Senate filibuster makes Washington unaccountable
The U.S. Senate, supposedly “the world’s greatest deliberative body,” has all but ceased to function. Judges aren’t being confirmed, executive appointments aren’t approved and basic legislation cannot be passed because of egregious abuse of the filibuster.
The situation has become intolerable. When a new Senate convenes in January, it ought to adopt proposed reforms that would make a filibuster much harder to invoke and sustain, and that would require it be done much more publicly.
Those changes ought to be made regardless of which party controls the Senate.
Until now, Senate leaders of both parties have balked at trying to reform the filibuster rule, in part out of a misplaced sense of tradition. However, there is nothing traditional in how the filibuster is now being abused. There is nothing in Senate tradition — and certainly nothing in the U.S. Constitution — that requires a 60-vote majority to pass even routine legislation. But as the chart below illustrates, that has become the threshold for getting anything done.
(The chart tracks the number of attempts to overturn filibusters in each Congress. The Senate does not keep data on the number of times the filibuster itself is invoked, which would be much larger. Numbers for 2011-12 are lower because the current session has yet to be concluded, and because as use of the filibuster has become standard, fewer votes are called to try to overturn it.)
Last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took to the Senate floor in frustration to note such numbers and to admit that he had been wrong in not trying to change the filibuster earlier, as junior members of his caucus had proposed. Should Reid remain majority leader next January, his remarks suggest, he would be much more open to such a reform.
But what happens if the Republicans take control of the Senate? Won’t Democrats then need the protection that the filibuster provides to the minority party, particularly if the GOP holds the House and takes the White House too?
No. Partisan concerns aside, the filibuster as currently employed has taken much of the consequence out of losing or winning elections, and it’s time that consequence was reinstated. The legislative paralysis it has created in Washington has left government unable dangerously unresponsive to the country’s needs.
Perhaps even more dangerously, it means that nothing is ever resolved. If neither side can pass its programs, those programs are never tested against reality. The political debate in Washington then becomes more and more theoretical, and as it becomes more theoretical it also becomes more extreme. That is not how the Founding Fathers designed the system to work.
In this case, Republicans in Washington have proposed increasingly reactionary budgetary and tax proposals to satisfy an increasingly reactionary Republican base, secure in the knowledge that they would never be expected to actually pass and implement those proposals.
However, if the American people in their infinite wisdom hand the reins of power to the Republicans this November, that should change. Voters who demanded a major switch in philosophy should be able to see that philosophy enacted, for better or worse.
As currently employed, the filibuster frustrates that process. It protects the majority as much if not more than the minority, because it muddies the lines of responsibility and ensures that little ever changes. Given the current paralysis in a time when dramatic change is needed, that is not acceptable.
Fortunately, abolishing the filibuster altogether is neither necessary nor likely. The reforms proposed last year by Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico are reasonable and measured.
For example, today a filibuster can be initiated anonymously, by a single senator. Under the proposed reforms, a public petition signed by a minimum of 10 senators would be required to initiate a filibuster.
Today, once a motion to filibuster is filed, no other steps are needed to sustain it. However, Merkley and Udall would reinstate the old-fashioned requirement that filibuster supporters continue to speak on the Senate floor as long as they seek to block a vote.
Those and other similar changes would restore a sense of high stakes to use of the filibuster, discouraging its use as a everyday tactic. They would ensure that when a filibuster is used, public attention is drawn to those using it and why.
Most important, it would restore the ability of the majority party to implement policies that American voters had elected them to enact. That is, after all, the essence of self-government.
– Jay Bookman
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333 comments Add your comment
King of Everything
May 15th, 2012
10:46 am
Firsties…Yeah
King of Everything
May 15th, 2012
10:51 am
A big part of the problem is Senators saying “NO” to common sense ideas because it may give the other side a win in their column. Compromise is doing things my way. If you don’t agree to that then you get what we have now.
Fred ™
May 15th, 2012
10:57 am
Oh horsecrap Jay. Whatever party controls the Senate ALWAYS whines about a filibuster. Yet no one does anything about it when they have a chance. the Democrats had 60 and did NOTHING about the filibuster rule.
First you wait all day and then you give us THIS lol? Geez, this is so boring and insipid I’m gonna go do some work……..
Adam
May 15th, 2012
10:58 am
I’m just amazed at the lag time between the public (for god’s sake, the public! People who generally are not really paying all that much attention!) outcry for a filibuster reform, and Harry Reid finally going “oh yeah, maybe we should actually do that this time, I thought they might be reasonable.” Similar to how long it took Obama to realize the Republicans were going to block EVERYTHING he tried, no matter how small. “Oh, I thought they’d be more reasonable.” Glad the leaders are finally waking up.
