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In describing GOP filibustering, Franken 'crosses the line' -- thank goodness

By Dave Mindeman | 07/28/10

At NetRoots Nation, Sen. Al Franken stated this:

"... But I do think that this whole approach of slowing everything down, in many ways I think it's so that, they don't want a jobs bill because they don't want people to get jobs before the election. It's a harsh thing to say, and I don't want to impugn the motives of my colleagues, but I don't get what they're doing otherwise."

Of course, he is referring to the tactics of the Senate Republicans to utilize the filibuster far beyond its original intent. And of course, the Minnesota GOP had to respond:

In a statement, the Minnesota GOP Chairman Tony Sutton said that Franken "crossed a line." "Al Franken's outrageous remarks are beneath a United States senator and we would encourage him to apologize for his baseless suggestion," Sutton said.

OK. So the first thing to note is that this "line" that Franken has somehow crossed must be a barrier with "Democrats Not Allowed" written across it, because Sutton and his GOP cohorts have no such arbitrary line stopping them.

Some empirical evidence
But, more important, what Franken contends about the Republican intent has some empirical evidence. Think Progress looked at more than 100 bills that have passed the House (with large bipartisan majorities), that the Senate filibuster has left in limbo.

All told, there are 290 such bills in various forms that are sitting on the Senate agenda. You can view the entire list here.

But let's look at a few specifics:

1) Small Business Financing and Investment Act (HR 3854): This legislation would provide assistance to small businesses so they get the credit the need to obtain loans to make payroll and expand. It passed the House 389-32 on Oct. 29, 2009.

2) Republicans blocked a motion by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., to provide immediate fixes to two areas of the law that would have clarified and protected coverage for millions of TRICARE and Veterans Administration beneficiaries.

3) Homes for Heroes Act (HR403): This legislation would expand and improve housing for homeless veterans. It passed the House 417-2 on June 16, 2009.

4) H.R. 3738, Small Business Early-Stage Investment Act

5) H.R. 3737, Small Business Microlending Expansion Act

6) H.R. 466, Wounded Veteran Job Security Act

7) H.R. 2352, Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act

All in addition to ...
Of course, these are all in addition to the unconscionable delay in extending unemployment benefits. The blocking of the Finance Reform Bill. The delay on federal health-care reform. And the killing of the cap and trade legislation – which, contrary to their characterization, would end up creating jobs, not killing them.

The Republicans are determined to stop any progress in bringing down barriers to job solutions, job creation, and ironically, help for veterans. If Franken is crossing some line to point out this hypocrisy, then please, Senator Franken, by all means, cross the line.

David Mindeman, of Apple Valley, is the main blogger for mnpACT!, a nonprofit dedicated to progressive issues and ideas.

Comments (7)

Submitted by Terry Hayes on July 28, 2010 - 8:46am.

Al, whatever you do, DO NOT APOLOGIZE!
You said what every thinking, scary smart American knows is true, even if it's never mentioned on the nightly news. Stand your ground, man! Don't get up there and cry like Dick Durbin for telling the truth!

Submitted by myles spicer on July 28, 2010 - 10:06am.

Franken may end up being the closest thing we will see to Wellstone (who, if he had lived, would have been THE leader among Senate liberals and a giant to the left). Straight talking...transparent...gutsy. One can only hope.

Submitted by Thomas Swift on July 28, 2010 - 11:54am.

"But I do think that this whole approach of slowing everything down, in many ways I think it's so that..."

Ahh yes; another meticulously crafted oration from the wordsmith from Manhattan.

Senator* Franken's tortured syntax alone probably resulted in a turgid response from the Nutroots audience, but through his grimace the thoughtful reader will recognize that as usual, the Senator* was arguing from a position of FAIL.

The filibuster rule was adopted for the *specific* purpose of slowing the progress of legislation. It is tangible evidence, put out there for all but the most simple minded to see, of the Senate's commitment to sober deliberation.

Many people expected Senator* Franken to distinguish himself as a leading buffoon, but I don't think many realized that he'd actually attempt to drag the entire US Senate into the clown car with him.

Thanks for the report, Dave.

Submitted by myles spicer on July 28, 2010 - 2:35pm.

Sorry Thomas, your suggestion that the filibuster was designed to "slow things down" is historically wrong.

Thus, the filibuster was not invented in a conscious effort to create a more deliberative legislative body. It was, rather, an accidental byproduct of early 19th century Senate rules reform. The Senate’s filibuster owes its existence not to design but to a lack of provisions that would limit senators’ rights to participate in the legislative process.

It was used sparingly -- till the Republicans found it a useful tool to stymie the majority, kill all new legislation, and damage Obama. That, sir, is what this is all about.

Till Obama was elected, it was used with discretion by BOTH parties; in 2009 it was used 112 times by the GOP; and this year over 50 so far. In fact, it has changed what we ALL beleive should be majority rule in our Democracy -- and what elections are all about.

Submitted by Thomas Swift on July 28, 2010 - 4:48pm.

You're understanding of the history of the filibuster is dead wrong, myles, but I'm not going to waste the time to rub your nose in it.

Instead, I feel it a better use of time to inform you that leftists are crediting Obama with far more importance vis-a-vis the GOP's courageous stand than is warranted.

Obama the man will be an interesting historical footnote after 2014, myles, you can bank on it. But conservatives are determined that he not leave a muddy footprint on our country's freedom and prosperity.

Our job is to lock arms and stand tall against the tide of socialism and economic ruin Obama and the Democrat party are bent on enacting during their short time as a majority.

We are winning, and we are winning with the help of those few Democrats that realize how bad things would be if Obama, Pelosi and Reid are left free to run roughshod through the congress.

Personally, I don't give Obama a second thought past how silly many people must feel for having gotten punk'd by his smarmy oratory.

Submitted by Eric Ferguson on July 28, 2010 - 4:54pm.

"The filibuster rule was adopted for the *specific* purpose of slowing the progress of legislation. It is tangible evidence, put out there for all but the most simple minded to see, of the Senate's commitment to sober deliberation."

Apparently tangible evidence need not be tangible to qualify as tangible. Utterly non-existent is quite good enough.

Submitted by Richard Schulze on July 28, 2010 - 5:18pm.

There are two main reasons why Republicans oppose extending benefits: because the country cannot afford it, and because benefits, they believe, have given the unemployed an incentive to stay out of work.

Pretexts, not reasons. The Republicans will do nothing to help the unemployed because it is in their political interest that the economy stay bad for as long as possible. They have become a faction in the worst sense of the Founding Fathers, self-interested and without regard for the common good. I am amazed and disgusted that a party I used to admire has sunk so low.