 | |||
| Publications | Issue List | Vote Analysis | Main Page |
| September 13, 2000 | |||
7th Stall Tactic Since August
Democrats Dodge Their own Bullet
Democrats are so desperate for a "do nothing Congress" that today they resorted to roadblocking their own legislation.
Senator Santorum, on behalf of the Majority Leader, today offered a unanimous consent request for the Senate to consider S. 2497, the Media Violence Labeling and Advertising Act of 2000 -- a piece of legislation cosponsored by Senator Lieberman.
The unanimous consent request provided for two hours of debate, equally divided, with each side permitted to offer one amendment relevant to the bill and called for 30 minutes of debate, equally divided, on each amendment.
Republicans proposed bringing up the Lieberman-cosponsored bill following the release of a Federal Trade Commission report Monday, which found that the U.S. entertainment industry markets violent movies, music, and electronic games to children, even when they are rated only for mature audiences.
So why, then, would the Democrats object to bringing up legislation sponsored by their own party's vice presidential candidate? According to Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle in the Sept. 8 edition of USA Today, the Democrat strategy is to stall.
"Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., has a simple strategy for winning the final negotiations over spending bills: Stall until the Republicans have to cave in because they can't wait any longer to recess and get out on the campaign trail. That's because 18 of the 29 senators seeking re-election are Republicans and 11 are Democrats. 'There are a lot of vulnerable Republican senators. I know they want to go home badly,' Daschle said. 'We have just one (who is vulnerable), and all he has to do is go across the river.' That would be Sen. Charles Robb, D-Va., who can return to his state every night regardless of when they recess."
This latest objection today is the seventh stall tactic put forth by the Democrats since the Senate's return from August recess. The question now becomes: at what cost to the people are Democrats willing to stall the work of the Senate?
Ask Senator Daschle.
The other six objects of Democrat stall tactics since August: H.R. 3615, the Rural Local Broadcast Signal Act; H.R. 1776, the National Manufactured Housing Construction bill; H.R. 1259, the Social Security & Medicare Safe Deposit Act (Lockbox); four district judges; S. 2507, Intelligence Authorization; and four nominations to the U.S. Institute of Peace.
Top Publications Issue List Vote Analysis Main Page