King of Everything
May 15th, 2012
10:58 am
“Voters who demanded a major switch in philosophy should be able to see that philosophy enacted, for better or worse….”
When it fails they blame the other side for the failure. We already see first hand that reality and facts have almost no presence in these debate.
Mr_B
May 15th, 2012
10:59 am
Yeah Jay , just another post bashing Repub……… oh.
Aquagirl
May 15th, 2012
11:01 am
Merkley and Udall would reinstate the old-fashioned requirement that filibuster supporters continue to speak on the Senate floor as long as they seek to block a vote.
That would kill the overuse of filibusters quicker than anything else….If they’re speaking on the Senate floor, that cuts into fundraising and lobbyist suck-up time. Potential filibustiers will scatter like roaches at that idea.
Gator Joe
May 15th, 2012
11:01 am
Jay:
This is also why Republicans, and the Right Wing have no ground to criticize President Obama and the Democrats, when all they’ve done is obstruct via the filibuster, while not participating to solve the very problems they created.
Where's My Party?
May 15th, 2012
11:08 am
Bring back good old fashioned duels.
Jefferson
May 15th, 2012
11:08 am
The GOP IS the problem. Period.
Gator Joe
May 15th, 2012
11:09 am
Aquagirl @ 11:01, That may be the solution. If the rule is returned to having to physically speak on the floor, then we would see who is serious about issues and who is merely acting for partisan advantage and obstruction. The larger problem though is there are no statesmen or stateswomen among the Republicans in today’s GOP.
Mighty Righty
May 15th, 2012
11:09 am
I agree. Let ‘em vote! Oh, that would mean Harry Reid would have to put his party in a position of having to vote on unpopular bills. Can’t have that. Easier to not bring up the bill and then to blame the Republicans. Like no budget and many others. This time next year, the Dims will sing a different tune.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
May 15th, 2012
11:10 am
I should would like to know which side has used it the most during its history!
That said, I still like it as it RESTRAINS the federal government.
If it’s something really important enough with bi-partisan support it will get passed.
St Simons - he-ne-ha
May 15th, 2012
11:11 am
This is Merka’s House of Lords. All the corp interests have to do
is buy off 41 people, and they can stop anything in a nation
of 300 mil from happening.
I’d be for a modern parliamentary system with proportional representation
at this point, but I think the con-world prefers dysfunction.
JamVet
May 15th, 2012
11:11 am
The U.S. Senate, supposedly “the world’s greatest deliberative body,” has all but ceased to function.
Is it any wonder?
When the Party of No wants to make it small enough to “drown it in a bathtub”?
This is one of their anti-American, underhanded and sleazy ways of helping that come to fruition.
The legacy of the Holy Father of Republican Actors…
Mighty Righty
May 15th, 2012
11:12 am
Gator Joe
Dims don’t have to fillibuster. Old Harry just doesn’t allow the vote. Saves time and gets the uninformed to blame Repubs.
Where's My Party?
May 15th, 2012
11:12 am
“The larger problem though is there are no statesmen or stateswomen among the Republicans in today’s GOP.”
50% correct. There aren’t any on the other side of the aisle either.
(ir)Rational
May 15th, 2012
11:12 am
Something needs to change, that is for sure. I find it odd that there has been a law suit brought by some members of the House challenging the use of the filibuster in the Senate. If I didn’t know better, I would think that maybe Hank Johnson and John Lewis didn’t know that each chamber of Congress sets its own rules of procedure. Having said that, I would agree that instituting those simple changes would make the filibuster go away (well, decrease in use anyway) very quickly. It would probably make C-SPAN much more interesting too.
Jefferson
May 15th, 2012
11:13 am
If you can’t bend you will break.
Mr_B
May 15th, 2012
11:14 am
Scout@ 11:10 Methinks you confuse “restraint” with “paralysis.”
USinUK - pro-gay-marriage thug and former Girl Scout
May 15th, 2012
11:14 am
“That said, I still like it as it RESTRAINS the federal government.”
like the federal judiciary … the bench has been running LESS than fully staffed thanks to Senate grandstanding
ByteMe - Political thug
May 15th, 2012
11:16 am
There’s also a lawsuit afoot brought against the Senate for its rules concerning the filibuster. The lawsuit will fail, because SCOTUS is clear that the Senate can make its own rules without their help.
But when asked about it, here’s what I said:
I’m all for the filibuster. Let them get up there and keep talking until they quit or are voted off the stage by their fellow Senators. In the meantime, stop ALL business in the Senate for it, and turn off the live cameras for the duration of the filibuster. Reporters can stay, just not live video cameras. If they want to boost their ego, let them do it another way.
