End the filibuster?

[steve_bank]

I'd like to end the filibuster and replace it with holding your breath until you pass out. A more fitting exercise befitting our childish bickering slap fighting members of Congress.

I'd also add hitting each other with foam bats and calling each other names.

 

[lpetrich]

Ilhan Omar on Twitter: "The filibuster is the reason we can’t pass:

-Marijuana legalization
-Democracy reform
-DC statehood
-The Equality Act
-The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
-A $15 minimum wage
-Gun safety reform
-Prescription drug reform
-Immigration reform

It is strangling our democracy." / Twitter

Manchin wants to make filibuster 'painful' to use - POLITICO

The filibuster should be painful, it really should be painful and we've made it more comfortable over the years,” he said on “Fox News Sunday.” “Maybe it has to be more painful.”

Manchin (D-W.Va.) has previously supported efforts to require senators to filibuster by talking on the chamber floor in order to hold up a bill, an idea he raised on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“If you want to make it a little bit more painful, make him stand there and talk,” Manchin said. “I'm willing to look at any way we can, but I'm not willing to take away the involvement of the minority.”

...
Implementing the so-called “talking filibuster” appeared to strike a cord with Brian Fallon, executive director the the group Demand Justice and a onetime spokesperson for now-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who tweeted that it had the potential to be the “ultimate solution here.”

“It preserves some ability for the minority to slow a bill as long as they physically hold the floor, but then allows an up-or-down vote once they give up. This is the Jimmy Stewart model,” he wrote, a reference to the 1939 movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”

That's what I'd like to see. I'd also like to see cloture votes require only a majority if the filibuster lasts long enough.

 

[ZiprHead]

I have decided to hereafter refer to the filibuster as the "unconstitutional filibuster".

 

[steve_bank]

Anything that comes to the floor for a vote should get an up down vote without delays.

The recent reading of COVID bill was silly.

 

[lpetrich]

McConnell offers scathing 'scorched earth' filibuster warning | TheHill

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) offered a scathing warning to Democrats on Tuesday, amid growing pressure to nix the legislative filibuster.

“Let me say this very clearly for all 99 of my colleagues: Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin, can even begin, to imagine what a completely scorched-earth Senate would look like,” McConnell said.

He added that in a chamber that functions on a day-to-day basis by consent, meaning all senators sign off on an action, "I want our colleagues to imagine a world where every single task, every one of them, requires a physical quorum."

He just described his obstructionism in the previous Congress and in Obama's Presidency.

But, in a warning shot to Democrats, he outlined a laundry list of conservative policies that could pass the next time Republicans control the chamber: Defunding Planned Parenthood and so-called "sanctuary cities," anti-abortion legislation and nationwide concealed carry reciprocity.

"So the pendulum ... would swing both ways, and it would swing hard," he added.

 

[lpetrich]

McConnell Warns Democrats to Keep Filibuster - The New York Times

“Everything that Democratic Senates did to Presidents Bush and Trump, everything the Republican Senate did to President Obama, would be child’s play compared to the disaster that Democrats would create for their own priorities if — if — they break the Senate,” said Mr. McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and minority leader. “The most mundane task of the Biden presidency would actually be harder — harder, not easier — for Democrats in a post-nuclear Senate.”

Senator Richard Durbin D-IL, the #2 Democrat in the Senate:

“Today’s filibusters have turned the world’s most deliberative body into one of the world’s most ineffectual bodies,” said Mr. Durbin, who said the burden should be on opponents of legislation to maintain a filibuster rather than on supporters to produce 60 votes to advance it. “If a senator insists on blocking the will of the Senate, he or she should have to pay some minimal price of being present. No more phoning it in. If your principles are that important, stand up for them, speak your mind, hold the floor, and show your resolve.”

Senators often bypass their organization's rules by unanimous consent, and MMC is claiming that Republicans could obstruct by requiring votes on everything.

“Let me say this very clearly for all 99 of my colleagues,” Mr. McConnell said. “Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin — can even begin — to imagine what a completely scorched earth Senate would look like. None of us have served one minute in a Senate that was completely drained of comity, and this is an institution that requires unanimous consent to turn the lights on before noon.”

Or do stunts like have the clerks read a complete bill, as Ron Johnson did with the recent aid bill.

Last year, AOC did something similar with her Green New Deal resolution. But unlike Sen. Johnson, she read it herself.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Senators often bypass their organization's rules by unanimous consent, and MMC is claiming that Republicans could obstruct by requiring votes on everything.

Christ, Mitch is my Aunt Gayle in Drag.
"Lrt me obstruct by filibuster or I'll show you what real obstruction is!"

 

[Elixir]

Turtle sez ending the filibuster would further divide the senate?
How much more divided does he think it can get? The Republinazi's can't muster one single vote for a rescue bill that has 70% public bipartisan support.
Fuck him. Dems should run roughshod over these insurrectionist autocrats before they regain a toehold.

