feel comfortable to do. I certainly think they can do better, but given the current frenzied state of politics and Americans in general I doubt they will. Now, if you want to discuss individual members of Congress I have enough bile stored up to keep me warm and tingly for quite awhile on that front.

9/11 is a joke in your town... (man, someone needs to redo that song to reflect the current meaning)
posted by edgeways at 1:41 PM on November 21, 2007

Well done. Bush was probably going to recess appoint his ridiculous Surgeon General nominee.
posted by homunculus at 1:42 PM on November 21, 2007

Cool Papa Bell writes "But apparently not Democratic enough for some people."

James Carville and Mary Matalin are married. I don't think someone's family is necessarily a good indicator of that person's politics.
posted by krinklyfig at 1:44 PM on November 21, 2007

A lot of the "washing press corps" a.k.a "The gang of 500" act more like members of a royal court then anything journalistic. You have journalists marrying washing insiders, people moving back and fourth (like George Stephanopoulos), and so on. They care more about "palace intrigues" (Like Monica and Bill) then anything that might affect real people.

These are the people who are constantly complaining about "partisanship" in Washington, you get the feeling that they wish voters would quit voting for all these "partisans" so they could run the world in peace and quiet without all the acrimony getting in the way of their little club. In my imagination I see them not caring at all about the common man, not particularly caring if politicians lie to constituents, whatever. They care far, far, more about their own position in their little world then anything having to do with politics.

Anyway, Cokie Roberts is like the die from which all these people were cast, her contempt for the normal person is actually unhidden. She complains openly about blogs and other people outside of her comfort club getting involved in politics.
posted by delmoi at 2:08 PM on November 21, 2007 [8 favorites]

You guys sure have a swell Constitution with all these wonderful sensible checks and balances.

No wonder the USA is the home of Libertarianism. With governments like these...
posted by wilful at 2:10 PM on November 21, 2007

Well done. Bush was probably going to recess appoint his ridiculous Surgeon General nominee.

Heh. The fact that this guy resigned his job because he expected to get in is classic. Of course, it's a titular job anyway, and I'm sure he'll be able to get his old job back anyway.

But it's still classic.
posted by delmoi at 2:10 PM on November 21, 2007

Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne get your ass in here, it’s dinner time!
Hmmm....Still better than Cokie.

“and don't try to explain how Cheney could have a lesbian daughter.”

Turkey baster.
posted by Smedleyman at 2:10 PM on November 21, 2007

They care far, far, more about their own position in their little world then anything having to do with politics.

That explains a lot, actually.
posted by LooseFilter at 2:16 PM on November 21, 2007

Am I reading this wrong or does this make it sound like a none issue?


A recess appointment occurs when the President of the United States fills a vacant Federal position during a recess of the United States Senate.

The commission or appointment must be approved by the Senate by the end of the next session, or the position becomes vacant again.

Recess appointments are authorized by Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution: "The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session."
posted by nola at 2:23 PM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

In my imagination I see them not caring at all about the common man, not particularly caring if politicians lie to constituents, whatever.

Vivid imagination you have there. Naturalistic, even.
posted by rokusan at 2:23 PM on November 21, 2007

Nola, the "end of the next session" is when this Congress ends, not when it next pauses. That means the next end of session is January 2009.
posted by rokusan at 2:25 PM on November 21, 2007

(I phrased that badly. The end of THIS session is Jan 2009. The end of next is Jan 2011.)

Acts of Emergency Power and Martial Law notwithstanding of course.
posted by rokusan at 2:27 PM on November 21, 2007

Ok, that makes more sense then.
posted by nola at 2:30 PM on November 21, 2007

And thank goodness the Senate is finally showing a little backbone. I mean, how much more obvious does it need to be that we have a president that needs some standing-up to, before the Congress stands up to him? Not because it'll be popular, or their monied overlords want them to, or to settle a political score, but because it's the right thing to do. Do these people really have so little sense of ethical responsibility to the rest of us? Or are they just that dumb and/or confused by it all?*

We bash them, but, as much as anyone would hate to admit it, they are us.

Do Americans as a culture really have such a complete lack of ethical responsibility to ourselves, our culture, and--lest we forget--everybody else stuck on this planet with us? If it's truly thus, we are sick, sick with consumption, self-absorption, with ego-indulgence.


(*-OK, that might be a false dilemma. Maybe.)
posted by LooseFilter at 2:30 PM on November 21, 2007

CPB's ongoing insistence that his profession* is 'Liberal' is one of the most reliable running jokes on MetaFilter.

You can be a liberal by profession? Cool. Where can I get that job?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:40 PM on November 21, 2007

Don't ch'all know by know..that the longer congress and the prez diddle-daddle..it means they get over-time for doin' nuttin'. Nuttin done and nuttin said. Pass me the corncob.
posted by doctorschlock at 2:49 PM on November 21, 2007

nola: You're reading it wrong. A recess appointment made today would last until Bush was almost out of office. I don't think that's a non-issue.

It's good that the Democrats are doing this. Otherwise Bush would have no need for the consent of the Senate prescribed in the Constitution.
posted by grouse at 3:05 PM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

You can be a liberal by profession? Cool. Where can I get that job?

Ask Juan Williams and Alan Colmes.
posted by trondant at 4:00 PM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

MetaFilter: ALL OVER THE GLOBE
posted by loquacious at 4:29 PM on November 21, 2007

She's about as Democratic as you can get, in the wealthy, old-school, blue-blooded way.

Aren't the Republicans the party of the wealthy, old-school and blue-blooded?

Case closed.
posted by DU at 5:00 PM on November 21, 2007

The commission or appointment must be approved by the Senate by the end of the next session, or the position becomes vacant again.

