# Republicans take their ball and go home... Can anyone defend this? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 25, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711 "2010-03-25T03:57:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/1 "2010-03-25T03:57:39Z")
> [@](#): > > There is a little-noticed Senate rule that says committees need permission to meet anytime after two hours after the Senate convenes. Without permission, even a committee already in session has to stop meeting. No committee meetings are allowed to occur after 2:00 p.m… [T]o protest health care legislation, Republicans have refused to give their consent this week, bringing committee work in the Senate to a virtual standstill. > > [..] > > Carl Levin (D-MI) asked permission for the [already-scheduled Senated Armed Services Committee](http://armed-services.senate.gov/e_witnesslist.cfm?id=4483) to go forward — a request supported by ranking member Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). Levin pointed out that a couple of the commanders had traveled long distances to attend today’s hearing, from as far away as Japan. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), speaking on behalf of Republicans, objected and blocked the request: > BURR: As a member of the committee — and I side myself with the chair and the ranking member — that I have no personal objection to continuing. **There is objection on our side of the aisle. Therefore, I would have to object.** > [http://politics.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978127704](http://politics.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978127704) I adore the way this member of the party of personal responsibility weaseled out of taking personal responsibility. Democrats had their patriotism called into question by simply disagreeing with the President and the Republican majority and now the Republicans get butt-hurt so they decide that nobody gets to work and somehow that’s working for America? If you are a Republican or if you have a Republican Senator who decided that playing petulant games that affect homeless veterans and police training in Afghanistan was the proper, mature response to the healthcare bill, you are obliigated to call, email or write he or she and demand that they donate a portion of their salary commensurate with the time they decided to clock out early to a charity organization… Say one that helps homeless vets. I knew that Republicans were acting despicably for the past couple of years but now even the pretense of avoiding transparency is apparently too much for them to muster. Is this America First? Really? Yet we we the ones who were not Patriots? Can anyone defend this crap? If not, quit reading my complaints and call your Senator with some complaints of your own. Then, figure out why on earth you’d want to ever vote for one of those big babies. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/2 "2010-03-25T04:20:47Z")
The modern GOP is like the schoolyard bully who’ll taunt you everyday at recess, talk shit about your mother, yammer on about how tough they are, but the moment you dare to lay a finger on them they run off crying to the teacher like the bitches that they are. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/3 "2010-03-25T04:21:03Z")
Well, sure, but name one Democrat who’s had the courage to stand up against the free-Viagra-for-sex-criminals lobby! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/4 "2010-03-25T05:28:23Z")
Grayson (D)? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/5 "2010-03-25T05:51:52Z")
Let them continue to self destruct. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/6 "2010-03-25T06:49:20Z")
Defend this crap? I don’t even understand it. Why does the minority party have the power of prohibition here? Or do both parties have to agree to hold committee sessions, like the way you and the employee at your bank both have to stick your keys in the lock to get your safe deposit box? ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/7 "2010-03-25T07:30:14Z")
[Me and Alex P. Keaton](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH55qq1qpUA) ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/8 "2010-03-25T07:46:22Z")
:smack: linked to wrong subject matter. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/9 "2010-03-25T08:24:47Z")
Wish I could say that the Pubbies are cutting their own throats as a political entity, and that their juvenile antics will cost them votes next year. Unfortunately, these petulant stunts will probably earn them more votes in the long run. The American people really are just that stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/10 "2010-03-25T12:43:21Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > Wish I could say that the Pubbies are cutting their own throats as a political entity, and that their juvenile antics will cost them votes next year. > > Unfortunately, these petulant stunts will probably earn them more votes in the long run. The American people really are just that stupid. …well, that remains to be seen…but I do give them some credit for their strategy, although I feel it was not really planned: whip up the angry base with a LOT of lies and deception, then once they’ve got them in a frenzy (read - not thinking rationally) go into this “we’re fighting for YOU!” mode. No matter what they do at this point, their base will applaud it. Lemmings over a cliff. