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[ivysaur12]

Also, more lolz from the NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/17/us/politics/with-the-way-eased-two-more-obama-nominees-win-approval-from-senate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=0

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday finished its final session of the year by moving forward on more disputed nominations over Republican objections, confirming Sarah Saldaña, a federal prosecutor, as director of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and Antony Blinken, a former national security adviser to President Obama, to be deputy secretary of state.

Neither received the 60 votes that would have been necessary under the old Senate rules, further demonstrating how Democrats have helped Mr. Obama reshape the federal bench and fill the executive branch with people of his choosing since they abolished the filibuster for all but Supreme Court nominations.

The Senate has now confirmed 41 of the president’s nominees with fewer than 60 votes. Many were named to powerful positions that would have prompted filibusters in the past, including seven federal appeals court judges and the chairwoman of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, who received only 56 votes.

In one of the Senate’s final legislative moves, it approved to a package of popular tax breaks for businesses and individuals in time for beneficiaries to claim them on their 2014 tax returns. But the package, which will cost the Treasury around $42 billion, expires on Jan. 1, leaving it to the next Congress to decide whether to bring them back

But most of the day was consumed with nominations, none more irritating to many Republicans than the ones who received a vote because of an impulsive move by one of their colleagues. And with the book now closed on the 113th Congress, they could go down as the Cruz Confirmations — the batch of the president’s nominees who were confirmed by the Senate only after Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, forced his colleagues to stay in session for 10 hours on a bleak December Saturday.

“No, we would not have had all of these 24 confirmations, and I think most people know that,” said Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah, referring to the two dozen nominees that Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, forced votes once Mr. Cruz made his move.

Mr. Cruz found himself once again on the defensive on Tuesday. At a private lunch with Republican senators, he apologized for keeping his colleagues in session over the weekend, though he refused to acknowledge any role in speeding the confirmation of the president’s nominees, a consequence that he evidently did not anticipate.

“He apologized,” Mr. Hatch added, “saying that we could have been out a lot earlier than we’re going to get out now.” But Mr. Hatch also said, referring to the nominees, “He did not apologize for this.”

Although Mr. Reid would have moved forward with many of the 24 nominees, time probably would have run out this week before he could have put all of them in the queue for a vote. His chief spokesman, Adam Jentleson, said that with senators eager to get out of town before Christmas, Mr. Reid probably would have been able to move ahead with only 15 of the 24.

“We were able to process significantly more nominees because we had more time,” Mr. Jentleson said.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Also, more lolz from the NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/17/us/politics/with-the-way-eased-two-more-obama-nominees-win-approval-from-senate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=0

Cruz is the gift that keeps on giving. Call it a hunch, but I'm wagering on this only being the first of many such mishaps, not just from him but from the rest of the far right.

The only downside is that this effectively puts a nail in his presidential ambitions, which means there's one less clown in the GOP primary circus.

Totally worth it, though.

 

[Oblivion]

Also, more lolz from the NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/17/us/politics/with-the-way-eased-two-more-obama-nominees-win-approval-from-senate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=0

It's like I've always said about Cruz since day one. The guy may have been magna cum laude at Harvard or wherever, but what's the point of all that fancy book learnin' if you plan on making yourself indistinguishable from Louis Gohmert?

At least the government shutdown made sense on some level. $18 billion in lost economic activity went up in smoke and they made the lives of some government employees miserable for a few weeks. It also gave a chance to prove his teatard bona fides.

But this? This was beyond useless. One of the first and few times that Democrats not only came out on top, but Republicans didn't get jack shit. It was a completely one sided ignominious defeat that only put Obama (and the Left) in much stronger place than they would have been in otherwise.

It would be the greatest tragedy in the world to not see this fuckhead run for president.

 

[HylianTom]

This past week has been incredibly encouraging. They haven't even taken over the Senate, and they're already sniping at each other about various things. When more jump into the race, the shitshow is going to get even better.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Please, get Klobuchar out of here. I want my Senator Ellison.

I like Klobuchar but I do want a Muslim Senator just to see GOP heads explode

 

[thepotatoman]

Cruz is the gift that keeps on giving. Call it a hunch, but I'm wagering on this only being the first of many such mishaps, not just from him but from the rest of the far right.

The only downside is that this effectively puts a nail in his presidential ambitions, which means there's one less clown in the GOP primary circus.

