The battle over Health Care Reform, the Stimulus Bill, global warming legislation, etc. has brought one thing clearly into focus.
The filibuster has transformed The Senate into an undemocratic, unrepresentative body of The People.
Imagine if our Presidential elections had the following rule, unless a President was elected by at least 60% of voters, no new president would be elected.
Would we consider that reflective of a true democracy?
So how can it be considered that bills that have over 50% of The Senate’s vote fail and that as little as 41% of the vote wins in killing a bill?
Think of how much profound change and progress could be taking place if we only needed 51 votes in The Senate to pass legislation.
That’s why I think the time has come to go nuclear.
When Republicans controlled Congress earlier in the Bush Admin, Senate Democrats used the filibuster to block some of the most extremist candidates the Bush Admin was trying to push through into becoming federal judges. Bush and The Republicans were furious about the principled use of the filibuster so they gave the Dems an ultimatum.
Either they stop using the filibuster as much as they were or they would employ what they called, “The Nuclear Option”, procedural changes that would not allow filibusters to be made on judicial nominees.
This caused enormous alarm among the historically invertebrate Democratic leadership and they agreed to let objectionable extremists become judges for life as long as the Republicans let them filibuster once in a while in the worst cases.
Fast forward to today, when far more important changes to this nation are in the hands of a huge 60 member majority for the Dems and how do they deal with the much more egregious overuse of the filibuster by The Republicans?
They shrug their sholders, give into those Senators who are tools of the very corporations affected by the bill, pay bribes to the Senators who engage in extortion and try to put lipstick on the legislative pigs they shepherd out of their chambers, squeezing from their forced smiles, “It’s a great start!”
The time has come to return democracy to The Senate. The filibuster is flatly undemocratic. Now, the weak kneed ones like Harry Reid in The Senate would run around waving their arms and shrieking at the scary idea that democracy might continue even under Republican majorities in Congress and fight to keep The Senate in eternal gridlock (which after 2010 I’m afraid it will be, The Dems aren’t likely to have a larger majority in the future).
But those Senators who have a fear of democracy are in the wrong business. Imagine the sweeping changes and progress that could be made to this nation if we only needed a simple majority in the Senate? Isn’t that worth accepting that Republicans would have the same right under a democracy when they get control. Isn’t that what elections are for?
The key point here is that if they put aside their fears of democracy and accomplished so much under true democracy, the Repubs would be out of power in the Senate for at least a generation and if they returned after that, society will have evolved so far from where they are today, they’d never maintain power if they didn’t reflect the new America.
I would argue that it would be a better reign on unpopular legislating and give the Dems the tools to reverse bad legislation quickly.
A little background, David Dayen wrote this on FDL:
In the 110th Congress, 70% of major bills were filibustered, as opposed to 8% in the 1960s. Political leaders just didn’t see the filibuster as an impediment a few decades ago.
http://news.firedoglake.com/2009/11/27/the-nascent-movement-to-end-the-filibuster/
He also referred to this explanation of how the Nuclear Option works:
The nuclear option is used in response to a filibuster or other dilatory tactic. A senator makes a point of order calling for an immediate vote on the measure before the body, outlining what circumstances allow for this. The presiding officer of the Senate, usually the vice president of the United States or the president pro tempore, makes a parliamentary ruling upholding the senator’s point of order. The Constitution is cited at this point, since otherwise the presiding officer is bound by precedent.
A supporter of the filibuster may challenge the ruling by asking, “Is the decision of the Chair to stand as the judgment of the Senate?” This is referred to as “appealing from the Chair.” An opponent of the filibuster will then move to table the appeal. As tabling is non-debatable, a vote is held immediately. A simple majority decides the issue. If the appeal is successfully tabled, then the presiding officer’s ruling that the filibuster is unconstitutional is thereby upheld. Thus a simple majority is able to cut off debate, and the Senate moves to a vote on the substantive issue under consideration.
