Republicans Try to Outflank Democrats on Key Measures

With the details on Budget cuts still a major problem, Stevens throws in arctic drilling, so as to make for an exciting Christmas! :-)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/16/politics/16cong.html

December 16, 2005
Republicans Try to Outflank Democrats on Key Measures
By CARL HULSE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 - Congress headed Thursday toward end-of-session showdowns over oil drilling in Alaska, an antiterror law and budget cuts as majority Republicans maneuvered to enact Bush administration priorities over intensifying Democratic opposition.

Senator Ted Stevens, Republican of Alaska, said he would try to achieve his longstanding goal of opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration by adding the plan to a spending bill for the Pentagon. That move was likely to set up a procedural clash that could determine the fate of a separate proposal to enact about $45 billion in spending cuts.<snip>

A filibuster was looming against a bill that would renew the USA Patriot Act, the broad antiterrorism measure passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. With a vote scheduled for Friday to cut off debate on the bill, a bipartisan filibuster effort gained the support Thursday of several key Democrats, including Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Dianne Feinstein of California and Max Baucus of Montana.<snip>

A contentious health and education measure was teetering in the Senate, and a hurricane relief package for the Gulf Coast was still being ironed out.<snip>

I uh I don't understand

He's going to risk shitcanning the entire budget cut measure for ANWR? Is Christmas coming early?

:-)

Any Democrat that votes against it will be "against the troops". Likewise, any Democrat that votes for it is pissing off the base.

There will come a day of reckoning for these GOP thugs. When that day comes, I hope the Democrats keep the rules the same and steamroll over these bastards!