Rand Paul Filibustering John Brennan with Support from Some Republicans, Others Dining at White House
Some did both, maybe they can pass a message

Rand Paul's filibuster of John Brennan's nomination to head the CIA began at 11:47am and has so far included questions from eight other senators: Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, Jerry Moran, Ron Wyden, Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, Saxby Chambliss and John Cornyn. Just a few minutes ago Paul read a note that said the White House was not returning his office's phone calls. "If anybody knows anybody at the White House and wants to call, we are looking for an answer from the White House," Rand Paul said. Several Senate Republicans, in fact, are at the White House having dinner tonight (to discuss the sequester; presumably their meals were not affected). Invited were: John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Kelly Ayotte, Pat Toomey, Bob Corker, Ron Johnson, Saxby Chambliss, Tom Coburn, John Hoeven, Dan Coats, Richard Burr and Mike Johanns. Toomey and Chambliss asked Paul questions during the filibuster so maybe they'll pass a message along.
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Obviously, no one should pass up a chance for an audience and fine dining with the Royal Family.
"If anybody knows anybody at the White House and wants to call, we are looking for an answer from the White House," Rand Paul said.
He should have gotten more signatures for his petition.
+1
Democrats won't be able to get away with chastising the next Republican President over drones. Where were they when Paul filibustered over droning? Brilliant move by Paul and the Republicans supporting him.
Except for Wyden as of now.
You naive fool.
They will try and they will get help from some people, but then they won't be able to say they stood with Paul.
When you're shameless and have most journalists carrying your water, nothing is impossible.
impossible is nothing.
http://hereisthecity.com/2006/.....impossibl/
It's hard to disagree with you, but you can always stand up and point out where they were when Paul filibuster. Either they were with him or they weren't.
At the very least, their contortions if called on it will be entertaining.
Never underestimate chuztpah and stupidity. I've seen comments and tweets from the Left accusingly asking where Rand Paul was before 2008. (Although he, unlike most, can point to his dad.)
Circa 2008, I'm sure Rand had some conversations about how he didn't like drones when he was checking some dude's eyes for cataracts.
"Circa 2008, I'm sure Rand had some conversations about how he didn't like drones when he was checking some dude's eyes for cataracts."
I could picture this....+1
While the technology had been around and deployed for several years, the drone program was nowhere near its current extent in 2008.
"Several Senate Republicans, in fact, are at the White House having dinner tonight (to discuss the sequester; presumably their meals were not affected)."
I bet drones aren't affected either. Drones and calligraphers.
"I bet drones aren't affected either. Drones and calligraphers."
And budgets for agencies that no longer exist; they're not affected either.
But the SEEKWESTER is killing us!
BTW, according to earlier stories the snow storm shut down DC. How did those guys get to the WH?
Or $50,000,000 for new TSA uniforms, at $1000 each.
Or whatever outrageous amount the DHS paid for those 2700+ MRAP vehicles.
You mean the wine server isn't going to deduct 2.3% from whatever he usually pours in Prez's glass?
Almost cried when I heard Cruz reading twitters; it's so great to finally know that one is not alone in longing for a return to constitutional principles.
Don't cry. You'll be droned soon enough.
"you can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him"
reading twitters? Ted Stevens, is that you?
"questions from seven other senators: Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, Jerry Moran, Ron Wyden, Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, Saxby Chambliss and John Cornyn"
I counted eight, not seven.
1) Mike Lee
2) Ted Cruz
3) Jerry Moran
4) Ron Wyden
5) Marco Rubio
6) Pat Toomey
7) Saxby Chambliss
8 John Cornyn
There's a senator named Saxby Chambliss?
Unfortunately, yes. Suxby has promised not to seek reelection but down here in GA we're keeping the tar warm and stockpiling feathers in case he changes his mind.
Add John Barrasso to the list, he's talking now.
The President of the European Union?
His evil twin.
I'm guessing they didn't count Ron Wyden (D - OR) out of cussed partisanship.
Rubio never took the floor. Just tweeted support
No, he took the floor and "asked questions."
They basically all "asked questions."
Uh... yes.
The memes have arrived.
Fucking Strom Thurmond. I hope Rand breaks his record.
Rand has approximately 15 hours left.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom_thurmond
He's only got 14 more hours to go.
I highly advise he breaks the record for political and historic reasons. Own this issue for all time.
I hope that, as a physician, he's taken steps to safeguard his (physical) constitution during his filibuster. WaPo blog says Thurmond had an aide with a bucket in case he had to "evacuate" after leaving the floor.
Thurmond didn't have these available to him.
After breaking the record Rand should take giant dump on Schumer's desk and wipe his ass on one of Lindsey's jackets.
Say what you want about Raimondo, but he's a lot of fun on twitter. He and I just double-teamed the editor of Mother Jones for calling Rand a racist. Greenwalds joining in now
(I'm the guy that said I hope a drone hits him, teeheehee)
Geez Ryan. I see you also double-teamed him with @LucyStag. Nice.
We're still talking about Twitter, right?
If not, pics.
Dirty, dirty mind.
Everyone has to do some things they aren't proud of when they leave Reason.
Can't blame a man for lovin' some Lucy on the side.
Wouldn't Rand be the opposite of a racist, since he wants to stop Obama from being able to blow up primarily Muslim Americans without a trial?
It's a white guy telling a black guy not to illegally kill brown guys. It's post racial as fuck.
Shut up you dirty mick
STOP OTHERING ME! Haven't we suffered enough, what with British oppression and our tomato like complexions?
Thats not how you spell potato
"Haven't we suffered enough, what with British oppression"
No.
Why are we the only minority that doesn't get to whine about British imperialism? We had to deal with that shit for a solid 300 years longer than the rest of those pussies.
Who says? The Cranberries made a whole career out of such whining.
Tell that to the Welsh.
Or the Jutes.
Because you're Christian.
Irish| 3.6.13 @ 9:23PM |#
"Why are we the only minority that doesn't get to whine about British imperialism?"
You can whine about it. Nobody's stopping you.
As a kraut of some generations back, I'm trying to figure out who I'm supposed to whine about.
The Poles? Ah, hell, AFIK, my ancestors were from the west of kruat-land. Maybe I should whine about the Dutch?
I need help here.
I say the Swiss!
Your problem is that Germany wasn't an individual unified state until relatively recently, at which point it immediately began warmongering and genocided a bunch of people.
This makes it hard for Germans to claim victim hood.
I'm Bavarian. The rest of the Germans hate us.
Ted S.| 3.6.13 @ 9:49PM |#
"I'm Bavarian. The rest of the Germans hate us."
For good reason! See those funny dresses your womenfolk wear?! Well, no wonder!
What's so funny about the cleavage-displaying dirndl?
Ted S.| 3.6.13 @ 10:00PM |#
"What's so funny about the cleavage-displaying dirndl?"
Nothing funny at all, but why do they gripe when the beer spills down there when I'm looking?
They're not doing it right if they spill the beer.
Ted S.| 3.6.13 @ 10:58PM |#
"They're not doing it right if they spill the beer."
Can't see the dress...
"This makes it hard for Germans to claim victim hood."
How about the Romans? Can I claim victimhood from the Roman invasion?
Sorry, EDG, too far north to whine about the Swiss.
HEY! I can ALWAYS whine about the JOOOZE! Can I do that?
The Romans, of course.
Pro Libertate| 3.6.13 @ 9:46PM |#
"The Romans, of course."
OK! One vote for the slimy Romans! Do I hear two?
Prussia?
Fuck you guys. This is about MY victimhood. Not yours. If you've ever seen progressives try and hash out the Victim Hierarchy, then you know how sacred being a victim is and you should not try and take this important aspect of my identity away.
