If Only it was a Movie
Guy T. Sturino
February 17, 2006
One of the few movies I?ve seen in recent years was The Horse Whisperer. I really enjoyed it. But, it was enjoyable only after having turned away from much of the first fifteen minutes. The visual description of events leading up to the horrific accident, which was the foundation for the movie, was agonizing. The audience watched the truck and horseback rider as they moved closer and closer to the ultimate and unstoppable disaster. Finally it happened ? the gut wrenching impact in excruciating slow-motion detail.
When I left the theater, I told myself that I never wanted to see anything like that again. Yet every day I record the Senate on C-Span. Every day I am transfixed by the events which have already reached the point of disaster-in-slow-motion. And, this time I?m not watching an accident. What I see is the contrived destruction of the Senate as a deliberative body. Day by day and bit by bit Senator Frist, in his position as majority leader, denies and disregards the rights of other duly elected Senators to participate in the legislative process. Yesterday was no exception.
When Senator Feingold was denied the opportunity to propose an amendment to the Patriot Act, the horse?s head hit the grill of the truck. Senator Frist spent several minutes lamenting what he called obstructionism on the part of the minority. With tedious disingenuous sincerity, he disgorged a litany of phony crimes committed by the minority. At the same time Senator Frist was presenting meaningless amendments of his own simply to ?fill the tree,? which seems to be some rule about how many amendments can be scheduled to be heard. But that was not the worst of it.
Several Senators spoke about how Senator Feingold?s amendments should be heard, repeatedly citing that the purpose of the Senate is be a participative deliberative body. The key word being participative. As I have watched the proceedings of the past year I have heard many speeches. However, discussion and debate on the floor of the Senate have become nearly nonexistent. By abusing his authority as majority leader, to manipulate who gets to offer amendments, and by insisting on cloture motions before any meaningful debate can take place, he has halted the legislative process. In its place, Senator Frist has instituted a President's Rubber Stamp Entourage of political zealots.
Yesterday, the minority was complicit in the implementation of Senator Frist?s new PRSE. When Senator Frist made a motion for cloture on the Patriot Act, which should truly be renamed the Un-American Activities Legalization Act, the PRSE approved the motion 97-3, and meaningful debate was terminated. Several provisions of the Act clearly undermine provisions of Constitutional Amendments 1, 4, which have already been declared unconstitutional in Circuit courts. So much for the Bill of Rights.
Regardless of the failings of the Act, cloture should have been denied by the minority solely on the basis of ensuring the legitimacy of the legislative process.
By disregarding this opportunity to put the brakes on the abuse of power by Senator Frist, the truck hit the rider, and the rider is badly injured. Our duly elected Senators are in a state of shock. Walking and talking but unaware of their surroundings, they need to wake up - soon. Who will whisper to them?
When I left the theater, I told myself that I never wanted to see anything like that again. Yet every day I record the Senate on C-Span. Every day I am transfixed by the events which have already reached the point of disaster-in-slow-motion. And, this time I?m not watching an accident. What I see is the contrived destruction of the Senate as a deliberative body. Day by day and bit by bit Senator Frist, in his position as majority leader, denies and disregards the rights of other duly elected Senators to participate in the legislative process. Yesterday was no exception.
When Senator Feingold was denied the opportunity to propose an amendment to the Patriot Act, the horse?s head hit the grill of the truck. Senator Frist spent several minutes lamenting what he called obstructionism on the part of the minority. With tedious disingenuous sincerity, he disgorged a litany of phony crimes committed by the minority. At the same time Senator Frist was presenting meaningless amendments of his own simply to ?fill the tree,? which seems to be some rule about how many amendments can be scheduled to be heard. But that was not the worst of it.
Several Senators spoke about how Senator Feingold?s amendments should be heard, repeatedly citing that the purpose of the Senate is be a participative deliberative body. The key word being participative. As I have watched the proceedings of the past year I have heard many speeches. However, discussion and debate on the floor of the Senate have become nearly nonexistent. By abusing his authority as majority leader, to manipulate who gets to offer amendments, and by insisting on cloture motions before any meaningful debate can take place, he has halted the legislative process. In its place, Senator Frist has instituted a President's Rubber Stamp Entourage of political zealots.
Yesterday, the minority was complicit in the implementation of Senator Frist?s new PRSE. When Senator Frist made a motion for cloture on the Patriot Act, which should truly be renamed the Un-American Activities Legalization Act, the PRSE approved the motion 97-3, and meaningful debate was terminated. Several provisions of the Act clearly undermine provisions of Constitutional Amendments 1, 4, which have already been declared unconstitutional in Circuit courts. So much for the Bill of Rights.
Regardless of the failings of the Act, cloture should have been denied by the minority solely on the basis of ensuring the legitimacy of the legislative process.
By disregarding this opportunity to put the brakes on the abuse of power by Senator Frist, the truck hit the rider, and the rider is badly injured. Our duly elected Senators are in a state of shock. Walking and talking but unaware of their surroundings, they need to wake up - soon. Who will whisper to them?
Print
Email
