Senator Jim Bunning Holds Breath

Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) is throwing yet another tantrum in the US Senate. In the last few days he has literally told his colleagues in the Senate “Tough Shit” on his blocking of extensions for unemployment and COBRA payments, chucked the bird at the media when they asked to speak to him about it, and kicked people off of an elevator claiming it was for Senators only. (See the previous post here) His latest stunt is to hold his breath even when the Senate President, Harry Reid, agreed to his demands. The man is acting like a two year old throwing a tantrum to get his way and not even remotely close to what should be the behavior of a United States Senate member.

Again, I can’t make this stuff up…

Bunning is still insisting that the 30-day extension be paid for from stimulus funds before he allows a quick vote on the House-passed measure. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has offered to hold a vote on a Bunning amendment to offset the bill, but Bunning refused on the basis that his proposal would likely fail. – Roll Call 3/02/2010

Can I hear a chorus from everyone of “WTF”? He got what he wants but he still isn’t going to let the vote take place to extend benefits for thirty days? Once more from the chorus, “WTF”.

Even his fellow Republican Senate members can not manage to talk any sense into Jim Bunning. Senators Collins and McConnell have both given it their best shot and good old Jimmy Bunning is still holding his breath simply because he can.

I find myself shaking my head in utter disbelief thinking that this one Senator has the ultimate power to hold up unemployment insurance benefit extensions for over one million people just because he wants to be an ass. Forget about COBRA and all the federal projects and layoffs that started Monday of this week thanks to Bunning holding his breath. Even forget about the Medicaid payments to doctors because Bunning is holding his breath. That of course leads me to wondering why the hell the Senate President hasn’t grown a pair and found a way to go around the idiot Jim Bunning? Republicans in times past have never had a problem with ramming bills through so what is up with Harry Reid? If Harry Reid doesn’t know how to put Senator Bunning out to pasture or ram the legislation through then what the hell is he doing in the Senate President chair? Especially, at a time when many Republicans actually agree that Senator Jim Bunning is being an ASS with his filibuster tactics! Or could this actually be more of the same old politics in Washington where everyone is pointing the finger at the other political party to win bonus points in some mythical popularity contest?

Right now, Jim Bunning is a blessing in disguise to the Democrats and the evil troll brother that Republicans don’t want to admit to being related too. Either way, we the people still get the worst of both parties no matter who wins the idiot of the week contest.

Papamoka

***Picked up by Opinion Editorial... Thanks!

Bunning to Distribute Unemployed Laxatives

Major players in the GOP are trying hard to get past the nickname “Party of No” and Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky isn’t helping matters with his latest remarks on the Senate floor. Political pundits on the left side of the aisle are going to have a field day with Bunning and his comment to Democrats regarding his stalling tactics that will kill unemployment and Cobra benefits for millions of Americans.

Apparently, Senator Bunning has a potty mouth…

Senate Democrats spent Thursday night hammering away at Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) for single-handedly holding up action in the upper chamber – but he blurted out a message to one of them on the Senate floor: “Tough s—t.”

In an unusual display in the normally sleepy chamber, Bunning – without the support of GOP leadership – has blocked efforts to quickly approve a series of extensions to measures that would otherwise expire Sunday, including unemployment insurance and the Cobra program that allows people who lose their health benefits to continue getting coverage.

And that has led to a furious exchange on the floor, with Democrats attacking the senator, who has refused to relent on his objection, in unusually harsh terms.
In a colloquy with Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sen. Jeff Merkley, a freshman Democrat from Oregon, was pleading for Bunning to drop his objection, when the Kentucky Republican got fed up.

“Tough s—t,” Bunning said as he was seated in the back row, overheard by the floor staff and others in attendance.

A spokesman for Bunning did not immediately respond to a request for comment. – Politico

I would like to be the first to rename the GOP from the political party of “NO” to the new and improved name of “Tough Shit”. Republican Senator Jim Bunning is a gift from God to the Democrats and they should all get down on one knee to say a quick thank you prayer. I can see the jingles and campaign signs that will sprout in the spring thanks to the laxative comment from Senator Bunning. If he chooses to run for re-election then I would like to offer this free campaign slogan “Listen to your Momma and Bunning and eat your vegetables”.

This is either going to be a great bonus to the makers of Ex-Lax and Metamucil or its going to be a nightmare. Profits may rise considerably as hooligans empty the stores shelves of their product to paste the maker’s labels over every Bunning campaign sign. One could easily picture a left leaning out of work plumber putting a “Bunning for Senate” sign in a toilet out on his or her front lawn with a nice floral pattern of empty Metamucil jars elegantly landscaped around it.

I couldn’t make this sh!t up if I wanted too. I will however be watching all of the blogs and news agencies for any reports regarding the Republican Minority Leader in the Senate purchasing a bar of soap to wash a certain person’s mouth out with.

Papamoka

***UPDATE 3/01/2010***
Washington (CNN) - An angry Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Kentucky, refused to answer questions from CNN and ABC News Monday afternoon about his decision to block a bill that would extend unemployment benefits to millions of jobless Americans. An ABC News producer who was there says Bunning gave him the middle finger in response to a question.

And there is more...

By David Lightman and Halimah Abdullah | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — The Department of Transportation furloughed nearly 2,000 employees without pay Monday as the government began to feel the impact of Republican Sen. Jim Bunning's one-man blockage of legislation that would keep a host of federal programs operating.

Bunning's "hold" also affects jobless benefits for thousands of unemployed workers, rural television customers, doctors receiving Medicare payments and others.