Totally worth it, though.

I still think he gifted us in 2013 with the shutdown. His handling of it made Democrats have to give up nothing. It could have otherwise easily been fairly close to the cromnibus that just passed and democrats probably wouldn't have fought back.

Ted Cruz is honestly the sole savior we have to look towards in these next two years to stop any bad Obama deals that might get made, more so than Warren, Ried, or Pelosi. Hopefully his presidential ambition continues to outpace his care for enacting real policy.

 

[Teggy]

Amanda Carpenter's endless tweets about how Cruz was not to blame for the confirmations are hilarious.

 

[Tamanon]

So, this Cuba thing huh?

Will be great if it works out with the embargo ending. Don't care about political consequences(which are overblown, IMO).

Also, this means my brother-in-law can stop holding that he visits Cuba regularly to party over my head!

 

[hydragonwarrior]

Seeing how Conservatives effortlessly took the Senate, is it actually realistic to assume that Jeb could get presidency?

I think Jeb just has to prove he's more likeable then Romney and conservatives can easily blame the economic crash on Obama somehow and they'd be set.

 

[Frank the Great]

Seeing how Conservatives effortlessly took the Senate, is it actually realistic to assume that Jeb could get presidency?

I think Jeb just has to prove he's more likeable then Romney and conservatives can easily blame the economic crash on Obama somehow and they'd be set.

Republicans really benefited from a favorable map. Not the case in 2016.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

So, this Cuba thing huh?

Will be great if it works out with the embargo ending. Don't care about political consequences(which are overblown, IMO).

Also, this means my brother-in-law can stop holding that he visits Cuba regularly to party over my head!

I'm in Florida. I'm excited. Id love to go to cuba. It will be cheap as all heck too.

 

[Poodlestrike]

So, this Cuba thing huh?

Will be great if it works out with the embargo ending. Don't care about political consequences(which are overblown, IMO).

Also, this means my brother-in-law can stop holding that he visits Cuba regularly to party over my head!

I'm in favor of it, personally, but there's a *lot* of bad blood there. The embargo clearly hasn't worked, but the people that want to keep it in place really want to keep it in place, and they might have the power and connections to keep it that way.

Definitely running on borrowed time, though. Either Castro will die or the last of the old, hardcore anti-normalization crowd will some time in the next 20 years. So it's gonna happen.

Seeing how Conservatives effortlessly took the Senate, is it actually realistic to assume that Jeb could get presidency?

I think Jeb just has to prove he's more likeable then Romney and conservatives can easily blame the economic crash on Obama somehow and they'd be set.

Not gonna happen. Setting aside the Blue Wall and the wonky midterm demographics, no Republican candidate can get through the primaries as they stand right now without saying enough crazy shit to sink them in the general. Jeb Bush is actually not a bad guy, and in different circumstances I might not be that opposed to seeing him in the White House, but it's not gonna happen.

 

[jamesinclair]

So, this Cuba thing huh?

Will be great if it works out with the embargo ending. Don't care about political consequences(which are overblown, IMO).

Also, this means my brother-in-law can stop holding that he visits Cuba regularly to party over my head!

Im terrified that Americans and corporations will fuck over the country.

Right now Cubans can enjoy a healthy and natural lunch for about $1. Open the fat american floodgates, and suddenly its $7 for a mcdonalds meal.

 

[Tamanon]

Not gonna lie, Hillary Clinton's Secretary of State run is getting shown up by Kerry.

 

[jamesinclair]

Not gonna lie, Hillary Clinton's Secretary of State run is getting shown up by Kerry.

I cant name a single achievement of hers, can the general public?

 

[Tamanon]

I cant name a single achievement of hers, can the general public?

Starts with a B, ends with an azi.

 

[FyreWulff]

Yeah, I'd like to see the embargo end. It's just so stupid.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Im terrified that Americans and corporations will fuck over the country.

Right now Cubans can enjoy a healthy and natural lunch for about $1. Open the fat american floodgates, and suddenly its $7 for a mcdonalds meal.

Lol

 

[jamesinclair]

Lol

Sadly, its not a laughing matter.

Look up prices in Costa Rica, everything is essentially on parity with the US due to the tourists, but obviously wages are significantly lower.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Sadly, its not a laughing matter.

