From Tuesday's
New York Times,
Senate Democrats Speak of Slowing Confirmation Votes:
- Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota said he was mulling whether to try to stall consideration of Michael O. Leavitt, Mr. Bush's choice for health secretary, unless Mr. Dorgan was guaranteed a vote on allowing importation of cheaper prescription drugs [Senate Bill 16].
- In addition, a growing number of Democrats are raising issues about the selection of Alberto R. Gonzales as attorney general, a nomination initially headed for quick approval [Human Rights First].
- As many as a dozen Democrats intend to use the Senate floor on Tuesday as a platform to lay out their objections to Ms. Rice, tying her to what they see as the administration's mistakes in Iraq [Richard Clarke: Ten Years Later].
- While Republicans listed changes in Social Security as their No. 1 objective, Democrats made enlarging the armed forces and providing new military benefits as their top goal [Senate Bill 11, Senate Bill 13, Operation Truth], rejecting the idea that the retirement program needed urgent repair [There Is No Crisis]. A poll of all Democratic senators by the Democratic staff of the Senate Finance Committee found none who supported diverting Social Security tax revenue into personal investment accounts, the centerpiece of Mr. Bush's initiative [
The Fainthearted Faction].
- "This isn't a crisis, so why should we be lurching forward?" asked Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the new Democratic leader.
- "We're not furniture," Mr. Dorgan said.
And from Tuesday's
New York Times,
On Abortion, Mrs. Clinton Reaches Out:
- Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Monday that the opposing sides in the divisive debate over abortion should find "common ground" to prevent unwanted pregnancies and ultimately reduce abortions, which she called a "sad, even tragic choice to many, many women." [Senate Bill 20]
The Democratic Senators are doing their work in a way that generates news stories and an active blogosphere response.
Reward Good Behavior.