The effect of the nuclear option is not limited to the single question under consideration, as it would be in a cloture vote. Rather, the nuclear option effects a change in the operational rules of the Senate, so that the filibuster or dilatory tactic would thereafter be barred by the new precedent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_option#Changes_to_Senate_rules
This is the kind of change we need now. We have a window here where Dems should maintain majorities for years and an enormous amount could be accomplished. Meanwhile, Pres. Obama could fulfill his promise and ambition to be a modern day FDR and make the kind of big course corrections needed to tear this nation away from its growing plutocracy and back to a true democracy that serves its majority of citizens.
I know it’s scary but i believe that the prospect of becoming a truly progressive 21st Century democracy outweighs the horror of democracy being practiced in the Senate.
bito
KQµårk 死神
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* Americans Elect has officially given up...Time Out for O/T
Caru
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AdLib
hi guys im trying to start a movment. i know its silly for a typo guy to try and get something done, but im posting this everywhere i know caring people gather. my email is bizz...@yahoo.com if anyone can help or think of any ideas to spread the word
The recent health care fiasco has proved again and again that we the people have no voice in Washington.
What if we could actually organize something. Not some teabagger thing with signs and yelling, but on a day, one day where everyone in the country at a certain time, just went quiet. 5 minutes would do. Not to protest what Washington is doing to us, but HOW. Maybe our silence would be more powerful than our shouts. Not left or right, just America saying we know what your up to and we don’t like it. Thunderous silence could be our weapon when words fail. Not left or right. The only ideology is that we the people aren’t being heard in Washington. That corporations aren’t we the people, we are. No other agenda as we all have different views and would only like to be heard, by the Congress and the White House. This would be a completely non partisan protest. Not left nor right , not Dem or Rep. but We The People.
This cannot be accomplished by bloggers and email spam artists. We need the media to draw some attention to the cause. We don’t want a media circus. We don’t have slogans or silly names. Our goal is that with 5 minutes of silent dignity we might accomplish what decades of shouting has not occurred. we want our voices heard. 5 minutes On Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday everyone in America stops where they are what ever they are doing and says nothing, does nothing and for 5 minutes silently shouts. We matter. We are the people.
A simple dignified poigniant way to get our message across. We dont want banners or marches. We only want to be heard
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Spread the word to everyone you know
Monday, January 19, 2009.
3:00 p.m Eastern.
Everyone stops what they are doing and for 5 minutes. We have silence
Maybe by doing nothing we can get something done.
typo-knig, I think it is great to be thinking of a way to make a statement about Americans not having their voices truly heard.
Why don’t you post an article on this and invite the members here for their feedback and suggestions?
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It’s an interesting idea, typo-knig. I like it!
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But, another typo, you’ve set the date for January, 2009. Upcoming year is 2010.
I’ll try to send you some silence from Japan.
Just saw the Senate advance the health care vote. CSPAN says there are a few more procedural votes and then another vote during the week. I thought this was now going to committee next…anyone know what’s the story?
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Also, there is this from Talking Points Memo:
I just wrote an article that explains it that very thing. Also, you can find more information at Bloomberg.com.
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By the way, did anyone see the retrospective video Chris Matthews had of Sen. Kennedy giving a speech on the floor to the gist of: a bunch of working people paying taxes to pay for our cushy gov’t plans, but men like us are unwilling to pay a little more in taxes to return the favor?
It was brilliant. I’m missing him.
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I saw it and was looking to post the video. Friday night’s music thread here had it posted, Bito told me.
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It’s odd that a country so enamored with violence should employ such a passive-aggressive device as the filibuster.
We should do like those countries where they go at it physically, attacking each other with their shoes and dossiers.
Can you imagine Lieberman in a fist fight? He’s probably a kicker.
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I’d at least have appreciated this from Al Franken to Lieberman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugailEn8U5o
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I imagine him as a hair puller
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I think he’s be a biter. Ugh!
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Quite possibly a scratcher.
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Yeah, he truly bites!
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LOL!!! Indeed.