Look up prices in Costa Rica, everything is essentially on parity with the US due to the tourists, but obviously wages are significantly lower.

There are food shortages and malnutrition in Cuba. This will materially improve their situation.

 

[Mike M]

There are food shortages and malnutrition in Cuba. This will materially improve their situation.

But what of these healthy, natural $1 lunches I hear about?

 

[Tamanon]

It's good hearing President Obama tout a victory like this. He sounds pretty happy.

 

[jamesinclair]

There are food shortages and malnutrition in Cuba. This will materially improve their situation.

....thats not even remotely true?

Unless you mean it in the same way that there is food shortages and malnutrition in the US, while pointing at skid row?

 

[Crisco]

Hahahaha yeah, Obama is cheesing like a mother fucker during this whole statement. He knows it's going to infuriate the Tea Party.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Im terrified that Americans and corporations will fuck over the country.

Right now Cubans can enjoy a healthy and natural lunch for about $1. Open the fat american floodgates, and suddenly its $7 for a mcdonalds meal.

Like so?

 

[Tamanon]

Rubio still holding onto that "If we just kept the embargo up a little longer, it'll work"

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Joe walah tweeted support of this... Lol

 

[Crisco]

"conceding to the oppressors" hahahahahahaha. have a drink of water you hypocritical piece of shit.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Definitely running on borrowed time, though. Either Castro will die or the last of the old, hardcore anti-normalization crowd will some time in the next 20 years. So it's gonna happen.

You know after all these years, his poor health, and all the assassination attempts, the fact that he's still alive makes me start to think he might actually be immortal.

 

[FyreWulff]

I mean

Embargos only work if everyone is involved.

When the two countries that border you are letting people go to Cuba, your embargo is pretty lulzy

 

[Wilsongt]

Since Obama has done something good, I fully expect Eric Bolling to lose his shit on The Five this afternoon.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

So Cuomo banned fracking in NYS

 

[Wilsongt]

So Cumo banned fracking in NYS

Congrats on your clean drinking water and lack of increased earthquakes, NY.

 

[Poodlestrike]

So Cumo banned fracking in NYS

Huh. So he isn't allergic to doing the right thing.

 

[Wilsongt]

Rubio invoking Jimmy Carter's name again to describe Obama lolol

 

[Tamanon]

Marco Rubio shouldn't get this much airtime. Although it'll be funny when this is the issue that ends his Presidential ambitions.

 

[Wilsongt]

Marco Rubio shouldn't get this much airtime. Although it'll be funny when this is the issue that ends his Presidential ambitions.

Teenytinywaterbottlegate should have ended it permanently.

 

[Teggy]

Cruz surprisingly mum on Cuba.

 

[Avon Barksdale]

Can I buy Cuban cigars in Canada?

 

[explodet]

Cruz surprisingly mum on Cuba.

He's Canadian, he could have gone anytime he wanted.

Can I buy Cuban cigars in Canada?

Yep! May have an issue importing them back to the States, but we have Cubans cigars up here.

 

[Black Mamba]

 

[Tamanon]

What an idiot. Isn't he also trying to throw the entire concept of American exceptionalism with that?

That's kinda our thing, free trade leads to freedom.

 

[B-Dubs]

 

[jamesinclair]

]

There is no way thats real.

None.

 

[ivysaur12]

Rubio: you will NEVER be president. Ever.

 

[Wilsongt]

I love how fox news has an article with the picture "they win?" then proceed to say GOP heavy hitters weight in on the issue... To find it's only rubio throwing a hissy fit. Lol

 

[Jooney]

Just woke up to the news of the Cuba embargo ... woah.

I remember there being small steps over the past few years to improve relations, but this was not expected.

So when's PoliGAF's group tour of Havana happening?

edit: omg that rubio tweet and corresponding gif ... perfect.

 

[Plinko]

This makes absolutely no sense. Sadly, millions agree with him.

 

[Crisco]

Cruz surprisingly mum on Cuba.

Look, Cruz is terrible legislator but a very smart politician. There is literally no upside to coming out guns blazing against this, at least not until the general public and more invested parties chime in. Especially with Rubio out there literally tanking his own political career talking out his ass.

 

[B-Dubs]

You know, when Obama brings this up at the state of the union Biden needs to light up a cuban cigar and take a few puffs. Just to fucking troll even harder.

I, for one, welcome our new President Tollbama.