Cruz's speech long, but it's not a filibuster
Washington (CNN) - Whatever you want to call Ted Cruz's marathon speech on the Senate floor, it's not in and of itself a filibuster. While he's speaking for an unusually long time, he's not holding up any Senate business.
It is part of a filibuster by him and other Senate Republicans like Marco Rubio and Mike Lee who are stalling immediate Senate action on the House-passed plan to fund the government past September 30. They don't need to talk to do that, they just say they will and that requires the Senate to reach a 60-vote threshold to stop them.
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The Senate's top Democrat – Majority Leader Harry Reid – started the process Tuesday to break that filibuster by filing a motion setting a time limit on on the debate. Because of Reid's motion, at about 1 p.m. Wednesday the full Senate will vote on whether to proceed with its formal consideration of the spending bill passed Monday in the House–that's the one that requires the 60 votes, known as a "cloture" vote.
Reid is expected to get the 60 votes he needs to stop Cruz and his allies from blocking Senate consideration of the bill. Reid needs at least six Republicans to vote with the 54 members of the Democratic caucus and a number of Republicans have said they'll side with Democrats on this vote.
Cruz's speech differs from Sen. Rand Paul's 13-hour filibuster in March of John Brennan's nomination to be CIA director because Paul seized the Senate floor and delayed all other Senate business. Cruz can hold the floor only until the scheduled vote later today.
"Cruz can hold the floor only until the scheduled vote later today."
It only needed Ted Cruz to show America just how farcical the GOP has become. A party of grandstanding, beneath contempt, me first, blabber mouths all vying for a very minute segment of a voting base built on equally like minded me first blabber mouths.
I wish people would read this article carefully.
Cruz's actions are POINTLESS. The vote on the House bill will go forward. This is all about Cruz wanting to be President.
Cruz is pathetic.
Nope, not a filibuster. Yup, it was another titanic waste of time and money, courtesy of the "might" wing.
What a waste of time. The law is no be defunded. Get over it.
So he's doing all this for.... attention? NO (note: sarcasm) he wouldn't do that just to get the tea party's approval of his presidential bid, would he?
Now he can say it beat Rand Paul....My question is why aren't they stopping him?
So Teddy had to ask Uncle Harry if he could talk thru the night. My God, these tea people are getting crazier and crazier by the day and are destroying the once great republican party in the process. very sad indeed
To be fair, he wasting nobody's time but his own because the vote takes place when scheduled whether he likes it or not, this not being a filibuster. There would have been this much time between anyway. The reality is that there's truly not much difference whatsoever between it being filled with nobody talking or with some idiot blabbering away while essentially saying nothing.
Cruz is bringing attention to the fact that groups like Congress and the AFL-CIO DO NOT WANT OBAMACARE for themselves: But I guess it is OK to impose it on the rest of the poor suckers in this country who do not have powerful special interest groups to lobby for them.
M.A.P.
So he's doing all this for.... attention? NO (note: sarcasm) he wouldn't do that just to get the tea party's approval of his presidential bid, would he?
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It's a shame that you have to spell out sarcasm for the right wing. They'd never recognize it if you didn't. The right's biggest miss when it comes to recognizing sarcasm by the left is the criticism of Cruz's Canadian roots. They really don't get it.
Sniffit
To be fair, he wasting nobody's time but his own because the vote takes place when scheduled whether he likes it or not, this not being a filibuster. There would have been this much time between anyway. The reality is that there's truly not much difference whatsoever between it being filled with nobody talking or with some idiot blabbering away while essentially saying nothing.
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They argued about it and set up this "all nighter" on company time, didn't they? Time that could have been better spent on unwinding the right wing's next debt ceiling debacle.
Nope, legitimately it isn't a filibuster. It's a game, and a huge waste of time to block a bill that the party says it supports. The GOP means nothing now. Everything the party ever historically stood for (including great things like civil rights, the EPA, and more) it has renounced so that it can play games.
Crashing the government, endangering the recovery- it's just fun for the GOP.
Crazy is the new norm for them I guess... and they'll wonder why they lose votes in 2014.
Texas Wendy Williams.. was a hero..did fillibuster... Texas Ted Cruz ..is just wacky...did not fillibuster...its funny his goverment managed healthcare (similar to Obamacare).. is not an issue and is never up for the debate by the repugs.. they gladly take our money to pay for it... and when you ask them... they feel they have excellent healthcare benefits...ummm?
To be frank I do not understand why anyone who is thinking right, can fight against: nature (as Cruz opted to hold on call of nature for all these hours); not letting himself get few hours of sleep, as it is natural to every creature; shouting and not discussing trying to let 30 million people not get the health care they really need. From my point of view, I was not impressed at all by such a move of Ted Cruz. I would appreciate those who praise him, to enlighten me why I shouldn't put this man on the list of crazy people.
"While he's speaking for an unusually long time, he's not holding up any Senate business."
He never intended to. This is nothing more than attention seeking childishness.
Sarah Palin ✔ @SarahPalinUSA
Stay strong @SenTedCruz! Wear comfortable shoes. As we did for Rand Paul, fortifying caribou jerky is on its way #KeepCruzing #MakeDCListen
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Any politician Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck support or indorse is a joke , as is she..
Cruz is our voice.
What's the point in working if all we can earn is a 'Subsistence' living?
Our jobs are pointless if we cannot engage in our 'Pursuit of Happiness'.
More of us will lose our homes because we can't afford the additional cost of meeting the demand of the ACA.
Workers of America.
Descend upon D.C.
It is time to stand with Senator Ted Cruz in his efforts to protect our wages from the ACA.
ASAP
Thomas
Sarah Palin ✔ @SarahPalinUSA
Stay strong @SenTedCruz! Wear comfortable shoes. As we did for Rand Paul, fortifying caribou jerky is on its way #KeepCruzing #MakeDCListen
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Any politician Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck support or indorse is a joke , as is she..
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It's funny, thet tweet encompasses pretty much everything that's wrong with the GOP.
you know he is peeing in his pants.. LOL
I don't disagree with a liberal or anyone else about the need for access to good health care for all Americans. I just can't figure out how to pay for it.
$$$$
I don't disagree with a liberal or anyone else about the need for access to good health care for all Americans. I just can't figure out how to pay for it.
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Then don't pay. According to the right wing's argument, you should already have access to health care. Don't worry about it.
Cruz for president. After all he is a natural born Ameri--what? Oh ok
You filibust Congress Cruz we'll get to defund Obamaca-what!? Well
A least he's giving a meaningful speech about policies and our fut- Dr. Seuss?!?! FORGET IT~
Ted Cruz is an embarrassment–like some drunk guy at a bar sputtering out dribble all night that he thinks is brilliant. He won't shut up and he won't go away.