Irish| 3.6.13 @ 9:54PM |#
"Fuck you guys. This is about MY victimhood. Not yours"
Awfully sorry. Just trying to offer some sympathetic 'comradeship' for those 'in need', doncha know?
But hey, dammit, my victimhood is as important as yours! I just need to find it!
Russell Peters talking about Ireland
The Southern Irish people I know are all uppity about how oppressed they were. I mentioned once when they were trying to get the Potato Famine called a genocide that more Ukrainian people were killed in the Holodomor, so we ought to focus on that. They weren't amused, to say the least.
Ted,
All joking aside, central Europe has a blood-soaked history that puts most of the world to shame. See http://www.amazon.com/Bloodlan.....bloodlands
Mao did his best to beat the Russian and German thugs, but I'm not sure who "won".
White guy telling a mulatto not to illegally kill brown guys.
Even more post racial.
Not a heroic mulatto, however.
It's like...trans-racial. Trippy.
It's like...trans-racial. Trippy.
Indeed.
Wouldn't Rand be the opposite of a racist, since he wants to stop Obama from being able to blow up primarily Muslim Americans without a trial?
I think the concern is that the drone-killing program would be used for non-counterterrorism purposes, meaning plenty of non-Muslims would be killed.
You're talking about Mormons, aren't you?
And in your absence I and this well hung man envious of my penis just double teamed your mom
Mother Jones chief foreign policy editor called Rand a racist and asked if he would compare drone deaths with the shooting deaths of elementary school children.
These people are seriously deranged by this event.
..."asked if he would compare drone deaths with the shooting deaths of elementary school children."
Hasn't Obama offed some young kids already?
If not, it's purely accidental.
I responded to him by saying that as a matter of fact, Obama has killed far more children than the Sandy Hook shooter ever did. #bootlicker
Strange I don't see Giffords campaigning for drone control.
Paul is puncturing their smugness. This has to be killing the Left. This is the kind of shit they would have been orgasmic over had it been Russ Feingold going after George Bush. But instead it is an evil tea bagger going after Big Daddy living their fantasy in some kind of vulgar mass. If they didn't hate Paul before, they will really hate him now.
There are SOME like Jeremy Scahill, Greenwald, and the Young Turks who arent complete bootlickers and are supporting the filibuster, but the majority have gone full retard
Some are more vulnerable to the Ring of Power than others.
Yeah, but Greenwald is always principled. I'm a little surprised the Young Turks are in favor of it though. Good for them.
TYT are too douchey for the Ring.
Yeah, they're douchey as hell. At the same time, Current TV has them, the Governor Who Killed Michigan and had a post meltdown Keith Olberman. It's pretty sad that The Young Turks were hands down the best part of that line up...and then it got sold to Al Jazeera.
You know how Arabs feel about the Turks, Young or not.
Al Jazeera tried to lure The Young Turks to their van with the promise of candy, and a puppy, to no avail. It was their offer to kill "The Young Kurds" and "The Young Armenians" that proved too sweet to pass on, that got them on board....they just couldn't resist it.
I'd like to think this has been brilliantly timed by Rand so that between Chavez's death and this we might see liberals running naked in the street spouting gibberish. But more loudly than usual. Like so:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEoglL-wPuc
This.
Of course, violence initiated by a deranged individual is just like a calculated drone death authorized by the Feds. Really. WTF
Link? Trying to find anything on twitter is impossible.
Here.
Adam Weinstein is a piece of shit.
Hahahaha. Keep it classy, Mother Jones. Lefty delusion between Chavez last night and Rand Paul today has reached levels I never thought it would. And I've long felt lefty delusion to be nearly boundless.
This is the offending Mother Jones' editor's twitter feed.
Serious question: Does Rand Paul object to a *private-market* trade in drone security? Judging from his stance on guns and civil rights, no.
Yeah, that's the bottom of the barrel right there.
Yea, he's deranged
Obama is going to drone people for their own good whereas the Republicans will do it for the corporations so Rand is racist.
It's not the size of your drone that counts, or the legality of using it. It's the size of either the corporation controlling it or the hardon we have for Our Hero who is using it for equality.
Quite a prize there. I like this one regarding Paul's demand for an answer:
[removed][removed]
He re-tweeted this:
Maxine Baptiste ?@brownsugar7878
@ggreenwald @adamweinstein Since Rand Paul likes 2 read, how about reading the Servicemen's names who died in Iraq.Then read all the injured
Yeah, that makes sense, the guy who (unsuccessfully) tried to get the AUMF in Iraq revoked is a big warmonger. These idiots don't know shit.
"Maxine Baptiste ?@brownsugar7878
@ggreenwald @adamweinstein Since Rand Paul likes 2 read, how about reading the Servicemen's names who died in Iraq.Then read all the injured"
Ambushed, and beaten stupid by this strawman, logic shall forever elude Maxine Baptiste....
Considering that no private entity in America can claim the shields of state secrecy or sovereign immunity, seems to me that Weinstein is guilty of being a disingenuous twat on Twitter.
@RyanSabo4 is my feed. Scroll down and find my convo with Weinstein
The flapper hair apparel in your portrait looks good on you.
based on his comments on wide generalizing strokes when rand does anything that can be remotely perceived as simply shaking a jew's hand from israel, i could see why raimondo would want to defend someone from being called a racist, even when that means dropping his anti-rand vader helmet for a few secs.
This is an important and courageous act by Sen. Paul. The usurpation of the power to kill Americans by presidential order is the last usurpation of unlimited power.
True, we win this one, or it's game over and the rest doesn't count for sh*t.
Yet America is mostly asleep on this; man on the street in a week, "uhh, what is a drone?"
grey| 3.6.13 @ 9:57PM |#
"Yet America is mostly asleep on this; man on the street in a week, "uhh, what is a drone?""
Pretty sure this is accurate. MSM is *not* going to cover Paul; his comments and efforts will have to be found, they will not be presented. Paul is not going to invite the MSM twits to cocktail parties to mingle with the powerful so there is no reason to cover what he's doing.
The WH dinner is far more important to the MSM for obvious reasons.
LOL
Why would Young Turks oppose summary killings?
Victims aren't all Armenian?
Jordan| 3.6.13 @ 9:16PM |#
"LOL
The Young Turks is literally trying to deliver a pizza to Rand Paul on the Senate floor. #filibuster going for 9 hours now, must be hungry."
It would be far better if they delivered treacle to the WH dinner.
ERMAGERD, SERKWERSTER!
That must be a really awkward dinner. Like trying to entertain company while someone is plowing your wife in the next room.
heh heh, I laughed.
That's awkward?
Oh, so THAT'S what happened with the first Mrs. Akston.
Get a grip. They're villains. They swing. Obama once watched McCain have sex with his wife and made him eggs and toast afterwards.
Always do breakfast. Its common hospitality.
Do you think McCain grinds his teeth while he has sex?
Do you think he has flashbacks to the cold cold nights in Hanoi where the space between the bamboo separating his cage from the next guys was just wide enough?
How many Viagras does he have to chew up first? Six? A Dozen? Or does he just go with direct electroprostate stimulation?
I think he has a pump. And I'm disappointed that no one caught the reference.
One must experience the Wookie mating ritual to appreciate it.
Can I assume you really "appreciate" it, then?
McCain's wife or was that his girlfriend Lindsey. Pretty sure John and Lindsey were recently together at the house.
Why do people have to make a good thing like swinging a bad thing by making references to Michelle Obama in the same paragraph?
You guys make me sad. Go Team Venture!
ERMAGERD, FERLERBERSTER!
Any executive administration statement will be worded carefully, to the effect of "it is not our policy to use drones for targets on American soil", rather than "we will not use drones for targets on American soil".
Anything to avoid the question of whether Obama thinks it is constitutional or not.