Common Sense
May 15th, 2012
11:18 am
We do not have mob rule in this nation. We are a Republic.
Get over it already.
East Lake Ira
May 15th, 2012
11:19 am
Gator Joe – Do you hold the HoR leadership in contempt as well since they operate similarly to the Sen. leadership?
Oscar
May 15th, 2012
11:24 am
Original purpose of the filibuster was to delay the vote until all senators could get to Washington and vote. Now, there is a rule that requires sixty votes to bring a bill to a vote. Get rid of the requirement.
If fifty one members of the senate want a bill passed, it should be passed. House does not allow filibusters. Senate should not either.
Gator Joe
May 15th, 2012
11:24 am
Ira:
House leadership and Sen. leadership are two distinct groups. No, they don’t operate similarly. And yes, I do hold House GOP “leadership” (if you wish to call it that) in contempt.
JohnnyReb
May 15th, 2012
11:25 am
The Senate is too powerful a body to change the fillibuster rules. They remove most of the emotion from House Bills, plus they confirm treaties and SCOTUS appointments among other things. The fillibuster rule allows a state, via their senator, to stop something on which they are very against.
The Dems were able to pass Obamacare by using every trick in the book, and look what a mess that has turned out to be.
Why would we want to make it easier for one party to screw things up more (Dems or Repubs).
Fly-On-The-Wall
May 15th, 2012
11:25 am
Jay,
I think a ‘daylight’ or ’sunshine’ rule would go a long ways in reducing the use of the filibuster as we are currently seeing it used. If a Senator is so moved as to want to filibuster then they should put their name on it for all to see. Lack of disclosure in politics is a green light for all/both sides to abuse the system.
Peter
May 15th, 2012
11:27 am
The Republican’s don’t care here in Georgia either Jay…… as we learned today the Chattahoochee is now # 3 as an endangered river…….of course the GOP who run the state is not concerned about water…..just more building without any thoughts for the future.
Kind of like the Iraq War…. no thoughts about a BIG bill in the future.
Yup kill the ecology..heck do we need water…. wait…….they will find a way to charge us more if possible …….. and don’t worry about the kids or grand kids…..
Kind of like the Bush administration says…… “Deficits don’t matter “……. THE REAL GOP MANTRA !
godless heathen
May 15th, 2012
11:28 am
Go back to the appointment of Senators by State Legislatures, the way the framers of the Constitution intended.
Mighty Righty
May 15th, 2012
11:28 am
President Obama’s claim that the GOP is mounting a war on women has proven to be a failure. A month into his assault on the Republicans and Mitt Romney, the new CBS-New York Times poll shows that the GOP presidential candidate now leads among women–and men.
Latest Poll
Women now favor Romney over Obama
Since April, women have gone from strongly backing Obama to endorsing Romney. In April, Obama held a 49 percent to 43 percent lead among women. That has now flipped to 46 percent backing Romney with 44 percent for Obama, an 8-point switch.
There seems to be nothing better for Romney than to have Obama pick a group and use his skill to “change” the group.
Finn McCool (The System Isn't Broken; It's Fixed ~ from an Occupy sign)
May 15th, 2012
11:29 am
if the GOP holds the House and takes the White House too?
LOL!
JohnnyReb
May 15th, 2012
11:29 am
As far as the Senate almost ceasing to function – look no further than Harry who is a puppet of Obama. They won’t even introduce a budget for debate. So, before the rules are changed, there needs to be sincere actions and that’s not coming from the Left.
East Lake Ira
May 15th, 2012
11:29 am
Gator Joe – They do in fact act in the same way in this instance. Both manage which bills are brought up for a vote. Both favor their own party. Both use arcane parlimentary rules to embarass the other side.
Now, your distaste for the HoR leadership is interesting – and perhaps I’m misreading your leanings here – but I’d be interested in hearing more on this from you.
Mighty Righty
May 15th, 2012
11:32 am
Peter
I guess you are not aware the Chattahoochee is under the absolute control of the Army Corp. of engineers and the E.P.A. The state can’t do a thing without first obtaining their approval.
stevie ray....Clowns to the Left of me Jokers to the Right...here I am...
May 15th, 2012
11:33 am
JAY,
Great topic. The filibuster also takes personal risk and accountability out of elected corruptresentatives. I think they like gridlock since blame can always be pushed off thus no accountability. President Trillions assignment of “evil doer” labels to what really amounts to the top 10%, doesn’t help since that particular vote getting tactic trickles down to the balance of the party. GOP is not much different with that Tea Party beligerent, no holds barred crap.
