Perhaps Barbara Mikulski doesn't listen when the "Party of No" is talking.
In a release, U.S. Senate candidate Eric Wargotz reminds us the Senate is supposed to be a deliberative body:
Having followed politics for a while, I don't get surprised often by actions of politicians, yet last week Senator Mikulski surprised me. Throughout her career Senator Mikulski has supported the filibuster when her party was in the minority and yet last week she gave a speech on the Senate floor calling for the end of the filibuster.
There is an old quote that says, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." One party has complete control of everything in Washington and what we are seeing is corruption and a lack of accountability unlike anything we have seen in recent history.
Senator Mikulski has claimed in the past to look out for the little folks, and yet now she is trying to remove all rights of the minority.
(snip)
If the right to filibuster is removed, her party will be able to pass card check, cap and trade, and who knows what other big government intrusions on our lives. We can't let this happen!
I am thankful every day for the filibuster. The filibuster is the only thing keeping our nation from going off a cliff. When elected, I will do everything in my power to protect the right to filibuster. I will fight to bring accountability back to government and I will fight to end the corruption.
It is particularly odd how, when Democrats are in the minority Republicans bend over backwards to be "fair" but when the shoe is on the other foot liberals show no such courtesy, and complain bitterly when the minority does try to stand up for those they represent.
Of course, that's not generally a problem with Mikulski, who is quick to latch onto any big government scheme - particularly when she can send a few earmarks to favored campaign contributors along the way. Besides, she had no problem voting for a filibuster when minority Democrats killed easing or repealing the death tax or reforming malpractice insurance for OB/GYN practicioners, as just a few examples from the Republican-led 109th Congress show.
Further, it's not like we have a filibuster in the true sense of the word anymore. A few decades ago Senate rules were relaxed, ending the need for hours-long harangues on the Senate floor such as the 14-hour speech the late Senator Robert Byrd delivered against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. At that time a 2/3 majority was needed to end these standoffs, but Senators actually had to maintain the floor rather than pass the simple cloture votes needed now.
But many of those in the know have already found Democrats tend to reek of hypocrisy, so it's likely Eric's criticism of Mikulski will change few minds. Still, it's a good point and well worth the reminder.
Comments
I agree Mikulski needs slammed for her hypocrisy, but it's pretty inaccurate to say that when Republicans are in power they bend over backwards to be fair. When the GOP controlled the Senate there were plenty of calls by GOP senators to end the filibuster. Now that those same senators are in the minority, they worship at the altar of the Senate rules. The views of both parties on the filibuster are directly related to whether or not they hold the majority in the Senate.
The filibuster is vilified by either party in the minority at the time
The filibuster should go away, no matter who is in the minority. Both parties suck, which is why I'm voting Neumark for Senate.
Rutledge or "viva la casa" Mikulski. Wargotz is also running who is a mikulski look alike. Read his own words about illegal aliens and note how he wants small business to pay for the health care of illegals.. please throw him off your list. Doesn't Wargotz know that marylanders pay an estimated $2billion a year to illegal aliens plus ......give them jobs, a drivers license and a voters card? What about the drugs and gangs that are up in md 70%? Thank you mikulski, Omalley, Miller, Busch, Munson and the rest of you *&%^$&^)
OUT OF THE MOUTH OF WARGOTZ.. ANOTHER MIKULSKI LOOKALIKE..
“I was very disappointed that President Obama stated that he wouldn’t pay health care for illegal immigrants,” he said, bucking the GOP stand. “My ultra-right friends hate this, but I’m not ultra-right. Take the illegal aliens and give them IDs and have small businesses who hire them pay for health care
http://www.redstate.com/mrnewman/2010/06/15/2009-wargotz-interview-used-...
wargotz is a liberal illegal alien supporter. Maryland tax payers spent $2billion $$ last year on illegal aliens on welfare because of their "babies for profit" schemes while they work our jobs and vote. Wargotz has more $$ than any of the others running against mikulski but he is just as bad if not worse than her. Check out the words of Wargotz and see if you think he will support illegal aliens with our $$ and he also wants small business to pay the health care of "ILLEGAL ALIENS"..Maryland has lost 3000 business's in 4 years. Wargotz must go. Check JIm Rutledge who is extremely 2nd amendment, anti illegal aliens and supports the arizona law and hates it that taxpayers are footing the bills for illegal aliens. Jim Rutledge is very well known on the other side of the bridge. We can't let wargotz who is a mikulski look alike win this race. He is a disaster liberal in a conservative republican suit. All I ask is that you at least converse with Rutledge. We would be honored to have this man represent us in DC..
http://www.rutledgeforussenate.com/
OUT OF THE MOUTH OF WARGOTZ.. ANOTHER MIKULSKI LOOKALIKE..
“I was very disappointed that President Obama stated that he wouldn’t pay health care for illegal immigrants,” he said, bucking the GOP stand. “My ultra-right friends hate this, but I’m not ultra-right. Take the illegal aliens and give them IDs and have small businesses who hire them pay for health care
http://www.redstate.com/mrnewman/2010/06/15/2009-wargotz-interview-used-...
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