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Hey, Adlib, Paul Krugman’s got a column along the same vein today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/opinion/21krugman.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=NytimesKrugman
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Does anybody know if the vote tonight is going to be on CSPAN?
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It’s on C-SPAN2 — that’s the senate.
http://c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN2.aspx
Brownback is on now — gag.
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OMG– wasn’t that just the most disgusting display? “Abortion has no place on a health care bill.”
Is he fucking kidding?! What a turd.
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I loved Senators Boxers comments last week on men and their privacy with E D drugs. How about we have all Senators that use E D treatments be made public,
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She totally rocked that point.
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While that would be fun, (and it would!) what would be fair is to make them take out a separate rider for Viagra to be covered.
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How much can we charge for that?
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I think I smell a profit…..
I remember how “Whatever Georgie wanted, Georgie Got.” It reminds me of this song. Whatever your President has proposed is met with constant obstructors mainly from the RW, not because his proposed policy changes are overwhelming, but because they don’t like the colour of his skin and try to wrap in a bow of socialism or Marxism to make it sound legitimate to their masses, as if the masses know the first thing about either.
My heart bleeds at the ignorance or the bought mind set of your msm, your President has a tough road ahead, please extend your hand when you can, we will all benefit no matter which country we live in.
George had his 60 votes — and too many of them from the dems.
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That is my point nellie, what is wrong here?
Some of these Dems need to shift party lines, they sound way too conservative to me.
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They can’t get votes from the GOP base. Otherwise, people like Evan Bayh would probably be Republican. He and Lincoln Chafee have basically the same politics — and Lincoln was tossed out of the GOP.
If we think the dems have troubles, the GOP is really messed up. They can’t win without their base, and they can’t win with it — because the candidates that the base will accept are wackadoodles.
I just sing the same old song all the time — we need instant runoff voting to make third parties viable. That will improve the discourse and give us better candidates.
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I can’t disagree nellie but wtf?
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I’m sure that you could have.
I’m just angry with everyone.
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LOL! Couldn’t have said it better myself.
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Not sure if this is worth a look or not, but I happened across it a moment or two ago.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL OPTION TO CHANGE SENATE RULES AND PROCEDURES: A MAJORITARIAN MEANS TO OVER COME THE FILIBUSTER
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Where’s the button?
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LOL!
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Do not push the red button!
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The bastard had me when he multiplied for the 3rd time!
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LOL. Excellent!
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Ahahahahahah!!! I did it!!
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That is hilarious!
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AdLib, I was going to write a similar post, but you did it much better– really! And it IS scary because I know that the Reptilians will at some point regain control of Congress. As we know, these are not our parents Reptilians either. They are MUCH more radical and fascist.
That said, on principle, we must overturn the filibuster rules, as they are not only undemocratic, but actually designed for gridlock. They practically ensure that no legislation passes– this is WAY beyond incrementalism.
But I do not believe this Congressional session will ever invoke the nuclear option, and not only because these are some of the most spineless Dems ever. I think Obama himself would not request or approve of it. It’s not his way, and that’s too bad.
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While I admire O’s high mindedness on bipartisanship in principle and theory, it is not going to accomplish squat with these cretins.
At first, I thought he was being very clever, thinking he was exposing them for the “party before country” lowlifes they are.
Now, I just think, Eff that and Eff them!
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Savior! Where the hell have you been, girlfriend?
Adlib and I have been kicking around the idea of a “drinking liberally with the planeteers, Los Angeles edition”. I trust you are in?
I bet he brings your sister with him…..
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Hi, Flying Lotus, and welcome! Yep, me too– fuck ‘em. Right now, my consolation prize for crappy legislation is that the Reptilians got fucked. We did too, but not as hard as they did, so there’s that.
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Ok, walk me through this, Cher.Maybe, I’m being a wee bit dense.
How did the Reptilians get screwed?
