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Joe Lieberman was told to stop talking. US Gov. Photo - Public Domain
Today Senator Al Franken (D-MN) effectively shut up Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) while Lieberman was giving a speech on the Senate floor. Lieberman was allotted ten minutes for the speech but ran out of time. At this time Lieberman asked for "unanimous consent" to finish his remarks but Franken objected taking away the "unanimous" from the consent. Under Senate rules therefore Lieberman was kept from finishing his speech.
The moment represented a small piece of justice for Democrats on two fronts.
First Franken's move represented a payback of sorts on the parliamentary game going on right now in the Senate. Republicans have used various parliamentary tactics in an attempt to stall health care reform over the last few days. The most notable came yesterday when Senator Tom Coburn demanded a 767 page amendment be read before it was voted on by the Senate. The amendment had no chance of passage as it proposed implementing a single-payer system but the vote itself was seen as a symbolic gesture for liberals who simply wanted an up or down vote. Instead Bernie Sanders (I-VT) was forced to withdraw the amendment after Coburn made the unusual request to have the amendment read. Republicans have also said they will demand a reading of the entire bill which could take over eight hours. However in using parliamentary procedure to speed up debate (as Franken did) Republicans flipped out as is evidenced by McCain's speech following Lieberman's. McCain complained about Franken's move and its effect on the Senate but McCain himself has lost his temper over this debate as can be seen in the clip below.
Franken's objection also served as a symbolic payback for Lieberman recent obstruction of the health care reform bill. The recent compromise which included a Medicare buy-in program was derailed when Lieberman objected to any such program. Liberals have since been infuriated with Lieberman for effectively killing what they viewed as the last truly progressive part of the legislation. Through his objection Franken may have just become every progressive's hero.
Clip #1: Bernie Sanders goes off on Republicans following Tom Coburn's demand to read a 700 page amendment.
Clip #2: Al Franken effectively shuts up Joe Lieberman on the Senate floor.
Clip #3: John McCain gets angry with Max Baucus during health care reform debate.
Comments
Kate, from John and Kate, will probably run for Frankin's seat next, she is more qualified. What a stupid, petty tool Frankin is...
Rob,
Who the heck is Kate? John who? I don't watch too much garbage, so please enlighten me.
Well....that really is rich. One Slimey Freshman Liberal telling another slimey Veteran Liberal( ok Indep...yeah right). To go blank himself.
I suppose it would be entertaining if it wasn't at the expense of the entire country. They ALL need to be THROWN OUT. ALL OF THEM. They do nothing but harm.
first Ventura, now Freaken! you people from minnesota should be proud!
Interesting. Although, if you wanted to be accurate your title would read:
Video: Al Franken effectively tells Joe Lieberman to shut up (under Senate rules), then gets his ASS handed to him by McCain for being an immature pratt.
Which is also what he did to Baucus, too.
Doc
McCain sounds like the grandpa from Popeye the movie.
How shameful of that clown boy. He should be held in contempt.
Al Franken did what EVERY democratic senator should have done.
Al Frankenstein did what every DEMOCRATIC senator IS effectively doing!!!
jaime says:
Al Frankenstein did what every DEMOCRATIC senator IS effectively doing!!!
so NOW democrats are the party of no????? BULL!!! We both know which is the party of NO.
Minnesota Senator Stuart Smalley's spokesman came out shortly after this happened and said Smalley only did this to save time.If he was telling Lieberman to "shut up", he did it like a typical yellow-bellied liberal coward.If Smalley becomes a liberal "hero" for trying to pull a powerplay...and then backpeddaling it within hours like a spanked ass, that's not much of a powerplay.
To Joseph Bondi,
I knew James Bond...and you sir are NO james BONDI!! He would never have wined as you and your party do. As I have stated before your little wussy Democratic/Progressive-moveon.org slogan doesn't cut with most of the American people.
The Democrats have said NO!! to the 60-64% who Don't want this Health SCAM that your Democratic political criminals are going to SHOVE down the entire counties throat on Christmas EVE. The Dems have said NO!! when asked for openness and to be able to read the bills. The Dems have said NO!! when the people want nothing to do with Cap And TAX. the Dems have said NO!! when it comes to Copenhagen 15 they are going to place ANOTHER TAX on the American people anyway.
In effect the Democrats have said NO!! to Constitutional Law and to Congressional proceedure. The Dems have said NO!! when Republicans have asked to be included in the Health Scam Committees. The Dems have said NO!! when citizens tried to meet with their reps. Endless
This is pretty stupid, we cant see any bill and examine it before we vote on it. Now we cant even hear what it says. Its in teh Senate rules. Gad throw all of congress and the person who resides at the White House out of office.
I wish they'd all 'shut up' and 'go home'!!!
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