Reid’s plan to block Bush’s recess appointments
This (from thinkprogesss) is awesome. I love Harry Reid.
“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has a little trick up his sleeve that could spell an end to President Bush’s devilish recess appointments of controversial figures like former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton.” U.S. News reports:
We hear that over the long August vacation, when those types of summer hires are made, Reid will call the Senate into session just long enough to force the prez to send his nominees who need confirmation to the chamber. The talk is he will hold a quickie “pro forma” session every 10 days, tapping a local senator to run the hall. Senate workers and Republicans are miffed, but Reid is proving that he’s the new sheriff in town.
Cool eh? It looks like Carper will be able to be a Democrat for a few days this summer AND provide a HUGE service to the country.
Tags: National Dems
This is where the Democrats earn my respect. And, you’re right. Getting Carper to act like one will certainly dig him out of the 100-yard hole he’s already dug with me.
Speaking of Harry Reid…what in the hell did you do to my avatar?! It will be back, oh yes it will!!!
I see the avatar. It does have some awesomeness going for it.
It’s a cute stunt, but, my guess is that the White House will respond by saying the senate isn’t “in session” when it lacks a quarum.
The Senate, not the White House, gets to define when it is or isn’t in session.
anon,
Haven’t you heard? Steamy and his ilk have elevated Bush to the station of King. He can dissolve parliament if he so desires.
my what an active fantasy life you have, jason.
Anon, the President has the power to make reccess appointments, that is to appoint judges, ambassadors etc. when the senate is not available to advise and consent ie not available to vote on the nominations. if there is no quarrum, the senate can’t vote… so it would apear that the conditions have been met for a reccess appointment.
if President Bush follows this path, Reid’s responce will be to squeal loudly and unleash the lawyers, asking the Supreme Court to rule on the issue. I suspect the constitution will take presidence over the rules of the senate.
The Constitution says the Senate makes its own rules. You strict constructionists should know that.
Most importantly, that means that they decide what constitutes a quorum. There is no quorum at 3AM, but W cannot make a recess appointment at 3AM.
W would try to make a recess appointment while Harry Reid is in the men’s room.
the President has the power to make reccess appointments, that is to appoint judges, ambassadors etc. when the senate is not available to advise and consent ie not available to vote on the nominations. if there is no quarrum, the senate can’t vote… so it would apear that the conditions have been met for a reccess appointment.
No, this is not what the Constitution, that quaint document, actually says says. It says the recess appointments may be made for “Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate.” Recess starts when the Senate says it starts, not when Bush says. Quorums and “available to advise” have nothing to do with it.
The Supreme Court historically has distaste for these cases and will probably throw it back to the political process. But you never know with these activist judges.