So, what administration are you guys most looking forward to? I believe the line of succession goes something like this: Hillary Clinton wins in 2016 and rides the Clinton wave 'til 2024. She then hands the baton to Jeb Bush, who flames out after four years, just in time for Chelsea Clinton to take over for another two terms. In 2036, I assume it will be time for George P. Bush to seize the reins, after which Malia Obama should be ready to go.
By the time the Lauren Bush-Lauren sends us all to the gas chambers, we will have had a solid 60 years of three family rule.
I love it, an authoritarian troika!
I can't wait for Malia 2036, though hopefully Michelle 2020 and Michelle 2028 can tide us over until then.
Michelle 2016 and 2020. Reggie Love 2024 and 2028. Will that get Malia old enough to run?
She'll be of age in 2033, so 2036 is the earliest she win. I've calculated it before.
So....Hillary 2032?
Maybe. May be. Unless they've repealed term limits by then, then it's anyone's guess.
Dude that looks like a lot of fun man, I mean like wow.
http://www.NetAnon.da.bz
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I love Johnny's story... It's super neat.
You're talking about Johnny Manziel, right?
No shit? That sounds awesome. One time my roommate's sister's best-friend's co-worker's hairdresser's boyfriend hooked up with Shia leBoef in a Griffith Park public restroom and all he got was face crabs.
Hey, how much for five of us to get an apartment show with your girlfriend and her half sister?
Lucas, you ignorant twit. I don't think Johnny's story is neat. In fact, I think Johnny and possibly you are trying to scam me and the other posters here with your little "stories". Because I have a friend who is an ER nurse, and she told me that your girlfriend's half-sister was admitted to the ER under weird circumstances. My friend told me that they had to pump a gallon of donkey jizz out of your girlfriend's half-sisters stomach. Upon further investigation, it seems like your girlfriend's half-sister made that money working a donkey show in Tijuana. Both you and Johnny are fucking liars.
Nobody cares about you, Johnny, your girlfriend, your girlfriend's half-sister, THEIR co-worker's step-mother's neighbor, or how much webcam scat porn they've produced in 10 months.
Rule 34 implies that somebody cares about webcam scat porn.
If this is the Mr. Smith Goes to Washington moment of our generation, I hope that right now, Democratic operatives are running a bus of children off the road, to stop them from tweeting in support.
OT: I was just reading the transcript of a Patrick Henry speech (Anti-Federalist Papers - June 5, 1788).
"This, sir, is my great objection to the Constitution, that there is no true responsibility ? and that the preservation of our liberty depends on the single chance of men being virtuous enough to make laws to punish themselves."
As much as people talk up how great our Constitution is, I have to agree with Henry - it is altogether too toothless. While the DofI is a beautiful document, the Constitution only serves to embower those who would use aggression against their fellow man.
*Sad Face*
The anti-federalists were mostly right about the long term consequences.
Just about everything Hamilton said would never happen has happened.
I looked up the AF papers because my daughter is doing some school essay about the founding fathers. Her textbook has a big picture of Hamilton. I told her that she had better write a comment in her essay about how big a POS Hamilton is (regardless of essay topic). I told her I would ground her if she didn't do it.
Meaningless. With enough time, the probability of government going rampant approaches 1. That it took so long is really vindication of the Federalists.
Yeah, look how much longer it took us than Europe.
The Adams administration?
That isnt that long.
Hamilton didnt say that though. The anti-federalists understood this, the federals didnt.
If Hamilton had said "we will give you a good 50 years, then fuck it, we are doomed after that anyway", I would give him credit.
Heck, the anti-federalists forcing the BoR down Madison's throat is the only thing that saved the federalists at all.
Sort of like a car salesman doesn't go into detail about how the car probably won't last 20 years before it needs repairs greater than its worth. Doesn't mean he's being dishonest when he says it's reliable and rugged.
If he tells me it will last forever, he is being dishonest.
One thing that would be nice is very easy removal from office. Like a blackball. Sorry, Mr. President, some guy in Pierre, South Dakota, has blackballed you. Please be out of the White House by midnight.
Racist!
Censor
I should e-mail Paul's staff my censor plan. He's got to talk about something, right?
yeah.
The anti-feds had no viable alternative. The nation was falling apart in 1787.
Actually, that itself was a viable alternative. 13 independent nations.
Probably wouldnt have stayed that way, would have been about 3, but it was technically a viable alternative.
Would have been about 0 when the Brits finished of Napoleon and came back to take what they considered theirs.
That worked so well for them in 1812, didnt it?
Yeah, and in 1812 there was a unified America to meet them. What would have happened if it were 13 countries?
It wouldnt have been 13, even Hamilton thinks it would have been 3.
And considering in 1812 there was no real standing army, but state militias, it was functionally the same format as in 1776, or as would have occurred under the 3 confederations.
The danger would have been the english playing one confederation off against the others.
THAT would have been the real danger.
The US was one country in 1812. Imagine how the war would have gone if New England was neutral or allied with the UK.
And it was the state militias that suffered the worst defeats. The federal navy and later the federal army did all right.
Hamilton argues in #13 that a single federal government would tax less than the separate states or confederations.
Obviously, he didnt see the 16th and 17th amendments occurring.
Can we be sure there would be a war if only a handful of states were participating? Can we be sure that a confederation that pursued war with GBR would have only had militias? Alternative history is a very tricky game.
The paths to defeat and subjugation are far more numerous and likely as 13 tiny countries, or 3 for that matter, than as one nation. It's hard to see how the 3 nations would be more likely to jettison the militia system than one nation would.
You know, this wasnt an argument about whether or not the antis had a pragmatic system that would survive, but about whether their argument was right.
And also, granting your premise, having no viable alternative and being right arent mutually exclusive.
The Most Transparent Administration Evah can't answer one simple question.
There are a lot of simple questions they can't answer.
(Well, they can answer them; it's more that they won't answre them.)
Understood, but they haven't been called out this epically.
I'm not so sure on that. It might really be that they DON'T have an answer, that they've really never bothered to stake out a solid policy. As long as they can keep it secret, they don't have to. If PUBLICLY-KNOWN legal arguments can have so little thought put into them, what chance is there that "SECRET" policies actually have a legal argument (even a poor one) laid out?
Wow. Well when the chips are down, and we need somebody to stand up for our rights, I guess we know who we can count on. And it's not Wyden. Glad he let us know now.
Oops, wrong place.
Rand would very wise to keep this filibuster going all night. Own this issue for all time.
Agreed. Lesson one in Politics 101: Get in the news as much as possible...
Make sure he leads the morning news shows and then end up around 10 am.
Break the record...go into the afternoon tomorrow.
Yeah. I forgot about the record. break the record and go another hour and be done.
Honestly, setting the all time record isnt that hard of a task.
Lee, Wyden, Barrasso et al deserve an assist
Sure...they tested the waters and decided it was safe to swim. And...All Wyden did was say thanks for pointing this out Rand but I trust the Pres.
Really? Was his only part to say "nice idea, but not necessary"? If so he's a disappointment. I've always heard of him as being solid on civil liberties.
Just checked. Wow. Well when the chips are down, and we need somebody to stand up for our rights, I guess we know who we can count on. And it's not Wyden. Glad he let us know now.
During the past presidential campaigns, I was arguing with some inlaws who thought the best course of action was to vote for Romney in order to get Obama out of office. I argued that if Romney won, he would automatically be the GOP nominee again in 4 yrs (and continue the status quo unabated). Now that he lost, there is a sliver of hope that someone like Rand could become the GOP nominee. Of course, the realist in me knows the GOP will ignore him completely in favor of Fatty or the tan Louisianan.
Fatty will switch to being a Dem. He has no chance in the GOP. The NRA will see to that. More likely Cruz or Rubio than Jindal, although Jindal has a chance.
Right now I would say Paul is in the top five with all of them being about even.
