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Thread: Get rid of the filibuster

  1. #1
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    Get rid of the filibuster

    At least in its present form.

    The ability to filibuster was a mistake from Aaron Burr's tenure as VP. The ability to close debate by a simple majority was known as moving the previous question. The Senate got rid of it in 1806 because no one had thought to use the ability for unlimited debate to obstruct business. That is all it is - a means of obstruction. Nothing more. I thought differently before watching it used by Republicans in the Obama Administration. I don't see any use for it anymore.

    If it is kept, it should be kept in its original form - you can obstruct for as long as you can stay on your feet talking. The record for that was held by Strom Thurmond, who spoke for just over 24 hours. That's fine by me. What they do now is just indicate that object and they don't actually have to hold the floor to obstruct. Too easy. Far too easy. And a recalcitrant minority can use it to keep anything from happening. It is how we ended up using the budget reconciliation process to actually pass a budget instead of regular order.

    Get rid of it.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevin View Post
    At least in its present form.

    The ability to filibuster was a mistake from Aaron Burr's tenure as VP. The ability to close debate by a simple majority was known as moving the previous question. The Senate got rid of it in 1806 because no one had thought to use the ability for unlimited debate to obstruct business. That is all it is - a means of obstruction. Nothing more. I thought differently before watching it used by Republicans in the Obama Administration. I don't see any use for it anymore.

    If it is kept, it should be kept in its original form - you can obstruct for as long as you can stay on your feet talking. The record for that was held by Strom Thurmond, who spoke for just over 24 hours. That's fine by me. What they do now is just indicate that object and they don't actually have to hold the floor to obstruct. Too easy. Far too easy. And a recalcitrant minority can use it to keep anything from happening. It is how we ended up using the budget reconciliation process to actually pass a budget instead of regular order.

    Get rid of it.
    Absolutely and while we're at it let's go ahead and get rid of the Electoral College also. The Democrats have prevailed at both the presidential level and the Congressional level they should be able to rule without any interference from the Republicans whatsoever.
    OPINION....a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

  3. #3
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    Getting rid of the Electoral College would take an Amendment to the Constitution. Getting rid of the filibuster is just a rules change. What COULD happen is proportional voting, instead of winner take all in the Electoral College. That way, we wouldn't have to watch the person who lost the popular vote become President yet again.

    As the Republicans showed, they were quite willing to ram a Supreme Court appointment through the Senate in record time no matter how much the Democrats cried, so power politics is nothing new to them. Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.

  4. #4
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    I'm more than familiar with the Constitutional process. If there's ever a time to push a constitutional amendment through the time is now. It was mentioned countless times throughout the entire Democratic campaign. If that occurs then New York and California would more than likely be able to elect each president from now on giving the Democrats a hold on politics in the United States for the foreseeable future similar to what ending the filibuster would do to the Republicans in the current Congress and executive branch.
    OPINION....a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

  5. #5
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    I know you are familiar with the Constitutional process. I'm setting up a comparison, not trying to teach you anything. I'm making an argument, not trying to educate. Try to give me the benefit of the doubt, please?

    I doubt any Amendment to the Constitution has any chance of getting the required approvals. We are just too evenly divided.

  6. #6
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    Okay.
    OPINION....a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

  7. #7
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    Stupid Coloradans voted this year to award our state’s electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote. Won’t even need a constitutional amendment to get it done.

    And if you think you will take away the voice of the 20% who live on the 80% of the country Fred likes to mock, think again.

    But I’m with Honda, f’k it.
    "Back after 5 years. I thought you had died.

    don"


    Splitting my time between the montane and the mesas

    The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep.

  8. #8
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    Of course, with a filibuster, everyone's voice in the whole country is silenced except for the person doing the filibuster.

  9. #9
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    I would think you of all people would revere the fillibuster. Hehehe....
    "Back after 5 years. I thought you had died.

    don"


    Splitting my time between the montane and the mesas

    The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep.

  10. #10
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    Long as I'm the one doing the talking!!

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by CactusCurt View Post
    I would think you of all people would revere the fillibuster. Hehehe....
    Best one of the new year so far. LMAO
    OPINION....a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by CactusCurt View Post
    ................And if you think you will take away the voice of the 20% who live on the 80% of the country Fred likes to mock, think again.........
    Seriously I mock all sorts of idiots. Last 4 years it was Trump and the stupid stuff and lies he kept putting out. Now if Joe does the same thing I'll sure to be there, meanwhile I got you guys to whine for the next years or so about the state of the nation/world.
    Fred

    "Everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've
    stayed alive."

    'Take care of yourself, and each other.'

  13. #13
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    I would like to disagree, but I’m not sure what you said.
    "Back after 5 years. I thought you had died.

    don"


    Splitting my time between the montane and the mesas

    The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep.

  14. #14
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    One of the tame conservatives at The NY Times, David Brooks, had an interesting statement on the filibuster


    Will he be able to pass this sort of sweeping legislation? I have far from given up hope. Everyday, I read that Republicans will never go for these spending plans, and I always want to ask the writer: Have you noticed that Republicans have already voted for roughly $3 trillion in new spending over the last 10 months? Do not underestimate how divided and confused their party is right now. Do not underestimate how much Republicans trust Biden personally.

    Do not underestimate how many congressional Republicans would like to send checks to their people. Recently, I was on a call with the bipartisan House Problem Solvers Caucus and a similar group of senators. I was struck by how passionately these Republicans and Democrats are committed to one another across party lines, how deftly they used the evenly divided Congress to restart the Covid-19 relief effort in December, how fervently they want to break the partisan logjam.

    If this doesn’t work and Republicans go into full obstruction mode, Democrats should absolutely kill the filibuster.
    I don't think obstructionism is going to work anymore. If Republicans try it, the filibuster will be gone. Which is fine by me. It is only a quirk of history that permitted it in the first place. The only reason it isn't killed outright is that the majority party always wants to be able to obstruct when they end up in the minority, as they inevitably do.

  15. #15
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    Well, a compromise has been reached.

    Two Democrats have said they will not back getting rid of the filibuster so McConnell has dropped the demand that protection of the filibuster be specifically protected in the power-sharing arrangement. Shumer gets what he wants - progress - and McConnell gets what he wants - the ability to stop everything. But the filibuster is not explicitly protected in the power-sharing agreement, so we are essentially back to status quo ante.

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