The Procedural Filibuster

[lostfan]

I just think that a procedural filibuster should have a lower threshhold to break - say 55 votes or so.

 

If you wanna keep it for 60 for actual non-stop bloviating, I'm all for it. I just don't think someone should be able to shout FILIBUSTER and we have to move on

That's about how I feel

[HuskyCaucasian]

Tom Harkin May Reintroduce Legislation To Shorten Filibuster:

With the news that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) plans to filibuster the current health care bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) options are looking increasingly limited. But one Democratic senator may introduce legislation that would make health care reform a lot easier.

 

Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa told reporters this weekend that he might reintroduce legislation to end the filibuster, something he first proposed in 1994. The Hawk Eye reports:

"I thin

k

, if anything, thi

s

health care debate i

s

s

howing the danger

s

of unlimited filibu

s

ter," Har

k

in

s

aid Thur

s

day during a conference call with reporter

s

. "I thin

k

there'

s

a rea

s

on for

s

lowing thing

s

down ... and getting the public aware of what'

s

happening and maybe even to change public

s

entiment, but not to ju

s

t ab

s

olutely

s

top

s

omething."

Under Harkin's proposal, debate could be prolonged by the minority -- just not forever.

"You could hold

s

omething up for maybe a month, but then, finally you'd come down to 51 vote

s

and a majority would be able to pa

s

s

," Har

k

in

s

aid. "I may revive that. I pu

s

hed it very hard at one time and then thing

s

k

ind of got a little better."

When Harkin fought the filibuster 15 years ago, one of his top allies was none other than Joe Lieberman.

[southsider2k5]

LOL. 1994. Nice timing. Funny he didn't fight it from 1984 to 1993.

[Rex Kickass]

LOL. 1994. Nice timing. Funny he didn't fight it from 1984 to 1993.

 

Actually, he proposed it in 1995. While in the minority.

[DukeNukeEm]

Actually, he proposed it in 1995. While in the minority.

LOL. This made me feel good.

[Y2HH]

Actually, he proposed it in 1995. While in the minority.

 

He proposed it while a democrat was President and in the minority.

 

Fixed.

[DukeNukeEm]

He proposed it while a democrat was President and in the minority.

 

Fixed.

A executive veto is like a Filibuster on crack. Your post makes no sense.

Edited December 14, 2009 by DukeNukeEm

[Y2HH]

A executive veto is like a Filibuster on crack. Your post makes no sense.

 

It makes perfect sense. It had nothing to do with executive vetos, either.

 

WoW players.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Y2HH

[DukeNukeEm]

It makes perfect sense. It had nothing to do with executive vetos, either.

 

Maybe you need to think before you respond next time.

Its hard to even explain how irrelevant the presidency is to something like the Filibuster. If you owned the presidency and had a minority in congress you'd be pretty ambivalent about the Filibuster, it would accomplish nothing you couldn't do already. Unless of course you were interested in being able to do your job better in the future... but lol. The Filibuster is a tool for the minority in Congress to stifle legislation they dont like, its the ultimate mandate killer that would make Plato blush.

 

I hope you explain how it makes perfect sense. Because for the life of me it sounds like you're just prepping up a "mean ole guvmint" rant.

Edited December 14, 2009 by DukeNukeEm

[DukeNukeEm]

Icecrown Citadel is super awesome. 4 loot pinatas then a boss that eats souls.

[Y2HH]

Icecrown Citadel is super awesome. 4 loot pinatas then a boss that eats souls.

 

Being that this filibuster nonsense is less important than wow...I'm going to just forget the whole thing.

 

It really wasn't that important, I was just pointing out that he was trying to pass this WHILE a democrat actually controlled the big seat...and I'm not even a democrat. For that matter, I'm not a republican either, I think they're stupid, too.

 

And I've only done the first 5 man in Icecrown -- I haven't been playing much anymore.

 

Don't forget, I played since 2004 -- and was raiding when 40 mans were still around. I deserve a break. I'm really looking forward to Cataclysm though.

 

P.S. Duke Nuke'em forever is NEVER coming out, vapor ware boy.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Y2HH

[DukeNukeEm]

I dont even like DukeNukeEm, just the name. I really dont like videogames much except for WoW.

 

The 5 mans are fun too, some of the more difficult encounters I've had to tank.

[Y2HH]

I dont even like DukeNukeEm, just the name. I really dont like videogames much except for WoW.

 

The 5 mans are fun too, some of the more difficult encounters I've had to tank.

 

And why do you have a 14 year old gurl as an avatar?

[DukeNukeEm]

Its Liz Phair.

[mr_genius]

And why do you have a 14 year old gurl as an avatar?

 

that's actually a 42 year old dressing like a 14 year old in his avatar.

[Rex Kickass]

And a bump.