They know we are like sheep and we have been neutered…special interests will continue to run the show…
godless heathen
May 15th, 2012
11:34 am
East Lake Ira:
What a nice little person you are. So intellectual, too.
BADA BING
May 15th, 2012
11:34 am
Enter your comments here
Matti
May 15th, 2012
11:36 am
Today, once a motion to filibuster is filed, no other steps are needed to sustain it. However, Merkley and Udall would reinstate the old-fashioned requirement that filibuster supporters continue to speak on the Senate floor as long as they seek to block a vote.
Hear, hear! Today, filibuster = “if you don’t have 60 votes, fuhggit about it.” This practice deprives the American people of the reasonable expectation that our Senators will debate an issue and vote on its merits.
If your Senator seriously opposes a bill and wants to filibuster, he or she should be required to stand up and speak — cameras rolling! — for as long as it takes to make a rational, salient argument against it.
The current method that a threat is somehow equal to the action is just LAZY. Why don’t senators want to take personal responsibility for their opposition? Why aren’t they willing to put in the work, the hours, the sweat, and the face time to make a point?
They “file” it, and then go have drinks with lobbyists! WHY would anyone be okay with that?
godless heathen
May 15th, 2012
11:36 am
M.R. “I guess you are not aware the Chattahoochee is under the absolute control of the Army Corp. of engineers and the E.P.A.
He is also unaware of the meaning of the word “ecology”.
Gator Joe
May 15th, 2012
11:37 am
Ira:
You are correct. But the ends aimed at by those means are quite different. And there are significant differences between Reid and Boehner. My stance, not leaning, is Liberal. Thanks for responding in a courteous, informative, non-insulting manner.
UNCLE SAMANTHA
May 15th, 2012
11:39 am
The U.S. Senate, supposedly “the world’s greatest deliberative body,” has all but ceased to function.
our problem is that both the House and the Senate have been functioning
that is why we have $15+ trillion in debt
Recon 0311 2533
May 15th, 2012
11:39 am
Of course an administration with policies that are unpopular with the majority, it’s good that there is a filibuster. Latest NYT/CBS poll has Romney leading and worse yet for Obama and the Democrats he’s now leading among woman and has opened up a large margin with Independents.
(ir)Rational
May 15th, 2012
11:40 am
godless – Then there is also the fact that, from my understanding of the news story, the river is being listed as endangered because people in/around Atlanta are trying to figure out how we can build some reservoirs to control flooding and provide the people that are living around here with drinking water. From that understanding, I would guess that the group that decides which rivers are endangered and which aren’t is probably based out of NW Florida or Alabama. Or maybe Columbus.
TaxPayer
May 15th, 2012
11:41 am
Republicans being put in the awkward position of actually delivering something other than lies.
Now THAT’s would be a sight. Bring on the simple majority and let the Republicans win control. I think Scott Walker will no longer be alone at night, fearing the recall boogie man.
Jay
May 15th, 2012
11:41 am
Ira, personal attacks such as that one will NOT be tolerated.
Please don’t repeat that behavior.
Mighty Righty
May 15th, 2012
11:42 am
As a proud conservative I would not want the Republican party to control both houses and the white house any more than I want the Democrat party to. I would like to see every single bill, executive order and federal regulation implemented for the last three years to be reversed. Then I would like to see total paralysis of the federal government except for defending this nation. A wise Congressman once said, “The nation is never in greater danger than when congress is in session.”
UNCLE SAMANTHA
May 15th, 2012
11:42 am
actually you can bypass the fillibuster
the democrats proved you can do it with healthcare reform
all that is needed is for the blue-dog democrats and moderate republicans to work together from both chambers and write a DUAL bill to present to both chambers for vote
now if we can just get the blue dogs and moderate republicans elected
let me check the endangered species list to see if there are any still around that will run for office
(ir)Rational
May 15th, 2012
11:42 am
I would guess that would MAKE the group (that’s what I meant anyway).
GT
May 15th, 2012
11:42 am
I like this better or worse enacted. Politicians try so hard to shade the voters from the truth. Too big to fail is more words than reality. What people are really afraid of is they will lose their power to a more active and creative group in the Darwin like evolution of free enterprise. Wall Street might be located on Peachtree Street the economic power equally spread around Main Street America, out of the power of a few into the hands of a nation.