I think after tonight Paul moves up to the front-runner status. Jabba the Hutt is politically toxic (although he has two years to make amends), Cruz is too fresh, Rubio is a moron, and Jindal is boring.
Rubio is a moron
Hah, that hardly disqualifies him.
He has a few years to learn, but his awkward, sweaty State of the Union response shows that he ain't cut out for the big stage.
Rand, honest to God, has a way about of him explaining concepts in an accessible manner. He may really be the one for us.
He also comes off as calm and rational when he talks, whereas Ron Paul often came off as jittery and a little crazy. Paul the Elder also made some terrible judgements of character when it came to people who worked for him.
Rand is a far more capable speaker and politician.
Ron always came across as passionate and sincere to me, but I guess that some people saw that as jittery and crazy instead.
If Cruz or Rubio run, expect the left to go full birther retard. Should be amusing.
Cruz isn't running in 2016. Hell he's not even been in elected office before now. He's still got a way to go to earn my trust but he's certainly justified my votes for him in the primary/runoff even if he I didn't vote for him in the general. Though that was a pretty low bar to cross running against Dewhurst.
2016 seems too soon. But a VP nod is not out of the question.
My thoughts exactly. It's like you're in my head.
So you'd take 4 years of BO and a tiny chance of 4 years of Rand over 8 years of MR?
Bird in hand vs. bird in bush.
Yes I would. As sucky as BO is, I honestly do not think MR was substantially better. In fact, I was pretty confident that, economically at least, things would get worse for a few years. It would have been inevitable that with a Repub in the White House (even MR!) that capitalism and free markets would be blamed. Hell, even with BO in the White House this is a common meme; with MR at the helm the media would have been talking about how much better we would have been with Hugo Chavez as pres. I think that would have guaranteed success for the Dems for like 5 generations.
This is a pretty damn defeatist argument. Hell, why don't we just let the greater statists win in 2016 so they can take responsibility for bad things then too. And why not 2020, too.
Also doesn't work since BO has above 50% approval during some of the worst economic times the nation has ever seen.
I'm sorry, but wanting someone who, at best, is marginally better than the sitting president, for 8 more years, is the defeatest argument.
Continually electing shit because it's slightly less shitty than the opposition is no strategy for change at all. Maintaining the status quo does not drive change. A longer strategy is necessary if things will change, even if that we get 4 more years of Obama in the meantime..
That's a mighty odd bird in your hand, if you think you can bank on 8 years of President Romney still.
Really don't get how anybody thinks Romney is anything but a pragmatist. Or maybe he was all about unleashing the mormon GOOOD on us all
A pragmatist would be better than BO.
A pragmatist that does the same things as BO wouldn't be any better than BO. Results, and not mentality, are what matter.
Romney wouldn't be doing most of the shit BO is doing, Reason's retroactive attribution of BO's positions to Romney notwithstanding.
He certainly wouldn't be raising taxes, pushing to ban guns, threatening to executive order cap & trade, etc.
He probably would be doing the drone stuff and the foreign policy interventionism, but at least it would be somewhat organized, instead of the mass chaos that is BO's administration.
You're right that he wouldn't be doing all of the same things, but I am sure he'd be doing stuff like this, and that's what I'm most worried about.
Pushing to ban guns? Not anything to worry about, even with BO. It won't pass. Raising taxes? Hell yes I can see him doing that. Dunno about cap and trade. But the economic, civil rights, and war stuff? You can bet your ass I think he'd do them. And I don't think "more organized" is a virtue for things like this. I'd say that BO being relatively unorganized is actually a GOOD thing for those opposing him.
The amazing thing is that this is about the first time it's for a good cause. Not more pork.
10 hours, still going. That's fucking impressive. This is fairly unprecedented in recent Senate activity, esp with how immediate and small the world has gotten with the cable news and social networking.
I was probably 11 when I first learned of how the Senate embraces the never ending filibuster. Even at that age, I thought how amazing it is that a single person could basically stop a chamber of congress if he had the determination and fortitude to do so. Regardless of the content of Paul's filibuster, the concept is a great tool to have in any government.
Progressives hate it. How dare an individual hold up the might work of congress?!?!
What's ironic is that their "filibuster reform" package was going to still allow talking filibusters, but they're bitching about this anyway.
That's actually been a major theme in the left's outrage over this. How dare Paul obstruct the Senate? Nevermind that DC itself shut down today due to a mild snowstorm!
it wasn't a snow storm. the weather people got it wrong. it never changed over from rain.
Yeah, and I love it. I love having the following exchanges with someone:
Prog: Urgh this congress is awful, they don't get anything done.
Me: I wish that were true, because that would be the best thing ever.
Prog: what do you mean? You want them to do nothing.
Me: yep
Prog: So you want your elected official, your representative, to set around and do nothing?
Me: yep
Prog: So just fly to DC, and do nothing?
Me: yep. I'm not stuttering here.
Freddy's inside the house. The bars on the windows work to his advantage.
Goddammit. The fucking Blackhawks have tied it up in the 3rd.
I'm seriously ready for this shit to end.*
*OTL is a bullshit way to score a point, so I don't recognize the streak anyway.
I got me some man-love for Rand Paul tonite. I might just have to vote for an "R" next time, even if Johnson is running.
... Hobbit
This is awesome and all, this is the fist time I've watched cspan in a while, but I can't believe they are reading tweets on the senate floor.
anyone see Justified this week?
Patton Oswalt is hilarious.
Midget Police.
Just watched it. That was a pretty fucking funny scene.
"I haven't killed any Americans yet at home, and I don't intend to, but I might."
Ha-ha, that is classic. I could easily see those words come out of Obama's mouth, too.
"Look, I am not a dictator. I'm not the emperor of the United States. I am not king. Can't I just have this? Can't I just have the power to murder drone some asshole right here if I want to? Please?"
OT: I bought a refurbished laptop and it arrived today - apparently without a wireless adapter. WTF?
How old is this laptop? I thought those were pretty much standard these days.
It's a refurb of a 2011 model. HP says they'll pick it up and take it to the factory, but it's a mild pain dealing with it.
caveat emptor?
... Hobbit
Does it look like this?
(I actually worked on one of these, many years ago.)
Ha, no - it's one of these.
Or maybe this
SugarFree strikes again.
Haha. Local news talks about Holder's testimony before the Senate this morning, claiming he said it would be unconstitutional to drone someone who was not an imminent threat (not what he said, of course). Also mentioned "a Texas senator's bill" that would make it illegal to drone people in the US. No mention of the filibuster.
By the way, where the hell are the civil libertarians in the democratic party on this? Kudos to Ron Wyden for having the courage to speak out, but is he the only one there who isn't terrified of the dear leader? Where is Elizabeth Warren, that lady who Krugman and all the hard progressive lefties love so damn much?
Yeah, I seriously am shocked about this. I mean, it's literally a one issue filibuster. It's not like Rand is pushing some wide package of reforms. He's just saying "I don't think the President has the power to kill people without trial." How the fuck did we get to the point where that is an extremist and radical position?
I'm not aware of Warren ever being sold as a civil libertarian.
She wasn't. She was sold as a consumer advocate.
She's supposed to stick it to the banksters. She won't, of course.
They don't want to break ranks with Dear Leader. Because they know what His plan is.
Any one who opposes Dear Leader, opposes the State. Those who oppose the State are enemies of the State. Enemies of the State are terrorists. Terrorists (foreign or domestic) will be droned.
KABOOM!!!
Somebody bring my boy Rand some chinese food, hook up the X-box, install an upright bed, give him a bucket, light up the bowl, and let's do this shit. Filibuster for life! 2013-
RIP Stompin' Tom
Ted Cruz has really been laying it down now. I'm really liking him since he joined the Senate. This is a great speech he's giving.
