Dennis Kucinich tried a grandstand move on the floor of the House that almost backfired on him yesterday .

He introduced a motion to impeach VP Cheney on the flimsiest of pretext and tried to maneuver so the motion would go direct to the floor ;instead of through the committee process . When the voting started to bring the motion to the floor for debate ,the vote went along party lines . Then the Republicans changed tactics:


Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) persuaded Republican leaders to get rank-and-file GOP lawmakers to change their votes to force the debate.


At one point, the vote to table the motion stood at 246-165. Once Republicans began switching their votes, momentum swung the other way. When the vote stood at 205-206, some Democrats began switching their votes.


The vote to kill Kucinich’s resolution finally failed 162-251, giving Republicans the opportunity to watch Democrats debate whether to impeach Cheney — a debate in which many liberal Democrats were more than willing to engage.


House Republicans clearly enjoyed watching Democratic leaders squirm during the series of votes, which lasted more than one hour.


“The determination was made that if Democrats are going to waste time and resources with a resolution like this, then it should be thoroughly debated,” said Brian Kennedy, the spokesman for Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), adding that the charges against Cheney were “ludicrous.”


Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), accused Republicans of “wasting time.”

“They’re voting to impeach the vice president. What does that say about the support for President Bush in the Republican Conference?” he added, trying to put the best face on a situation Democratic leaders had wanted to avoid.


What happened next exposed the ideological fissures in the Democratic Caucus. Kucinich stared down Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who has been critical of the war but does not want to get bogged down in a political impeachment quagmire. Pelosi has taken the same stance.


Hoyer and Democratic leaders succeeded by a 218-194 vote to get a majority of Democrats to stop further debate. The House then voted by the same margin to send Kucinich’s resolution to the House Judiciary Committee, where it will be left to languish and die.
TheHill.com - GOP turns impeachment resolution against Dems (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-turns-impeachment-resolution-against-dems-2007-11-07.html)

Kucinich ,who admitted in the last Democrat debate that he had indeed seen a UFO with Shirley McLaine later expressed pleasure that his bill was tossed off the House floor and sent to committee.

Do you think that this is a good use of the House's time when they have yet to send needed appropriation bills to the President's desk ? Do the Democrats think they have nothing to lose since Congressional approval ratings are already scraping the floor ?

Hello tom:

He's got a killer old lady with a tongue thingy. Therefore, he can do anything he wants.

excon

... and he had the good sense to propose on their second date.

It is just hilarious . The Democrats are getting mauled on the Hufpo. Bob Cesca: The Impeachment Of Cheney - Politics on The Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/the-impeachment-of--c_b_71575.html)

What the Republicans need to do now is to force it out of committee and back to a full floor debate!

Tom,

What I think is it's funny that Pelosi's office 'accused Republicans of “wasting time,”' what with all the endless investigations, inquiries, foreign policy tours, letters to talk radio hosts, failure to pass appropriations bills (as you mentioned) and "message campaign (http://www.nrcc.org/news/view_article.asp?id=737)" meetings.

I hate to give her kudos but I think if it weren't for Pelosi keeping the more rabid members in check the Dems may have already self-destructed. I've said it what seems like a thousand times, the rabid left doesn't really care what the rest of us think because anything we have to offer is irrelevant. Pelosi knows that kind of stuff won't fly, hence the Trojan Horse campaign of last year and her, Reid and others laying low leading up to the election. She's on the job though, encouraging Democratic members to "hold town hall meetings in their districts or to participate in online or telephone discussions with constituents to talk up Congress’ successes (http://cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002620048)."

Wish I would have watched the debate yesterday, guess I'll have to read it in the record. Maybe there will be a round 2 soon :D

Steve ; actually I think if there is any leadership at all from the House Dems it is coming from Steny Hoyer and not San Fran Nan .But he has a lot of work to do to reign in the tin-foil caucus .

Steve ; actually I think if there is any leadership at all from the House Dems it is coming from Steny Hoyer and not San Fran Nan .But he has a lot of work to do to reign in the tin-foil caucus .

I'll buy that, all I know is someone has to rein them in. Breitbart has the video (http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=7715) of Kucinich introducing his resolution and looking like that "alien abuctee" for those of you who can or want to see it.