Filibuster is a do nothing exercise that freezes the will of the people. It keeps the power where it is. Theoretically that power is in the hands of the voter, so if they freeze it too long the man loses his job, but lobbyist and super pacs have bastardized the voice of the people with campaigns of misinformation, and you can’t get the floor of Congress to contradict the misinformation because the lobbyist have designed it that way. The only place the real truth comes out anymore thanks to a bias press, is a court of law. Too bad our legislature couldn’t require the same integrity as a court of law where the spoken word could be measured. I would care which side won if the were honest in their victory, it is the bait and switch the flip flop that is driving me crazy.
JamVet
May 15th, 2012
11:44 am
Worth reprising…
Let’s just say it: The Republicans are the problem.
We have been studying Washington politics and Congress for more than 40 years, and never have we seen them this dysfunctional.
In our past writings, we have criticized both parties when we believed it was warranted. Today, however, we have no choice but to acknowledge that the core of the problem lies with the Republican Party.
The GOP has become an insurgent outlier in American politics. It is ideologically extreme; scornful of compromise; unmoved by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition.
When one party moves this far from the mainstream, it makes it nearly impossible for the political system to deal constructively with the country’s challenges.
ty webb
May 15th, 2012
11:45 am
if the GOP takes control of the Senate next year, there won’t be any need for changes to filibuster rules… for putting history aside, the democrat party would never become a “party of no”…everyone knows that phony meme only pertains to the “racists”.
Doggone/GA
May 15th, 2012
11:47 am
“for putting history aside, the democrat party would never become a “party of no”…”
I wouldn’t be so sure of that if I were you. It’s my understanding that the current filibuster rules were put in place by a D majority
Fly-On-The-Wall
May 15th, 2012
11:48 am
Wow, it didn’t take very long for the partisan remarks to start. So does the Senate mirror public feelings or is it the other way around?
Oscar
May 15th, 2012
11:48 am
actually you can bypass the fillibuster
_______
You can by pass it if you have sixty votes. The original bill passed the senate with sixty votes, before Kennedy died. They later were able to amend it with a majority under a rule that allows such amendments. That was a fluke that doesn’t happen often.
Fly-On-The-Wall
May 15th, 2012
11:49 am
I have a question, when did it change to the ‘Democrat Party from the ‘Democratic Party’ and why?
Adam
May 15th, 2012
11:49 am
So, before the rules are changed, there needs to be sincere actions and that’s not coming from the Left.
Yeah right. It doesn’t matter what “the left” does to placate your concerns, unless they just switch all allegiances and positions to Republican. The GOP has proven they do not care how much compromise comes from “the left,” they will only accept their way or the highway on a number of even minor issues. If “the left” did what you were asking for here, the GOP would still filibuster, and would make up some other excuse (moving the goal posts) in order to insist on their way or the highway again. And, in fact, the more “the left” caves to their demands, the more they do it.
rightwing troll
May 15th, 2012
11:49 am
“Dims don’t have to fillibuster. Old Harry just doesn’t allow the vote. Saves time and gets the uninformed to blame Repubs.”
Speaking of woefully uninformed. No they don’t have to filibuster, that’s one of the perks of having a MAJORITY… to do the THE PEOPLES bidding… I say nothing needs be done right now, lets wait til after next November.
godless heathen
May 15th, 2012
11:50 am
(ir)Rational: “Then there is also the fact that, from my understanding of the news story, the river is being listed as endangered because people in/around Atlanta are trying to figure out how we can build some reservoirs to control flooding and provide the people that are living around here with drinking water.
I went to the article to see the group is “American Rivers”. They are decidedly anti-dam and anti-hydroelectric power. Lot’s of whitewater enthusiasts in that group. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but they have their own agenda.
Mick
May 15th, 2012
11:52 am
Just love the way some here read the polls and announce obama is done; please wait until after the party conventions and debates, the true picture will then come into focus. Mr. romney has a long way to go before he grabs the brass ring.
Filibusters need to be the way it was intended, just like jimmy stewart did in that great film that was ahead of its time…
Gator Joe
May 15th, 2012
11:53 am
Fly on the Wall @ 11:49, when people confuse a noun, Democrat, with an adjective Democratic. Not surprising here in GA and in my home state of FL.
GT
May 15th, 2012
11:54 am
The only place the real truth comes out anymore thanks to a bias press, is a court of law. Too bad our legislature couldn’t require the same integrity as a court of law where the spoken word could be measured. A place not allowed to introduced irrelevant testimony and all parties on the floor were under oath. I wouldn’t care which side won if they were honest in their victory, it is the bait and switch the flip flop, the pork barreling, tagging on stuff to bills at midnight, slight of hand, that is driving me crazy. You couldn’t do that in a court of law, shouldn’t the place making the laws have the same atmosphere as the justice to carry these laws out has. If you let the virus into the making of the sausage what matter is it that the courtroom is sterile?