Yeah, but the 20 minutes of him doing nothing but reading twitter almost made me fall asleep.
I came in for the tail end of that, so didn't see much of it. But he talked about Ayn Rand, quoted Shakespeare, quoted a stirring speech from Patton and is still going strong.
Holy shit though, way to lay down the gauntlet on the Democrats, Cruz. 'If this were a Republican president, the outcry from the Democrats would be deafening, and rightfully so. But I have no doubt that if this president had an R behind his name, the Senator from Kentucky would be standing here, 10 hours in.'
Hell yes. Almost makes up for the twitter.
I would like to believe that would be the case. I have no idea if Cruz, Lee, and the rest would be standing with Paul though.
Damn I've postponed watching the Americans because of this.
Cruz is pointing out that he stood up to Bush when he was in Texas. I think Cruz would be standing where he should be standing. Not sure about Lee.
Chances are none of them would be in office had McCain won, since the Tea Party wouldn't exist.
Since it existed before the election, that is an odd statement to make.
Senator Ted Cruz is much better than I had expected.
The Shakespeare shit went over my head
He's bashing Bush right now.
Watching. Yea, this may actually be a realigning moment. Or not.
fingers crossed.
'Defending the constitution is not a partisan choice. It is not a game of dodge ball where you play shirts against skins.'
Fuck. Yes.
Is that some English Boarding School shit? Why would you need to play shirts and skins dodgeball? There's a center line, goddammit!
Look, Sloop. Aren't we all gay for freedom?
Especially Epi. I think he's the one who taught it to the rest of us, really.
I only caught the tail end but if you're talking about the St. Crispian's Day speech here's a nice rendition.
I prefer this version.
I can see why you would, what with the functioning properly and all.
I lack the culture to appreciate the 404.
That cuts off the badass beginning:
WESTMORELAND
O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!
KING HENRY V
What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
longer version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yZNMWFqvM
I like Billy Zane's reading of it from Tombstone.
Oddly enough, I heard Billy Zane's speech on Tombstone about 20 minutes before I heard Cruz's speech. Tombstone is on one of the Skinimax channels right now.
I need to get a copy of that movie on Blu Ray
One of my all-time favorite movies, I'm amazed at how they cast so many great actors into one Western ranging from the leads to bit parts.
Oh and "you've set your gaze upon the quintessential frontier type. Note the lean silhouette, the eyes closed by the sun they're as sharp as a hawk. He has the look of both predator and prey."
Oh yes Tombstone...when a good reading of the St. Crispin's Day Speech is swallowed by all the other great lines, you know you have a great movie.
Fucking love Tombstone.
I'm fucking loving his speech right now.
I am actually feeling some honest to god hope for our republic. I have been one of the big Ls who has defended Rand for "not being pure enough" and that is because his ACTIONS have been consistently AWESOME!. (Except I don't get the Hagel thing, guess he was preparing for this and if that was his choice I agree, this is a better sword to die on.)
I don't understand how this guy's last name is Cruz. Doesn't he know that conservatives are a bunch of racists?
And according to the various racist trolls we get here, all people of Hispanic background are Third World socialists who will vote that way en todo.
He's a White Hispanic.
He's just a (half) Cuban, so like Rubio he's not a real Hispanic.
So then Obama isn't really black?
"Half" is in parentheses for a reason. The pertinent word is "Cuban."
Cruz ripping Bush to a degree. Does anybody remember the last time a Democrat Senator stood in the well of the Senate and said anything negative about a Team Blue President that was still alive?
I sure as hell can't.
Dennis Kucinich?
Not a senator.
Ahhh I see that qualifier now...me no read good.
But for Sloop
from the ever trustworthy wikipedia.
FTL Below (emphasis mine): Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) told Hotsheet today that it's an "indisputable fact" that President Obama committed an impeachable offense by authorizing a military attack without congressional approval.
There's a biiiiiiiig fucking difference in telling a blogger something and standing in the Senate well and saying you went against your own party.
I'd still like to know when the last time a Dem did what Cruz just did. I've been searching and have come up dry.
Yeah Kucinich is highly progressive, but he has a pretty good track record when it comes to civil liberties and executive overreach.
Then why didn't he put forward a resolution or file articles of impeachment?
You're both right. DK was decent on these issues and failed to bring any teeth to bear for them in the end. Yet another stroke against Cleveland for dumping him in favor of Kaptur.
Cleveland is a whorehouse, where the socialist ideals of their forefathers are corrupted and sold in alleys by vendors of progressivism.
At least it's not a thatched barn where the brigands drink in the reek, while their brats roll on the floor with the dogs.
When did Tulpa see my house?
I think he's referring to my homestead. But he's wrong because we let the pigs in the house instead of the dogs.
Cleveland is a whorehouse, where the socialist ideals of their forefathers are corrupted and sold in alleys by vendors of progressivism.
Surely a better slogan than whatever they have now.
Everything I learned, I learned from 80's movies.
+1 hot wife
+1 hot crazy red-headed wife
Pass.
+1 hot crazy hot red-headed wife.
Link? I'd like to see it even if his voice makes my ears bleed.
To a source
Again though, did not register the "Senator" qualifier.
Maybe this is nuts, but I think that if even just one or two more democrats would become mini profiles in courage and join Wyden, it could become a possible tipping point that turns the direction we're going in.
The first four words of your post are what Team Blue and Team Red think about you. No. Fucking. Chance.
Holy shit, this is still going? God bless these motherfuckers.
that's very sweet
I support 2013 as the Year of the Filibuster. As in Paul and anyone else he can get to join in doing nothing but filibustering for the rest of the year.
Fuck that. They could have Cruz, Rand, and Rubio doing 8 hour shifts until 2016. Can you imagine the progs if no legislation passes until 2016?
The original guy can't leave during a talking filibuster, can he?
I thought he could handoff to other people?
Rand must stay on the floor and he cannot sit down, as far as I know. These other speakers are merely "asking a question." I don't understand what he does for the bathroom.
Ostomy bags, my boy. Ostomy bags.
So he can have a cot brought out, a curtained cubicle for changing clothes, etc.
Fucking do it Rand. Fucking do it.
Rand must stay on the floor and he cannot sit down, as far as I know. These other speakers are merely "asking a question." I don't understand what he does for the bathroom.
So much for Jim Webb filibustering.
Jim Webb is no longer a Senator. Little Timmy Kaine won. Because the fucking idiots in the VA GOP ran George Allen instead of someone new.
I know. And Jim Webb couldn't have run anyway.
He could have run for reelection. I think he genuinely believed in the bullshit the Dems were running in 06, that the Blue Dogs would be the ones in charge.
You missed the joke (that is in poor taste).
Yeah I tried to get it...but I failed...now I feel stupid....like a Michigander.
Didn't Webb also write a book about father-son fellatio?
No, but your mistake is understandable, as he helped write the tax code.
Don't feel bad. I fucked it all up and confused Webb for John Hager.
Oh yeah that makes a hell of a lot more sense.
Because John Hager is in a wheelchair and thus can't stand or run. One time in high school we had to write about Virginia politicians, and my friend was assigned Hager. Upon seeing his Wikipedia picture he goes "Wow that guy's fat!" to which I said "Well it's hard to get exercise in a fucking wheelchair dude."
I think Hager's son married one of W's daughters. Lucky guy. I feel like he'd be a pretty good father in law, even if he was a lousy President.
They must have a Senate piss boy.
Keep away, the fuckin' job's taken!
Yeah. I hope Rand emptied out his bladder and bowels before he started.
Holy shit. They're showing the Puerto Rican Day episode of Seinfeld now.
a rare treat!
Channel, please?
your local Fox affiliate?
53.1 if you're in Pittsburgh. Or you could go to zap2it.com if you're not.
zap2i.com? Do you want to give my laptop herpes?