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Sorry Flying, I should have been clearer– The passage of any health care bill is a defeat for the Repugs. They were determined to kill it. They held fucking prayer sessions to defeat it! As much as I think the bill sucks, they see it as a big win for the Dems.
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True, they will see the passage of even a massively watered down bill as a defeat.
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Thanks for the clarification.
Tis small comfort.
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That’s true. But I try to look at the pluses.
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Hi Cher, This is my planetPOV incarnation.
SaviourMachine says hello!
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Oh! Hi there!!
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I know the Party of No deserves our wrath but the democrats, I’m sorry to say, deserve our ire.
They allowed, once again, the No No’s to frame the debate on this issue.I’m not a sporty person but even I know, that playing offensive as opposed to defensive is the better strategy.
The dems dropped the proverbial ball, imho.
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As many have said, if this started out as “Medicare for All” and negotiated down to “Medicare for Some”, that would have made a hell of a lot more sense.
Instead, Pres. Obama kicked off the whole thing by letting it be known that he didn’t need a Public Option in it. Big mistake, strategically.
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Yes considering it was the most important issue around the table, what happened?
Are we human or not?
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I agree. Bargaining 101: If you want $20, you should ask for $50.
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Do you offer lessons? I can’t haggle for crap!
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You see above the full extend of my knowledge. I always pay too much and charge too little. Sadly.
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Garage sales are excellent practice grounds.
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I don’t think you understand just how hopeless I am.
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Yes, it was my first real disappointing moment with our president.
I’ll still do everything in my power to elect him or another viable dem candidate in 2012.
I know progress does not come easily or quickly but it has been very disheartening to see such a great opportunity wither on the vine.
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I don’t know what I find more disgusting Lieberman or the cowtowing to him.
Sincere ?
Why does he hold so much power?
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Hi FlyingLotus!
I feel so dirty! And I’ve taken 5 showers just today. For me, having to kiss his jowly ass is the most disgusting.
And he holds so much power because of this bullshit filibuster rule. Take that off the table and he’s back to being the nothing that he is.
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Hallo AdLib!
Sorry, keep getting sidetracked with phone calls.
I truly, truly despise him.Not a common feeling for me.I too, feel the need to take showers whenever I see a photo of him or read anything he says.
Makes my skin crawl.
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Thoughtful post AdLib. As you noted in the post, the tactic was used rarely in the past. In the 110th session it was used 159 times. In the 111th it has been already used 101 with another year remaining.
The propose of the Senate is/was to temper the legislation of the house and do what is good for WHOLE country. That knowledge seems to be lost on the Senate anymore. Now it is me, my party, my state.
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What would it take to inspire the Senate today to remember their foundation?
Thanks bito.
Frankly, I think that way of thinking is seen as archaic now, I don’t think we can return Repubs or Blue Dogs to thinking about anything other than getting re-elected and undermining those they see as their enemies.
I think we just have to accept that we have termites permanently embedded in the walls of the Senate and cut around them so they don’t have the power to do more damage.
Kill the filibuster and let majority rule, that’s at least a good start to restoring the Senate to its role.
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The Nuke Option would not be worth employing unless the Senate bill was re-written to be much more liberal. Even socialist, for my taste.
Is there NO hope that the bill does not move to the left in conference?
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It’s too late for it to really help on this bill, it should’ve been invoked when Lieberman threatened them.
However, moving forward, they could add the Public Option as a separate bill next year and disarming the filibuster would allow them to amend this bill.
And a carbon tax, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, abortion restrictions, etc. could go through the most productive Senate in our history.
Do they want to be champions of the people or are they too focused on being the losers of elections who need to have the filibuster available to them then?
Winners or losers, what do they want to focus on being?
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Better get in some target practice then. I’d recommend a photo of certain senator from CT for inspiration.
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Based upon what I’ve read it doesn’t seem likely.
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Conrad: Final health bill will have to hew closely to Senate’s version
It is a fait d’accompli. Any big change to the Senate Bill and Nelson and Lieberman kill it or walk to extort something else.
Bastards.
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