Filibuster THIS

On Wednesday at 11:47 a.m., Republican Sen. Rand Paul took to the Senate floor to block the vote on President Barack Obama’s nomination of John Brennan for CIA director.

His self-aggrandizing filibuster sideshow was shamelessly promoted by his staff on his Twitter account. Some tweets were even branded with the hashtag “#filiblizzard,” playing off the snowstorm covering Washington, D.C.

At one point, Paul whispered to an aide, “Can you get me a candy bar or two?” He then proceeded to stuff his face.

With his mouth full of chocolate and caramel and in-between loud chomps, he informed the public about the U.S. Constitution’s geographical limitations.

Thanks for that; we thought the Constitution applied everywhere.

He was so moved to filibuster, allegedly, because the Obama administration could potentially use drone strikes to kill U.S. civilians in the future.

Yet roughly six hours in, Paul admitted that the CIA, which Brennan would administer, has nothing to do with the drone program. The Department of Defense does.

“This discussion tonight isn’t so much about John Brennan, or his nomination,” Paul said. “It’s about principles that are bigger than the people. It’s about constitutional principles that really we shouldn’t give up on.”

We’re not understating Paul’s concerns; this just wasn’t the proper forum to raise them.

If only he was on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, he could have an avenue to express his frustration with Obama’s drone strikes!

Oh, right. He is.

Paul could write press releases and op-eds lambasting Obama for something that hasn’t even happened yet, all without interrupting the nomination process.

After enduring the most unproductive Congress since the 1940s, the American people were promised cooperation from Senate leaders. Partisanship be damned, they cried, as they heralded a hollow agreement.

Filibustering, while sometimes useful, often places an unnecessary impediment in the way of progress.

Republicans, like Paul, are often forced to comply with the Democratic majority. Democrats earn this distinction by winning more Senate races. In other words, more people in more states favor the ideas touted by Senate Democrats.

Instead of filibustering and looking like poor sports, Republicans need to adapt to the changing social climate and become more, well, likable.

What Paul did made a mockery of the legislative process, and tossing M&M’s into his mouth after a few candy-coated clusters of libertarian rhetoric made him look childish.

2 comments Anonymous Thu Mar 7 2013 08:39 Yeah, the Dems win more races by buying the votes of people who no longer work for a living, but instead VOTE for a living. The UNproductive congress (senate!) has managed to NOT produce a budget for YEARS. IT’S THEIR JOB! What are we paying them for? And the UNproductive senate is run by those same Democrats (Harry Reid and friends) that win by luring the poor to vote with empty promised that are bankrupting America. Anonymous Thu Mar 7 2013 08:22 Oh? If this isn’t the proper forum, then what would be? It’s too bad the Power Elite in the Whitehouse don’t pay attention to anything that you might think reasonable. They just steamroll over any opposition they can. I think the filibuster is a GREAT place to make the case for the country to pay attention to the continued dumming down and undercutting the Constitution. I am disappointed to read your one-sided slam against Paul. I’m sure the folks in Washington would say, “Keep up the good work!”.