 

Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) has placed a hold on every single pending Obama nominee through the end of 2010, holding the nomination process, until he gets his state a number of new earmarks, including a 40 billion dollar tanker plane construction contract and a 45 million earmark for a testing lab for IED's.

 

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02...al-earmarks.php

 

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has put an extraordinary "blanket hold" on at least 70 nominations President Obama has sent to the Senate, CongressDaily (sub. req.) reports. The hold means no nominations can move forward unless Senate Democrats can secure a 60-member cloture vote to break it, or until Shelby lifts the hold.

[BigSqwert]

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) needs my size 14 shoe in his jaw.

[iamshack]

It's things like these, that the average American who doesn't follow politics closely, doesn't even know are possible or that they occur in our legislation process.

 

This is the reason I don't follow politics.

 

How could anyone want to when this bulls*** goes on back and forth?

[kapkomet]

It's things like these, that the average American who doesn't follow politics closely, doesn't even know are possible or that they occur in our legislation process.

 

This is the reason I don't follow politics.

 

How could anyone want to when this bulls*** goes on back and forth?

 

The picture that's painted is that Republicans are the only one to pull this s***. Everything they do is "unprecedented". Uh huh.

 

Everything is bulls*** now. That's why we have a lunatic in the White House after a lunatic just left. And I don't ever see that cycle breaking because all the good people that might be worthy stay out of it for the exact questions you ask above.

[iamshack]

The picture that's painted is that Republicans are the only one to pull this s***. Everything they do is "unprecedented". Uh huh.

 

Everything is bulls*** now. That's why we have a lunatic in the White House after a lunatic just left. And I don't ever see that cycle breaking because all the good people that might be worthy stay out of it for the exact questions you ask above.

The thing is, I enjoy the strategic moves and the manipulation of personalities that goes on in other things, such as chess, war strategy, sports, etc. But when it comes to government, it just doesn't seem interesting anymore...

Edited February 5, 2010 by iamshack

[mmmmmbeeer]

Heard an interesting stat last night......in 2009 the filibuster was used more often than it was used in the 1950's and 1960's....combined. To quote the anchor, the republicans fit 20 years of obstructionism into 1. Pretty impressive.

[kapkomet]

Heard an interesting stat last night......in 2009 the filibuster was used more often than it was used in the 1950's and 1960's....combined. To quote the anchor, the republicans fit 20 years of obstructionism into 1. Pretty impressive.

 

When you have a lurching to the far left (by American standards), and the population is center right, this is what you get.

[mmmmmbeeer]

When you have a lurching to the far left (by American standards), and the population is center right, this is what you get.

 

 

Seriously? What are these "far left" bills that are being filibustered? Health care, I suppose, would fall into that weak label. Maybe some of the smackdowns on banks, but those are supported by the public. So what is it exactly that you're referring to that is sooo far left?

 

Again, 20 years worth of filibusters in 1 year....and you're cool with that? So when the republicans got absolutely TROUNCED in the 2008 elections because, ya know, that "center right" population voted those evil "far left" congressmen into power, what the people were really saying was that they wanted the government to come to a standstill by the hand of the minority? Your argument is inconsistent.

[Rex Kickass]

When you have a lurching to the far left (by American standards), and the population is center right, this is what you get.

 

Asked in Colorado - Poll released yesterday. Colorado is a purple state.

 

Would you favor or oppose the national government offering everyone the choice of buying into a government administered health insurance plan — something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get — that would compete with private health insurance plans?

 

Favor - 58%, Oppose - 36%

 

Democrats Favor - 85, Oppose 12

Republicans Favor - 29, Oppose 63

Independents Favor - 59, Oppose 34

 

http://coloradoindependent.com/47082/poll-...colorado-voters

 

When the concept of a public option is separated from a legislative question, its still highly popular.

 

There are plenty of issue polls to completely dismiss the idea that the country is "Center Right".

 

But even assuming your assumption of being center right is correct, this hold isn't about ideology, its about earmarks. And if a Democrat did it, it'd be wrong too.

[kapkomet]

Asked in Colorado - Poll released yesterday. Colorado is a purple state.

 

Would you favor or oppose the national government offering everyone the choice of buying into a government administered health insurance plan — something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get — that would compete with private health insurance plans?

 

Favor - 58%, Oppose - 36%

 

Democrats Favor - 85, Oppose 12

Republicans Favor - 29, Oppose 63

Independents Favor - 59, Oppose 34

 

http://coloradoindependent.com/47082/poll-...colorado-voters

 

When the concept of a public option is separated from a legislative question, its still highly popular.

 

There are plenty of issue polls to completely dismiss the idea that the country is "Center Right".

 

But even assuming your assumption of being center right is correct, this hold isn't about ideology, its about earmarks. And if a Democrat did it, it'd be wrong too.

 

The problem is you cannot separate the public option from a legislative question. THAT IS THE PROBLEM. GOVERNMENT (Aka, the LEGISLATIVE BODY) is the one imposting the rules.