Recess appointments are an artifact of a long gone era, where Congress only sat for a limited period, and travel times from the home states were long. The point of the recess appointment was to fill an important job if Congress was out of session -- because it might be months until Congress was back.

Nowadays, Congress could convene in a day, if required.

Bush has used this power repeatedly to make appointments that he know *will* not be made with the "advice and consent" of the Senate, and I think Reid is exactly correct in de facto removing this power because of Bush's prior abuse.
posted by eriko at 5:51 PM on November 21, 2007

Aren't the Republicans the party of the wealthy, old-school and blue-blooded?

Apparently, you've never heard of the Kennedys...
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:03 PM on November 21, 2007

Apparently, you've never heard of the Kennedys...

You mean the so-called "Liberal Lion" who killed a wind energy plan in his home state?
posted by DU at 6:13 PM on November 21, 2007

Do Americans as a culture really have such a complete lack of ethical responsibility

You are joking, right?

This huge, unbelievably well-armed, purported democracy, which has been violating others' sovereignty left and right, while the electors define the difference between the US govt and the US people, in order to avoid any hint of responsibility. The one nation which defines a right to bear arms in order to overthrow an illegitimate administration, and when confronted with precisely that situation, somehow redefines 'sovereignty', 'soldier', 'torture' and any other terms which got in the way?

Those Americans? 'Ethical responsibility'?

hehehe. Good one.
posted by pompomtom at 7:08 PM on November 21, 2007 [2 favorites]

You are joking, right?

See here.
posted by LooseFilter at 7:13 PM on November 21, 2007

Hmmmmm... why don't rhetorical questions work on a text-only forum?
posted by pompomtom at 9:03 PM on November 21, 2007

I always get a kick out of these sort of procedural battles. They're possibly the only redeeming part of politics, as far as I'm concerned.

Entertainment value aside, I think this is good overall. If the Senate doesn't want to be steamrolled, they can stay in session and quit pretending that it's still 1790 and they really need to all pack up and go home for weeks or months at a time.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:04 PM on November 21, 2007

And, dang it, if you're going to be "technically open for business", please keep it to a 30-second session. Don't bother trying to provide a couple hours of filler programming for C-SPAN2. (And certainly don't give anybody an opportunity for shenanigans while the rest of the Senate isn't looking. There's nobody in the Senate today whose shenanigans would be worth watching, as opposed to the House where Dennis Kucinich shenanigans and Ron Paul shenanigans would be a hoot!) Just pick up the gavel, say "we're open.. we're closed" and go home.
posted by wendell at 9:45 PM on November 21, 2007

You mean the so-called "Liberal Lion" who killed a wind energy plan in his home state?

And gave us NCLB . . .
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 10:19 PM on November 21, 2007

For the first time in probably ten years, I've been re-reading The Great Shark Hunt, Hunter S Thompson's collection of writing from before, during and after the Nixon era, and it's actually surprised me, in the context of the current regime, how little the criminal swine running America today are unchanged in anything other than raw skill from the criminal swine who were running America more than 30 years ago. So little has changed (a cowed media, the dismissal of critics as mere 'Nixon-haters', the ongoing unwinnable war, a recession and energy crisis looming, and much more), and so many of the minor players then are still exercising their malign influence today. I highly recommend a read or re-read for those looking for a little historical perspective on the current Troubles.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:24 AM on November 22, 2007 [2 favorites]

So, what I don't understand is why they're bothering? I mean, it isn't as if the Democrats have had the spine to block a single one of Bush's vile appointments, why not let him make recess appointments?

This is, you may recall, the same Senate which *APPROVED* Michael "totrure is fine by me" Mukasey, Michael "the President isn't bound by law" Mukasey, Michael "I got lots of Democrat votes" Mukasey.

So why are they bothering to make a pretense that its even necessary for Bush to make recess appointments? Anyone, and I mean anyone, Bush proposes will generate shocked outrage, firm statements of opposition, and finally a pathetic capitulation seemingly designed by DLC leadership to drive the voters to the Republicans. Bush could nominate Charles Manson for the Supreme Court and cowards we've elected as Democrats would vote for him.
posted by sotonohito at 4:55 AM on November 22, 2007 [2 favorites]

You guys really don't get it do you?

This is a puppet show. It's an act. Each pawn is playing their given role. They're just going through the motions for you the viewer. We haven't had a democratic republic in a long time. Maybe if we could get Penn & Teller to show you how it's done you'd get it, but I don't need Penn & Teller to show me it's bullshit. I can smell the stench from here.
posted by ZachsMind at 6:51 AM on November 22, 2007

Wow, I'm actually impressed with the legislature.

But yeah, *sigh* what sotonohito said.
posted by vsync at 11:36 AM on November 22, 2007

and it's actually surprised me, in the context of the current regime, how little the criminal swine running America today are unchanged in anything other than raw skill from the criminal swine who were running America more than 30 years ago.

Well duh, it's the same fucking guys.
posted by delmoi at 1:02 AM on November 25, 2007

Which is why, in the very next fucking sentence, 'and so many of the minor players then are still exercising their malign influence today'. So duh right back at ya.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:13 AM on November 25, 2007 [2 favorites]

I'm actually Richard Nixon, running this shit from a secret bunker after faking my death. So duh to you both.
posted by cortex at 7:08 AM on November 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

I'm actually Richard Nixon
posted by cortex

I should be more surprised by that than I am.
But then, I'm actually Buddy Holly, running the music industry from a secret bunker after faking my death.
posted by wendell at 2:59 PM on November 25, 2007