I've got every season on DVD. I'll watch it later tonight.
should of gotten a mac. hth
Is that Dayton "Charlie Utter" Callie as the cabbie? I think it is.
'Those who would trade freedom for security have embarked on a downward course to the ant heap of totalitarianism. In this vote harvesting time, they use terms like the Great Society. But they've been a little more explicit in the past and among themselves.'
He begins quoting liberals and progressives talking about breaking down individual freedom. I love him.
Wow, the fascists on Facebook's Being Liberal page have completely shut down any discussion of Rand Paul and drones.
Instead they're posting pictures of Barbara Streisand. Take heart in knowing that these morons are our opponents as their page is being spammed heavily by libertarians in protest.
Thanks for that link. Pretty funny watching them defend their position by saying things like 'if you support the death penalty and don't support drones being used on us citizens you are a hypocrite.'
So he ate a candy bar, Mike and Ikes and various snacks for dinner...
OMG, Rand is setting a bad example for our childrenz!
He'll surely invoke the Wookie's wrath.
Rubio is glomming on. What a cunt.
But will he stay hydrated? That is the question.
lol, nice
He's all wet.
We all get wet sometimes.
Ha! I was about to post Andrew W.K. myself. PARTY HARD BITCHES
Rubio is glomming on. What a cunt.
Rubio quoting godfather.
I hope Rand is resting up, he's needed.
What a turd. He uses a quote by a mobster to sum up Rand Paul's stand.
What a dumbshit.
I wasn't even paying attention at that point. Was that the quote that he followed with 'I don't really know what that has to do with this, but I thought it was a cool quote!'
I mean holy God, Rubio.
I wish he would have used the Now you listen to me, you smooth-talking son-of-a-bitch, let me lay it on the line for you and your boss, whoever he is! Johnny Fontane will never get that movie! I don't care how many dago guinea wop greaseball goombahs come out of the woodwork!
I'm German Irish.
I will donate $250 to the campaign of the first senator who sings the complete soundtrack of HMS Pinnafore.
For I'm called Little Buttercup -- dear Little Buttercup,
Though I could never tell why,
But still I'm called Buttercup -- poor little Buttercup,
Sweet Little Buttercup I!
Is there a Senator Robert Turwilliger in the house?
Ted Cruz seems far more presidential than Rubio. Rubio seems like he could star in a sitcom
A bad one. Like on the CW.
Jesus, Rubio fucking blows. Clearly Rubio came totally unprepared and was like 'Oh shit. Cruz just quoted Shakespeare and Reagan, cogently explained the difference between liberty and tyranny and overall rocked the house. Uh...let me quote Wiz Khalifa.'
Was "black and yellow" his list of acceptable drone targets by ethnic group?
Yea, the twitter campaign is the only reason he's there. Not to mention he's probably fretting over Rand being nation's #1 story right now
Rand didn't even make the local news at 10. They mentioned Cruz's anti-domestic drone bill without saying his name.
Who watches local news? try Google News, he's top story
Everytime I visit my parents for the holidays, I have to sit through the nightly news. It's fucking excruciating. I get my news from the tubes.
Who watches local news? try Google News, he's top story
Old and stupid people. You know, voters.
"If you don't smoke, I don't know why."
-Wiz Khalfia
Well, I'm about 10 hours into this. I'm done. I'm going to eat my pork chop and duck fat roasted potatoes. And, I'm going to watch a couple of old Columbo's on Netflix.
Night y'all!
I guess it was kind of fortuitous that Simcity's servers were down today (FUCK EA AND THEIR ALWAYS ONLINE DRM BULLSHIT), since I got to watch Paul and Cruz kick some ass.
you have to login to play?
I'm glad I don't have it yet
This should be fixed by the time the mac version comes out, right?
Right?
Capture of CNN Web site - look, they have the filibuster near the bottom!
But someone got eaten by a lion!
http://twitpic.com/c98tq0
It's right between headlines 'Fox Chief called Obama Lazy' and 'UN Diplomats Scolded for Boozing.'
Yup, I noticed that too.
Looks like more and more senators are starting to show up to stand with Rand, but they're all republicans. If this becomes a totally partisan deal, it's not going to go anywhere.
How can any Democrat join in? Can you imagine any Dem today going against the party or the One? I give major props to Ron Wyden. I'm I disagree with him on a lot, but he seems principled and not a complete hack.
So where's his fellow Kentuckian, "Leader" McTurtle?
He's going ot join in, apparently. According to Rand's twitter
So much for this being legit.
Kind of interesting that they all want in now. And fuck Rubio. He came off like an unprepared frat boy, after Ted Cruz quotes Shakespeare, Ayn Rand, Regan, etc.
Wiz Khalifa is a philosopher of our time. That's going to be my enduring memory of Rubio. Fuck this water drinking noise. Following up 'We few, we happy few' with mobsters and rappers is the moment it became obvious that any idea that Rubio could ever be president was a pipe dream.
Fun fact: this is the first time Wiz Khalifia has been quoted on the Senate floor since John C. Calhoun in 1837.
I think you made that up.
"Never trust a quote from the internet."
-Abraham Lincoln
I think this guy made it up on Twitter.
-Applause-
This is one hell of a post right here. You should frame it and put it on your fridge.
Only if he's Jon Gabriel. Because while it's definitely worth it to steal and share a good joke, it's not quite worth framing.
H/T to John Gabriel.
Mitch McConnell??!!? Jesus, now I've seen everything
Speak of the turtle...
THE WORST
You say that now, but admit it. When his head goes so far up his ass that Mitch McConnell curves upon himself turns into an ultra dense black, you'll miss him.
And he almost fucked up the entire filibuster by not asking for unanimous consent to ask a question.
What a dickhole.
I know, I can't believe McDroopyface had enough in him to almost give me a ministroke.
Thune is a bit of a neocon, but I do appreciate him rising to the occasion and supporting Paul.
I'm glad these guys have the strength to keep this up, even if they are starting to repeat the same stuff. Turn the screws and keep the heat on BO till he admits that Holder was wrong!
But, after emails to thank each Senator who has written to support Paul, there's not much more I can do tonight. I hope we still have a constitutional republic in the morning.
I hope we still have a constitutional republic in the morning.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
You crack me up
Blackhawks streak at 24 games - we are now halfway through the season
The OTL point makes that streak meaningless in my eyes.
It still means no one has beat them in regulation.
But the streak is a "points scored in consecutive games" streak. In past seasons, a loss got zero points regardless of when it happened.
It's the equivalent to changing the NFL rules to seven a side and keeping the career rushing records the same.
Yeah, but before, what, 2005, the games that they lost would have ended with ties. They've only lost in shootouts.
It has been a while since the NHL changed the rules.
But yeah, you cant compare the point totals in the 3 for a win, 1 for a tie era in soccer to the previous 2 and 1 era.
Bah! How often does a streak like that occur in hockey. Not often.
Well, the streak wasn't possible until a few years ago when they changed the scoring rules for games that end in OT.
OTOH, all three of the losses have come in shootouts, and up until a few years ago, the games would have just ended with ties.
They give points for ties
Ties in hockey are about as common as ties in soccer. Which is really common.
If they won 24 games in a row, it would be a big deal
is the R for Roenick?
I wonder if all these establishment types joining is gonna be counter-productive, and water down the radicalism of the whole event. More easily dismissed as partisan chicanery unless more Dems join in (which aint happening)
True, but at the same time, it's not like it wasn't anyway.
There aren't many on the left that actually care about this stuff, as opposed to being Team Blue players.
I get your point, but really it was going to be dismissed as partisan chicanery by the same people anyway, and might have been used to portray Paul as a fringe candidate if he runs for President. That's not going to be possible now.