(ir)Rational
May 15th, 2012
11:54 am
godless – I figured as much. But calling a river endangered because a couple of cities are planning to build dams to better regulate the flow of the river and to allow the residents of those cities to drink from the lake instead of taking everything from the river is somewhat irresponsible. In my opinion anyway. I personally see it as a great stimulus package for the area. Plenty of new construction jobs in building the reservoirs, then plenty of new construction and design jobs in building the new lakefront houses.
Recon 0311 2533
May 15th, 2012
11:55 am
AS Obama’s campaign attempts to move FORWARD his acceptability moves backward, yet the left holds on to the delusion that the majority view Republicans as out of the main stream. If the left would apply some introspection while looking outward they would find that its they who’re out of the main stream.
Doggone/GA
May 15th, 2012
11:55 am
“I have a question, when did it change to the ‘Democrat Party from the ‘Democratic Party’ and why?”
It never changed. It was, and is, used by R’s as a way to control the conversation. They seem to think it’s an insult or something. Whenever someone addresses me with that stupidity I just use “republics” as a comeback. Doesn’t do any good, but it’s amusing.
Joe Hussein Mama
May 15th, 2012
11:56 am
Recon — “Latest NYT/CBS poll has Romney leading and worse yet for Obama and the Democrats he’s now leading among woman and has opened up a large margin with Independents.”
If only the Presidency went to the man who won the popular vote, eh? Ask Samuel Tilden about that.
The electoral math still STRONGLY favors Obama; have a look.
http://www.electoral-vote.com/
Romney could win every state on that map that’s strongly, weakly and barely for him — PLUS he could add *every* state that’s barely for Obama AND half the states that are weakly for Obama — and Obama would still win.
I’ll say that again, but in a different way. Obama can win even if he only takes all the dark blue states on that map, plus half the light blue ones (let’s say Virginia and New Hampshire, which puts him right at 270 EVs). Whereas Romney would have to hold EVERY STATE that’s now in his column, plus take away six Obama states — and he’d still lose by 2 EVs. And even that much is an incredibly difficult electoral feat to accomplish.
The math does not favor Mr. Romney’s chances at all.
Aquagirl
May 15th, 2012
11:57 am
Latest NYT/CBS poll has Romney leading and worse yet for Obama and the Democrats he’s now leading among woman and has opened up a large margin with Independents.
For y’all wetting yourselves over this news, maybe you should read the poll.
“The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points…… The error for subgroups is higher.”
I know, this means you might have to think about numbers and all, so I’ll explain it…a shift of 5% among a subgroup in this poll means nothing. Except a headline to get you to read it and forward to everybody in your inbox with lots of !!!!!!!’s and so forth.
I find it particularly ironic when our resident cons won’t believe CBS unless it’s good news for them, then they eat it up like a 400 pounder attacking a quart of ice cream.
UNCLE SAMANTHA
May 15th, 2012
11:57 am
oscar you are right
i stand corrected
guess my dream of the managing middle must give way to the reality of the egregious extremes running congress
Doggone/GA
May 15th, 2012
11:58 am
” But calling a river endangered because a couple of cities are planning to build dams to better regulate the flow of the river and to allow the residents of those cities to drink from the lake instead of taking everything from the river”
It doesn’t really have anything to do with regulating the river…it has to do with the fight with the COE over Lake Lanier. Atlanta has been using that lake for drinking water and the COE has put it’s foot down about that, since it was not an intended use. So Atlanta is pursuing alternate water storage sites to bypass the lake.
Stonethrower
May 15th, 2012
11:58 am
SSDD! Call both parties the “Do nothing party”. They are there to serve themselves and have us all sandbagged into thinking they actually have our best interest at heart.
JohnnyReb
May 15th, 2012
11:58 am
Adam
May 15th, 2012
11:49 am
So, before the rules are changed, there needs to be sincere actions and that’s not coming from the Left.
Yeah right. It doesn’t matter what “the left” does to placate your concerns, unless they just switch all allegiances and positions to Republican. The GOP has proven they do not care how much compromise comes from “the left,” they will only accept their way or the highway on a number of even minor issues. If “the left” did what you were asking for here, the GOP would still filibuster, and would make up some other excuse (moving the goal posts) in order to insist on their way or the highway again. And, in fact, the more “the left” caves to their demands, the more they do it.
