Kristol Dismisses Filibuster ‘Dysfunction’: Real Problem is Why Senate Won’t Take Up House Bills

On This Week With George Stephanopoulos Sunday morning, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol criticized Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) so-called “nuclear option”— that eliminated the non-talking filibuster to prevent GOP senators from blocking judicial nominations—arguing that Reid had created the dysfunction he just changed the rules to prevent.

“I think we’re being too nice here,” Kristol said, referring to the “both sides are to blame” tenor of the conversation. “Harry Reid agreed with Mitch McConnell (R-KY) that this would not happen in this session. They actually negotiated something at the beginning of the session. So, he’s simply breaking his word because Republicans were not confirming every appellate court judge as quickly as the administration liked, and were holding up some executive branch appointees longer—”

“A lot of them,” Cokie Roberts corrected.

RELATED: MSNBC’s Kornacki on Hardball: GOP ‘Secretly Relieved’ Reid Went with Nuclear Option

“168 filibusters in the history of the country,” Donna Brazile said, “82 under President Obama.”

“A lot of those filibusters were because Harry Reid introduced the bill, filled the tree, as they say, with amendments, and invoked cloture, and it’s called a quote ‘filibuster,’” Kristol said. “Reid’s behavior as majority leader has been pretty amazing. The House routinely passes legislation the Senate simply doesn’t take up. It’s fine: bring it to the floor. If they want to filibuster, filibuster; if the Democrats have the votes to beat it, beat it. But they don’t even take up stuff that the House passes.”

“But there are more than 200 nominations sitting there not confirmed,” Roberts said. “That is dysfunctional, certainly.”

Watch the full clip below, via ABC News:

Via: Mediaite.com

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Kristol, Carville spar over Obama approval numbers

On Monday’s “Morning Joe” on MSNBC, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol and Democratic strategist James Carville debated President Barack Obama’s low opinion numbers and if there are any hopes Obama can rebound and do something with his presidency.

Kristol downplayed the historical significance of the sinking numbers and suggested this had more to do with Obama’s failed policies.

“Can I say that you guys are over thinking this?” Kristol said. “Deep, historical, systemic things — Obamacare is a total disaster. If Obamacare were working well and if we were respected around the world and people had the sense that Iranians were in retreat and our allies had confidence in us, don’t you think Obama’s points would be 10 points higher? I don’t think this is due to history. This is due to the fact that his actual policies are failing: Americans are losing health insurance and Iranians are keeping their nuclear program.”

Carville fired back by saying there are a lot of things looking good for Obama and room for improvement, which in his opinion is cause not to give up on the president.

“Can I make a point here?” Carville replied. “The deficit is dropping as a percentage of GDP faster thany anytime since World War II. He saved the auto industry. Health-care costs are flattening any time better in the last 20 years. Teenage pregnancy is at an all-time low. And the health care thing — who’s to say. I do not know. But on Nov. 30 suppose it’s working well. Then that story will fade somewhat in the background. I think we can stop putting the nails in the coffin here. We can admit that there’s some real, deep, fundamental problems with this president. But I think we’re throwing the dirt here too soon, guys, I really do.”

Kristol agreed a lot hinged on the success of Obama’s policies, but that success could be a tall order.

“I agree with James in the sense it all depends on policies. If Obamacare works, if it turns out, hey, they love that new health insurance they’re paying more for and the system works wonderfully, the central planning for 320 million people really works much better than one might think it might, that’ll be — then he’ll be in better shape. Indeed — and, indeed, if Iran starts dismantling its nuclear weapons and we’re stronger around the world and people stop dying in Syria and so forth, then Obama’s numbers will go up. I agree. It’s about substance.”

Carville added that Obama has kept the country out of wars, but said the self-imposed Nov. 30 deadline to see that the Obamacare website functions properly will play in huge for Obama’s public opinion numbers.

Via: Daily Caller

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Dean: Obamacare Is Going To Be Reason Dems "Pick Up Seats In The House"

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: If your insurance plan conforms with the requirements of Obamacare you don't have to go to the exchanges

BILL KRISTOL: Which very, very few, almost no, about 15% of individually purchased self-insurance plans do. And why is that? It was a free market. If people wanted to buy all those benefits they could have.

HOWARD DEAN: No, no, no. We kicked all those people out of our state when we did this, and it was a good thing we did because they were taking 50% of every premium dollar and keeping it for themselves.

What this is doing is driving the fly-by-night insurance companies out of the market or forcing the good ones who have bad policies--

KRISTOL: Wait, wait, wait, so when Blue Shield drops, when Blue Shield and these huge companies drop 300,000 people in Florida, those are fly-by-night insurance companies?

DEAN: First of all, Blue Shield is for profit so it's Anthem I'm sure in Florida especially. Second of all, yeah, even good companies have crappy policies with enormous deductibles.

KRISTOL: But the government, but the government, that's going to be great.

DEAN: The government has a right to make sure that when you buy something it is what it's supposed to be.

KRISTOL: And to force you into the exchange? That's what they're doing.

DEAN: I think that's okay because I think in the long run, what's been happening in the past is those policies that get sold don't cover what you think they cover. And furthermore, and this used to happen when I was practicing, an insurance company would pull your insurance if you got sick. That is not allowed anymore under Obamacare.

I think Obamacare is in fact going to be the reason that we are going to pick up seats in the House and we are not going to lose the Senate.

Via: Real Clear Politics

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