Holy shit, even the English language you use exists in a fucking alternate reality:
ENGLISH MOTHERFUCKER, DO YOU SPEAK IT
GOP obstructionism was the BIGGEST reason you god damned idiot
THIS WAS A GOP HEALTHCARE PLAN YOU FUCKING NIMROD
The GOP didn't care whether it had single payer or not, whether it was their plan or not, they were set out to oppose ANYTHING the president proposed.
CLEARLY Obama wants some form of Single payer healthcare considering HE'S TRYING TO BACKDOOR IT
Dude, seriously. Your meds are your friends. Being so full of rage and so out of touch with reality cannot be good for you.
GOP obstructionism had absolutely zero affect on Obamacare with the exception of Vitter's Healthy Hooters amendment. Obama did not need Republicans, never consulted Republicans, never listened to Republicans - even support for Vitter's amendment came from liberal groups. Obamacare was written by Democrat staffers and/or lobbyists completely behind closed doors, and except for Vitter's common sense amendment is exactly as written. It is NOT a GOP health care plan; at the very most it incorporates some ideas proposed by some Republicans as a lesser evil to the truly horrible Hillarycare. Obamacare is exactly what he could get from his Democrat Senators, no more and no less.
The low ratings for Congress are funny, but easy to understand. Republicans hate Congress because of the Democrats, and Democrats hate Congress because of the Republicans. And independents hate Congress because of both. You'll never see an approval that low on the president, because some percentage of his party will approve of him even if he sacrifices a puppy on an altar and eats its heart on live TV.
And everyone only thinks their guys are great, it's the other guys that are the problem. Despite those low ratings, incumbents win by huge percentages every two years.
This, except most of us are not very fond of our guys either. Seems the things where we supposedly agree are the things they never really get around to introducing and the things where we disagree are the things that get pushed. I'm fiscally conservative and socially liberal and damned near every small government conservative has a laundry list of social issues to push which empower government, or at the least don't empower individuals.
Since Reagan and Sasser (and ironically Frist, when he ran against Sasser), I've had no one at a federal level that I really wanted to support who actually got elected. Mostly it's a question of voting for the lesser evil. Gary Johnson is the closest to an ideal Presidential candidate in my lifetime, but he got nowhere.
Wow, a lot of the over-the-top rhetoric here. I suppose that's expected for ATP&N.
Firstly, this is not a filibuster per se. This is appropriate use of the cloture rules. The cloture rules exist to extend debate if parties believe that more debate is necessary.
From what I hear the vote is expected to take place next week, so it's not a filibuster.
I've heard several reasons for the delay.
1. Info was requested from Hagel previously and he has failed to provide it, specifically copies of (policy-type) speeches he has made.
2. There is concern he may have a financial conflict, he has also failed to produce the info requested about that.
3. Looks like some Senators are using this as leverage to get answers to questions about Benghazi from the Obama admin. I don't think that's what cloture is about, but this is politics in Washington.
I don't see how a week long delay to get Hagel to produce the relevant, or potentially relevant info is outrageous in any way. That info may sway some votes. Moreover, Senate votes on confirmation are a serious responsibility and will likely be an issue during reelection for some Senators. Getting the info about Hagel's speeches and financial info before deciding on a vote seems entirely prudent.
So much drama for a mere one week delay, much of which could have been avoided had Hagel promptly provided the info in the first place.
Fern
If they're filibustering because of requested information from Hagel then I absolutely support it in principle. For Hagel, though - almost every one of them know him personally, and Cabinet members don't have the autonomy of, say, federal judges. Serving at the President's pleasure, they are simply spear catchers/carriers who execute the President's policy (albeit hopefully with considerable input into that policy if they are well qualified) until needed to deflect (or if needed absorb) a threat. Even if Hagel has worked for/with anti-Israel groups, it's Obama's policy he'll be carrying out, not his own. Makes me wonder what information they can honestly need from Hagel.
I dislike Hagel and his politics, but I think in general the President deserves to have the Cabinet members he wants unless they are dishonest or grossly unqualified.