_____________
Adam, it’s unfortunate that you and millions of other Moonbats (a term of endearment) don’t get it. The Repubs object to Dem spending. But instead of the Senate putting forth a budget where disagreements would be worked out, Harry/Obama has not brought a budget. And, you really expect Repubs to cooperate, to just say yes, to whatever little Barry wants to do?
Old Goober
May 15th, 2012
12:00 pm
Just wait until the Republicans take a majority in the Senate. The filibuster will have a shorter life span than the fruit fly. The only defense against a total shafting of the lower and middle classes will be the veto pen of the White House. Conservative Republicans will find themselves confirmed to federal judgeships almost instantaneously. Social Security and Medicare as we know them will be transformed into unrecognizable entities within ninety days. Crippling Ryan budgets will be imposed on the helpless.
The feckless Harry Reid has been the very worst thing to happen to the Democrats. Under an illusory sense of statecraft, he passed up a chance to make the Senate an effective body. He’s highly likely to find himself the victim of his own incompetence. He’ll be a mere observer of a revolution controlled by corporate interests.
Erwin's cat
May 15th, 2012
12:00 pm
So now we want to change the filibuster rules?
UNCLE SAMANTHA
May 15th, 2012
12:01 pm
stonethrower
be careful…………. you might get audited by the IRS for pointing such things out
JohnnyReb
May 15th, 2012
12:05 pm
It’s amazing the Left thinks Obama could win after his “coming out.” 32 states have voted against gay marriage. That’s not some manipulated poll; no, its at the ballot box where it counts.
Do you really think, knowing the next pres will change the face of SCOTUS, that the people who voted against gay marriage will vote for Obama knowing he would change SCOTUS to majority liberal and gay marriage would win before them?
If yes, as George croons, I have ocean front property for you in Arizona.
(ir)Rational
May 15th, 2012
12:05 pm
Doggone – Maybe so, but intended or not, it is going to help regulate the flow of the river. I always felt there was a very easy way to get around the whole “Lake Lanier was never meant for Atlanta’s drinking water” argument. It was meant for drinking water for Gainesville, and one or two more cities. They could draw more than they need and sell it to their neighbors. Then again, the people in Florida and Alabama that seem to think they have more right to the water in Georgia than the people of Georgia do would complain about that more than they already are and find some federal judge to stop it. It amazes me that so many people seem to want to deny the truth that Atlanta exists and that the people that live here need water to drink.
Recon 0311 2533
May 15th, 2012
12:05 pm
Joe, sorry but in today’s economic reality that electoral map isn’t a reliable predictor. I’ll put greater credence in the mood of the electorate. When you have CBS and New York Times signaling time for concern it gets my attention.
Jay
May 15th, 2012
12:06 pm
As James Madison wrote in the Federalist Papers about requiring supermajorities:
“In all cases where justice or the general good might require new laws to be passed, or active measures to be pursued, the fundamental principle of free government would be reversed. It would be no longer the majority that would rule: the power would be transferred to the minority. Were the defensive privilege limited to particular cases, an interested minority might take advantage of it to screen themselves from equitable sacrifices to the general weal, or, in particular emergencies, to extort unreasonable indulgences.”
Such as the Nebraska Kickback?
ByteMe - Political thug
May 15th, 2012
12:07 pm
like a 400 pounder attacking a quart of ice cream.
Voted best visual imagery for today.
UNCLE SAMANTHA
May 15th, 2012
12:07 pm
JOHNNYREB
due to global warming…… uh er….. climate change……… you just may have oceanfront property in arizona
UNCLE SAMANTHA
May 15th, 2012
12:09 pm
(ir)Rational
i am curious if you know how they determine the OWNER of rainfall that accumulates in LANIER as opposed to water flowing from the springs of N GA? can rainfall in one area be the property of another?
(ir)Rational
May 15th, 2012
12:10 pm
UNCLE SAMANTHA – There could very easily be an argument made that there is, in fact, ocean front property in Arizona. There just isn’t water in that particular ocean anymore. Learn your natural history, there was once an ocean that covered much of the Southwest.
Bobby
May 15th, 2012
12:10 pm
The filibuster rule was institued when Senators were selected by the State legislatures. This produced a differant type Senator more accountable to the States, now the Senate is just a smaller version of the House of Reps. If the 17th amendment had not come to pass the Senate might not be this polarized, but who knows. Given the make up of State Goverments the Senate would be trending toward a 50+ seat majority of Republicans right now if picked by State legistlatures.
Mick
May 15th, 2012
12:11 pm
**Such as the Nebraska Kickback?**
Is that anything like fumblerooski?