I'm not sure about Pat Toomey sometimes. I want to think he's on the side of the angels but he's very evasive...hopefully just trying to throw the hounds off the scent in this ever-bluer state.
Rand Paul had a real party going on and then McConnell showed up.
Did McConell just say he intends to oppose Brennan if it comes to a vote? Am I mistaken in thinking that's a big deal?
Shouldnt the president of the senate have to preside whenever the senate is in session?
How does he get to not be there?
He's the Gary Busey of VPs
You mean Biden?
According to what I read earlier, the Senate president is a rotating position held by members of the majority, usually freshmen, who just sit in a chair for a few hours while the Senate is in session. Since they're saying "madame president" now I'm assuming it switched from a man to a woman since this afternoon.
The senate president is the VP. You are referring to "acting senate president" since the VP hasnt actually done his job since Adams abused it in the 18th century.
Ah sorry I missed your sarcasm. We have been going on day and night here now!
And these days, even telling children that the job of the VP is to preside over the Senate marks you as stupid, according to the media.
Biden has to be home to defend "mommy" with his side-by-side at this hour.
I don't know where he is. I guess you could say he's just...Biden his time.
In theory yes, but the Senate always appoints a president pro tempore to preside over the body, who in turn will delegate that authority to other Senators for various sessions.
I don't remember you complaining when Cheney and Quayle didn't do it, you Rethuglican.
I dont remember them having a filibuster to deal with either.
Note to everyone: If Im ever veep (please, kill me), I will go back to doing it the John Adams way. Obnoxiously.
You can be my veep when I run in 2020. Just promise to keep quiet about the natural law crap while I'm pleasuring the electorate.
while I'm pleasuring the electorate
Unnatural!
You realize on about Jan 22nd, 2021 the utilitarian in office would get shot, right?
I should warn you that my Secret Service is as utilitarian as I am, and not burdened by any principles about breaking off glass catheters in the weiners of those who pose a threat to their master.
So you've replace the Secret Service with the TSA? Not the brightest move.
In other stupid news
Hawaii passes the Steven Tyler Act
Legislation in the name of the lead singer of Aerosmith that seeks to protect celebrities' privacy has been passed in Hawaii.
12 hours +
OT: MST3K is the best thing. Bolt Vanderhuge is an amazing name for an action hero.
Pat Toomey thinks that the government should have to prove you're a terrorist before they kill you. Is that a big shift for him?
Toomey wouldn't comment on how many socks he's wearing without running it by a focus group first.
DURBIN! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I'm not a fan of Durbin, but his showing up could be a good sign.
I think he's just trying to convince Paul to give it up and wait for a hearing on the matter.
Yeah, he's trying to get Paul to give up because he thinks Holder's answer is A-OK.
Rand just doesn't understand the post-9/11 world. Duh.
Don't try to deflect because Durbin is your Senator, Nicole.
One shitty and one mediocre is not a terrible record overall. Not that either is my fault anyway. Seriously though Durbin sucks.
Uh, don't forget you gave us BO too.
I wasn't even here then, so no.
Hey, I'm stuck with Feinstein and Boxer. They're fucking retards.
Don't take that shit off sloopy. His home state has Sherrod Brown, and the state he's in now has Babs and Feinstein. Mark Kirk is a fucking statesmen compared to them.
I voted in one election in Ohio before I moved to VA. And that was in 1988. I can't take credit for Brown or any of the other assholes in the last 20+ years there.
VA has honestly not been as bad as most. Least since the Byrd gang was finally driven into Mordor West Virginia.
You can all go to hell since my state was prescient enough to flush Santorum out of our system when we had the chance.
Big deal. You flush Santorum out of your system all the time.
NINE-ELEVEN, SLOOPY! NINE ELEVEN!
Durbin can play that 9/11 shit but it ain't gonna fly with Rand Paul. He knows more about the Constitution than Durbin and will shred him if they get into a debate about the substance of presidential powers and due process.
Durbin is bringing up the DoJ paper now. Shits going to go down.
Paul just made him look like a fool and a liar.*
*ABC will edit it to show Paul pulling a gun on him or something.
Dick Durbin gettin' all up in a motherfucka's grill piece...
9-11 and shit
Is that another Wiz Khalifa quote?
Gosh, I wonder where he's going with this question?
PS - Paul already answered the 9-11 comparison. Durbin wants his people and the media to rally against Paul because terrorism!
He's saying the same shit the administration said and dodging Rand's question.
So this is the best the Dem message machine can come up with after 10 hours of putting their heads together? Unimpressive.
Thats because they cant answer the question.
Yes, probably under orders "get the nomination through and scare the low-info voters away from this Rand guy."
Durbin: it'll be 9/11 X 249 if we keep dithering about civil liberties!
9/11, 9/11, 9/11, 9/11, 9/11, 9/11
Why do you want those 3000 people to have died in vain?
9/11 x 249? That's.... I don't even know what that is!
203.73?
Looks like Durbin is trying to filibuster the filibuster.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
Durbin looking for cover and Rand better be prepared to kick his ass on the Al Alwaki murder without charge and especially the murder of his son.
Fucking bootlicker Durbin.
He's just a dick...tator.
What the hell is Durbin's aim? Is he really that interested in debate, or is he playing point-man for the white house?
Duh?
I was assuming the Dems would just ignore it until Rand has to take a piss break, and their dogwashers in the media would do the same so it wouldn't matter.
That's what I mean, why even be there. Better for them to act as if this is a non-event. Durbin being there, and echoing the administration's position gives the proceedings a bit of legitimacy.
You have keen political instincts, Mr. Butt.
I used to watch The West Wing.
I just think, "What would the people on the show do?" and then do the opposite.
'I thought this would be the greatest deliberative body in the world' - Ron Johnson.
That's because you were seriously wrong, Ron.
Interesting side note: Ron Johnson was the guy that took Stacey's virginity in Fast Times At Ridgemont High in the baseball dugout as she looked up at the "Surf Nazis" tag.
Doesn't he also own a surf shop?
No, actually he was a stereo salesman, if you will recall the scene where she shares his business card with Linda as they're leaving the mall after closing the pizza shop for the night right after she meets him.
Oh it is Ron Jon Surf Shop not Ron Johnson.
I'm loving this filibuster but Jeeezus, how far we've fallen! Debating the terms of the government murdering Americans without even a show trial.
I like this as well, but am afraid that I'm becoming too optimistic hearing republicans talking about 'liberty', 'the constitution', and 'limits on executive power'. I want to believe it, but...
Cruz seems pretty good though, but I don't know anything about him outside of him speaking tonight.
Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue. Maybe they aren't as principled as Paul, but they know he's right.
Politicians who are true believers are rare. You can't ever win without getting the cynical bastards who are just going along because it's popular.
Yep. That's why the establishment Republicans jumping on the filibuster bandwagon is a good thing. In politics, that's victory.
Cruz is a good bit social conservative and not entirely libertarian on foreign policy (today is some good news though) but he is very intelligent, a good speaker and talks a fantastic game on economic liberty. The jury is out on him and it we'll see. I voted for him in the Rebuplican primary and runoff but not the general.
Prize to best tweet of the evening:
David Dayen ?@ddayen
Everyone shut up about targeted killing or Democrats will lose the 2036 election!
Did Durbin storm off?
I get from my office to my TV and Johnson has taken over.
Prize for dumbest:
sutjihadi ?@sutjihadi
@ggreenwald @ddayen you are retarded if you think Rand Paul actually gives a shit about brown Muslims getting whacked.Hes posturing for 2016
Accusing Paul of false compassion over dead Arab children as a spring board for 2016? Being compassionate about dead Arab children has been a winning issue in American politics since . . .?
In my lifetime, I always kind of assumed that whoever could promise the most dead Muslims would usually win.