Kucinich made a big mistake... no need to go after a VP with***AN 11% APPROVAL RATING***! Most Americans are disgusted with him and his shooting his old friend in the face after "having a couple of beers"... :D

Why are you fascist guys worried about Congress wasting their time?? You don't even want Congress to have any power. LOL!

They remember... HIS APPROVAL RATING IS 11%!!

The public is well aware that THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION mismanaged TWO WARS, the War on Iraq and Afghanistan... and that Bush is unwilling to make any changes in his policies, just let the soldiers die in his ENDLESS WAR, WITH ENDLESS DEFICITS... and pass his giant quagmire on to the next President.

Bush had a rubber stamp Republican Congress and he still is going to end up in history as the WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC... The Cristo-Fascist President Bush went down in flames AND ALL AMERICANS KNOW IT. :)

You're right, Chou. Bush is terrible. I think that Kucinich (Kucoonich?) should bring a resolution to impeach Bush to the floor for debate next time.

Bwahahahahaha

I love Shaddeg's idea of going along with the resolution so that the Dems have to make fools of themselves in order to reverse their positions. Great political tactics. This is thoroughly enjoyable.

Anybody have any background information on Shaddeg? I don't know anything about the guy. He's clearly got a good political tactical mind. We should keep an eye on him in the future.

Elliot

What Elliot, did you run out of repudiation against me that you have used **TO ATTACK ME PERSONALLY**?? That tactic is what the fascists do here on the Board and in national politics... THE PERSONAL ATTACK... to distract average folks from the IMPORTANT ISSUES of our times.

Have a great weekend! :)

OK, Chou, I'll bite. Which part did you take as a personal attack?

I took what you said and responded to it as it deserved... with a laugh. Because what you said was pretty funny. Ridiculous, even. Ludicrous. Bordering on the hilarious. Absolutely buffoonish.

At no point did I insult you personally. I didn't call you an idiot, or a stupid person. I simply laughed at your idea that Bush is at fault for everything that's going bad in the world, and linked it to the original post. If you find that to be an insult, perhaps its because you recognize just how laughable your idea is.

Next time, try sticking to the original post, which in this case was about Kucinich trying to impeach Cheney. It might save you from a lot of non-existant "insult".

Elliot

Anybody have any background information on Shaddeg? I don't know anything about the guy. He's clearly got a good political tactical mind. We should keep an eye on him in the future.

There was more than one Republican who wanted Shadegg as Leader of the House after the Delay episode.National Review endorsed him for the job. He is an Az Rep . Shadegg was considered a strong, conservative alternative to Boehner and Roy Blunt during the race .

He has all the right credentials to eventually propel to national leadership in the Republican and Conservative ranks. Each new term he introduces legislation called the 'Enumerated Powers Act '(HR 1359).
"Each Act of Congress shall contain a concise and definite statement of the constitutional authority relied upon for the enactment of each portion of that Act. The failure to comply with this section shall give rise to a point of order in either House of Congress. The availability of this point of order does not affect any other available relief."


In other words;Congress would be required to justify any new bill with a statement about their Constitutional authority to take such action.

Elliot,

I guess you *forget* that management had to delete one of your insults to me?? In addition, click on my profile and look up your repudiations of my political comments... they contain personal insults and incidentally, repudiations of no merit.

KNOCK OFF THE INSULTS; THEY ARE AGAINST THE RULES HERE.
KNOCK IT OFF RIGHT NOW.

Continue with the discussion of Kucinich and his "Rush Limbaugh" like antics!!

Elliot,

I guess you *forget* that management had to delete one of your insults to me????? In addition, click on my profile and look up your repudiations of my political comments.....they contain personal insults and incidently, repudiations of no merit.

KNOCK OFF THE INSULTS; THEY ARE AGAINST THE RULES HERE.
KNOCK IT OFF RIGHT NOW.

Continue with the discussion of Kucinich and his "Rush Limbaugh" like antics!!!!

You're a riot, Choux. Spend all day calling us fascists then complain about being insulted :rolleyes:

You guys(Elliot, Tex, kinji, Tom) are fascists... I know you like to **hide** under the name of Conservatives, but you are not Conservatives. Reputable Conservatives don't support Bush and his::... reckless financial policies... his reckless war making... his lying... his Executive power grab against the Constitution... Bush and his followers are fascists. **TEXTBOOK FASCISTS**.

Neo-Conservatives=means==Fascists.
Otherwise, no need for the Neo.