UNCLE SAMANTHA
May 15th, 2012
12:11 pm
AQUAGIRL should be ashamed for the bullying she is doing against heavier americans
stop the bullying
its not nice
heavier people have feelings and are valuable to us all
Mighty Righty
May 15th, 2012
12:14 pm
Jamvet-I respect your opinion , here is mine. I am in favor of compromise when there is somehing positive in the result for both parties. The problem is the left wants to “fundamentally change” our country. The left, wants bigger government, higher taxes, more social programs, more government power over we the people. Many on the left believe the United States is inherently bad and must be destroyed and remade into their version of fairness. While the socialist communists, nazis and fascists are a minority part of the left, they are large conributors to the discourse and are powerful within the party. We on the right, the conservative right, believe the policies of the left will destroy the country. We believe the United States has become the richest country for all of its citizens. We believe our poor are richer than the rich in many other country We believe the hords of immigrants who die every year just for the opportunity to come here are proof positive that our systam as flawed as it may be is still the best the world has ver known. We believe the failures of European socialism, of Russia, Chinese, North Korean, and Cuban communisim is all the proof we need to completely reject with out compromise the lefts overtures. I don’t think we can compromise with people whose goal is our destruction, a little at a time. If we have to fillibuster to stop more spending by “Big Brother” andmore regulaions, so be it. It is a good thing.
Mick
May 15th, 2012
12:15 pm
jay
Nice chart about filibustering and lawsuit to declare it unconstitutional-
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/is-the-filibuster-unconstitutional/2012/05/15/gIQAYLp7QU_blog.html
ByteMe - Political thug
May 15th, 2012
12:15 pm
i am curious if you know how they determine the OWNER of rainfall that accumulates in LANIER as opposed to water flowing from the springs of N GA?
Has to do with the watershed that each set of rivers belongs to. Even water in springs comes from somewhere.
JamVet
May 15th, 2012
12:16 pm
Is that anything like fumblerooski?
Yeah, baby! Visions of Dean Steinkuhler!
And a helluva hat tip to my ‘Cane brother/adversary!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a96h9QvTl7c&feature=related
Grasshopper
May 15th, 2012
12:18 pm
WAY off topic —
Does anyone think there will be Rodney King style riots throughout the country when Obama loses in November?
barking frog
May 15th, 2012
12:20 pm
Change the name to
silibuster. No one
would invoke silibuster.
Joseph
May 15th, 2012
12:20 pm
I’m all for doing away with starting in January. Repubs are sure to take the Senate so they would certainly be able to get real things done without dem interference…
Tommy Maddox
May 15th, 2012
12:21 pm
Gee – Harry Reid refuses to bring forward the 700 – 800 measures passed in the Republican House and forgets to bring forward a budget for three years?
Yeah that filibuster is just a killer.
UNCLE SAMANTHA
May 15th, 2012
12:21 pm
MICK
great article
points out the need to go through and re-look at all the rules of congress and to re-look all the laws that been passed and to update, consolidate or eliminate
JamVet
May 15th, 2012
12:21 pm
Grasshopper, I’m thinking less likely than thethousands of neocons being admitted to insane asylums when he does!
JohnnyReb
May 15th, 2012
12:23 pm
Grasshopper
May 15th, 2012
12:18 pm
WAY off topic —
Does anyone think there will be Rodney King style riots throughout the country when Obama loses in November?
_______________
I use to think there would be, but have changed my mind. I don’t think there is that much enthusiasm left for Obama in the black community. I think they will vote for him because he is black, but won’t riot for him.
barking frog
May 15th, 2012
12:23 pm
Grasshopper
May 15th, 2012
12:18 pm
WAY off topic —
Does anyone think there will
be Rodney King style riots
throughout the country when
Obama loses in November?
–——-
yes but it will be Republicans
celebrating.
JamVet
May 15th, 2012
12:24 pm
Many on the left believe the United States is inherently bad and must be destroyed and remade into their version of fairness.
Then you must have much documented proof to corroborate this outrageous claim, correct?
Please provide it, herewith.
Otherwise, you realize that you are just gonna be ridiculed for blowing smoke out of your ___ yet again, right?
I’ll be awaiting your plethora of evidence…
Oscar
May 15th, 2012
12:26 pm
UNCLE SAMANTHA
May 15th, 2012
11:57 am
__________
Since when is requiring a majority to pass a bill government by the extremes. allowing forty per cent of the senate to blockk a vote is more government by the extremes than fifty one per cent. Fifty one is more that forty one.
Grasshopper
May 15th, 2012
12:26 pm
“Many on the left believe the United States is inherently bad and must be destroyed and remade into their version of fairness.”
I guess Obama’s 2009 Apology Tour would be the first piece of evidence.