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/11 "2010-03-25T13:33:26Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Defend this crap? I don’t even understand it. Why does the minority party have the power of prohibition here? Or do both parties have to agree to hold committee sessions, like the way you and the employee at your bank both have to stick your keys in the lock to get your safe deposit box? The rule says that committee meetings can’t be after 2, which is 2 hours after the senate starts meeting. To suspend the rule requires unanimous consent…it’s basically saying, “Hey, there’s a rule that says a committee can’t meet, but we’re going to do it anyway. Anybody object?” If one senator objects, they can’t do it, because it takes unanimous consent to suspend the rules. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/12 "2010-03-25T14:09:14Z")
Don’t we already have like eight threads about this? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/13 "2010-03-25T14:22:53Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Well, sure, but name one Democrat who’s had the courage to stand up against the free-Viagra-for-sex-criminals lobby! As loathe as I am to defend Senator Coburn, I think he’s right on this one. It probably could have waited tho. You do have to wonder how many sex criminals he prescribed Viagra for. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/14 "2010-03-25T15:03:05Z")
> [@](#): > > There is a little-noticed Senate rule that says committees need permission to meet anytime after two hours after the Senate convenes. Wait … what? Who thought that this was a good idea? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/15 "2010-03-25T15:19:35Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > Can anyone defend this crap? THEY’RE PATRIOTS STANDING AS A FINAL BRIGHT LINE OF REASON AND [DEL]DEMOCRA[/DEL]REPUBLICRACY AGAINST THE VILE ENCROACHMENTS OF THE RED HAND OF SOCIALISM\*!!!\* > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Don’t we already have like eight threads about this? Not about this particular one, no, I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/16 "2010-03-25T15:20:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Wait … what? Who thought that this was a good idea? Presumably anyone who’s seen a Senate committee in action after lunch. Six courses, wine, port, maybe a little brandy… “I tell you fellows, a national standardized nap time would triple productivity and create jobs!” ---
**Author:** ![CircleofWillis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/54ee81/32.png) [@CircleofWillis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CircleofWillis)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/17 "2010-03-25T15:30:01Z")
[IOKIYAAD? or Tu Qouque-a-go-go?](http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/12/17/Franken-cuts-Lieberman-off-on-healthcare/UPI-87201261104321/) Routine petty partisan bickering over usual courtesies are not new in a petty partisan bickering Congress. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/18 "2010-03-25T15:39:02Z")
[Hitler discovers Republicans have no ideas](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGBYY6HVMs) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/19 "2010-03-25T15:41:49Z")
> [@CircleofWillis](#): > > [IOKIYAAD? or Tu Qouque-a-go-go?](http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/12/17/Franken-cuts-Lieberman-off-on-healthcare/UPI-87201261104321/) > > Routine petty partisan bickering over usual courtesies are not new in a petty partisan bickering Congress. Franklin may or may not have been correct in what he did. But even on the assumption that he wasn’t, I hardly think failing to grant one Senator one extra minute of speaking time is even remotely comparable to an entire party shutting down one branch of the government for a week. Really. Do you think it is? Because if you do, let me introduce you to Kaplan studies to help with the analogy portion of your SATs. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711/20 "2010-03-25T15:42:50Z")
They are obstructionist, fear mongering, shit stirrers. Leading an army of dimwits and racists, too stupid to think for themselves and too illiterate to write protest signs. They like to keep their demographic ill informed, misled and riled up. It keeps them in the news. When will the American populace finally be done with the politics of fear and division? How does obstruction help anyone but profiteering predatory capitalists? Bushboy used fear mongering, and lies, to frighten most of the world into a land war in Asia, while deregulating Wall Street to the brink of collapse of the world economy. When will people wise up and stop falling for the same lame fear mongering tricks? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-take-their-ball-and-go-home-can-anyone-defend-this/533711.md?page=2)