I've read similar comments elsewhere and it tells me that some of the bluebag partisans are watching this with worry. They're worried that Paul might run in 2016 (which, he's never mentioned any intention of doing so) and that he's gonna be better on civil rights than whomever the dems run (hilary).
Maybe, or maybe they're just struggling uncomfortably to come up with a counternarrative. Everything I've seen has been ad hominem or tu quoque, including truly bizarre shit like wondering why Rand didn't filibuster the Iraq AUMF, etc.
Yeah, I've seen some of those retarded "Where was Rand before 2008?" tweets. At least he has his father's record to point to.
And he tried to repeal the AUMF, and the Democrats could have passed that.
The civil libertarians among the Democrats will rally to him!
/sarc
I don't think the bluebags are as monolithic on this as Obama wishes they were.
I've been lurking the interwebs all night, and have read so many comments and posts that start with something like, "I voted for Obama, but..."
I am optimistic that the democratic party cannot maintain its solidified front for another 4 years. You'll call me crazy, but I think Obama may turn out to be a polarizing, LBJ type. I also think that independents have already long soured on Obama, despite what any polls say; call it a hunch.
BO doesn't give a shit what they think as long as they vote Dem.
Till they say they're voting GOP or staying home, they may as well piss in the wind.
This would be a worry. Hillary is an even bigger and obvious threat to civil rights than Obama is. The entire campaign would have to be run on the "Republicans want to take away your birth control!" shtick.
This whole "brown" thing is so stupid.
Most Muslims (at least Arabs) are about as brown as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio - not very.
Quite agree, known Arabs with both strong Caucasian heritage as well as Negroid. Would have likely married a Palestinian so Mediterranean in appearance she was often asked if she was Greek or Italian if my head wasn't so firmly up my first wife's ass at the time (still just dating). It's a culture with Semitic roots but not even that defines them completely.
'Brown people' has devolved to snarc terminology used by the brain dead.
Yes, but "Olive people' just doesn't have the same ring.
The Beige Persuasion has a nice ring to it;)
Dammit. Tim Scott should have made the Wiz Kalifah quote. Rubio could have done a Ricky Ricardo.
"Senor President. Joo got some 'splainin to do! Ha. Ha. Ha. Babaloo!"
From the NYT blog:
Thanks Dick.
I thought That blog entry portrayed Paul in a very favorable light. Kind of surprising to see on the NYT site.
Durbin with a zinger.
And Paul ought to say that we should have issued Letters of Marque and done everything possible to bring him to court.
Someone really needs to hand Dick Durbin a bloody shirt. He needs something to wave around.
Someone really needs to hand punch Dick Durbin a bloody shirt in the mouth. He needs something bones to wave around be broken.
Aw, fuck it. You know what I meant.
Did you mean?
"Someone really needs to hand Dick punch Durbin, he's a bloody stuffed shirt. He needs something to wave around ...shit to fling a lobotomy."
cause that's how I read it.
I think he should have just pointed out that if bin Laden had been sitting in a compound in the U.S., the proper response would not have been to attack the compound with a drone strike.
And Cruz just made that point very nicely.
...And in response to whatever strawman bullshit that the senator from Illinois was babbling about,?. had Bin Laden been an American citizen, then currently on U.S. soil, engaging in an lethal and emminant "terrorist" act, and been killed by a drone, your stupid fucking (Question?) statement would have been relevant to this discussion....now shut-up shithead, the adults are talking...
/Rand Paul
Maybe my memory is fuzzy, but we didn't drone strike Bin Laden, did we?
No, we sent in special forces.
No, we sent in special forces.
Yeah, ostensibly to capture him, by the way.
Getting Bin Ladin was about retribution, not protecting us from an imminent attack.
Caption for C-SPAN's streaming feed of the filibuster:
"Now on C-SPAN2: Gun Violence Reduction"
I'm sure all their schedule has been fucked up by this, no complaints from me about CSPAN.
No complaint here either. I find it perversely applicable though.
Dang man, Cruz just said that if bin laden was in the US he should of been arrested. That's pretty extreme; not that I disagree with him (and it's a shame that that is extreme).
What about Chris Dornan?
What about him? The police basically put out a death warrant against him, evidenced by the consequence-free shooting up of the truck the old women were driving as well as the second truck they rammed and shot up that the man was driving.
I hope McCain and Lindsey feel the strains of G?tterd?mmerung vibrating beneath their feet when they realize how much the zeitgeist in their own party has shifted to elect men like Paul and Cruz, and hopefully, more like them to take the place of those POS.
Cruz is a solid speaker. He's been a big help to Paul today.
Aw, shit. Is he getting ready to end it?
Is Paul wrapping it up? Sounds like it.
Now that he's wrapping up, Reid will ram it.
They ought to get a piss break at least while somebody is answering a question.
Breaking the record would have been great, but 12 hours is more than adequate to have made his point.
He did a fantastic job.
They should have brought in some easels to shield him and gave him a bucket.
I know, right? Or just set up a human wall for him to piss behind. Do you know how much shit the other Team would catch if they objected to a guy getting a piss after 13 hours?
"OMG Paul literally takes a shit on the Senate floor and shows his Rethuglican contempt for government"
//Team Blue response if Paul did anything like that.
Or he could've worn Depends.
Astronaut diapers!
Or maybe a stillsuit. You could go on for days with one of those.
+1 armor
Shit, he just yielded the floor. 🙁
Can't stop the standing ovation. Nice way to wrap it up Rand.
Thank you, Senator Paul.
Indeed. My bladder would not have lasted pass the third hour. But then, it rarely goes that long without being onslaughted with beer.
Does Team Blue have a majority there to bring cloture? I thought they still had to have a majority.
They need 60 votes regardless of how many are present, unless Reid changed the rules this term.
He did, but I think they still need a majority. I'm wondering because they read a roll call of 17 Team Blue guys off and called that cloture. WTF?
I think those are the people calling for cloture.
I guess that gets voted on in the morning.
Another leftist response (evidenced here) is to wonder why Rand Paul doesn't work to pass a law against dronefare or AUMF reform instead of just filibustering. [/facepalm]
Way to go, Rand Paul. You did a wonderful thing today.
Can he show up and do the same thing again tomorrow?
Didn't you ever see Mr. Smith Foes to Washington?
Typo...
I like it.
Nope.
*hangs head in shame*
There's a part where they try to trick him by saying, 'let's go to bed and we'll continue this in the morning' but he finds out that he'll have to be given the floor again to speak.
Only if the president recognizes him first.
They'll play keep away with the mike unless he promises not to.
Cheers Senator.
My favorite Facebook page shares the most hilarious meme to come out of the night
So, what's been accomplished?
A few news junkies got entertainment for a few hours, we got to see most of the left behave like total hypocrites, and Rand Paul probably irreparably damaged his prostate.
Paul tripped up Rubio in the race to the White House is what happened.
Paul/Cruz 2012
I'd vote for that. Hell, Paul with ANYONE for VP would get my vote.
Yes, but Paul/Cruz may be my new dream ticket.
I think Cruz/Paul would be more likely.
While I agree more with Rand's politics, Cruz is a much smoother speaker
I'd ask Doc Groovus this, but can holding your urine cause erectile difficulties?
Q: What do you get when during the Cairo Embassy riot you tweet "Today is the anniversary of 9/11. May every year come with America burning."?
A: Michelle Obama and John Kerry handing you the Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award in a special ceremony!
As added insult, compare Ms. Ibrahim's accomplishment to accomplishments of the other women who will receive this years prize. Ms. Ibrahim is receiving the award because the Egyptian police gave her a glorified pap smear.
For once in my life, I have a faint sense that our government system works.
Too bad things like this are so rare, and even worse, so rarely used for such important things.
Must be nice to be waited on hand and foot.
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