 

[Shadowy Man]

Well if Mitch is against it then it must be a good idea.

 

[Metaphor]

I'm guessing the Democrats have not ended the filibuster yet and don't plan to do so.

 

[Swammerdami]

McConnell offers scathing 'scorched earth' filibuster warning | TheHill

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) offered a scathing warning to Democrats on Tuesday, amid growing pressure to nix the legislative filibuster.

“Let me say this very clearly for all 99 of my colleagues: Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin, can even begin, to imagine what a completely scorched-earth Senate would look like,” McConnell said.

He added that in a chamber that functions on a day-to-day basis by consent, meaning all senators sign off on an action, "I want our colleagues to imagine a world where every single task, every one of them, requires a physical quorum."

He just described his obstructionism in the previous Congress and in Obama's Presidency.

But, in a warning shot to Democrats, he outlined a laundry list of conservative policies that could pass the next time Republicans control the chamber: Defunding Planned Parenthood and so-called "sanctuary cities," anti-abortion legislation and nationwide concealed carry reciprocity.

"So the pendulum ... would swing both ways, and it would swing hard," he added.

Yes, Moscow Mitch is perversely proud of his own evil obstructionism. But the more important message is that Republicans would abolish the filibuster in any event, whenever they're in power and it would suit their agenda. The idea that if the R's can't filibuster the D's won't be able to either when the screw turns misses the key point: R's with 51-59 seats will selectively override filibuster whenever it suits their agenda anyway. That they didn't use this power under Obama to repeal Obamacare is simply that they had enough self-awareness to know that such a repeal — rather than mere babbled promises to "replace" Obamacare at some future date — would be a disaster for them. (And of course the gamble that gullible D's would allow the filibuster to coexist with their own brief turn at control.)

 

[Loren Pechtel]

McConnell offers scathing 'scorched earth' filibuster warning | TheHill

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) offered a scathing warning to Democrats on Tuesday, amid growing pressure to nix the legislative filibuster.

“Let me say this very clearly for all 99 of my colleagues: Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin, can even begin, to imagine what a completely scorched-earth Senate would look like,” McConnell said.

He added that in a chamber that functions on a day-to-day basis by consent, meaning all senators sign off on an action, "I want our colleagues to imagine a world where every single task, every one of them, requires a physical quorum."

He just described his obstructionism in the previous Congress and in Obama's Presidency.

But, in a warning shot to Democrats, he outlined a laundry list of conservative policies that could pass the next time Republicans control the chamber: Defunding Planned Parenthood and so-called "sanctuary cities," anti-abortion legislation and nationwide concealed carry reciprocity.

"So the pendulum ... would swing both ways, and it would swing hard," he added.

Scorched Earth?

Can we do that to GOP headquarters?

 

[Swammerdami]

I just noticed that Moscow Mitch revealed more than he intended.

Let me say this very clearly for all 99 of my colleagues: Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin, can even begin, to imagine what a completely scorched-earth Senate would look like,...
I want our colleagues to imagine a world where every single task, every one of them, requires a physical quorum.

...
But, in a warning shot to Democrats, he outlined a laundry list of conservative policies that could pass the next time Republicans control the chamber: Defunding Planned Parenthood and so-called "sanctuary cities," anti-abortion legislation and nationwide concealed carry reciprocity.

"So the pendulum ... would swing both ways, and it would swing hard."

When the D's have 51 votes, he plans a "scorched earth", with Senators insisting on reading 500-page bills, proposing countless amendments, rereading the 500-page bill after each tiny amendment, and so on. The D's will be able to accomplish nothing.

But when the R's have 51 votes they will do whatever they want, pushing through "nationwide concealed carry reciprocity^*" without any trouble.

In other words, he's admitting the R's will insist on obstruction, but in the reciprocal position, the D's won't or can't do so.

If the D's do have the gumption to kill the filibuster, I hope they have the gumption to change other rules aas well. The next time Ron Johnson needs a bill read, instead of wasting ten hours in an empty Senate Chamber, put Johnson in some basement dungeon and read it to him there. Senators who violate rules should be bound and gagged.

^* - With all our country's problems, Nationwide concealed carry reciprocity is the R's hot button? What a sick and twisted mindset the R's live in.

 

[lpetrich]

Opinion | The pressure to reform the filibuster is already working - The Washington Post

In his speech, McConnell offered another threat: If Democrats reform the filibuster so they can pass their agenda, when Republicans retake power they’ll do the same. The pendulum “would swing hard,” he said, adding that Republicans would pass “all kinds of conservative policies” with “zero input from the other side.” He mentioned a national right-to-work law and defunding Planned Parenthood as reasons for Democrats to fear.

People's Whip Count - a page on where Senators stand on the filibuster issue.

• Supports eliminating legislative filibuster: Total: 11, D+I: 10, R:1 -- Steve Daines, R-MT
• Open to filibuster reform: Total: 29, D+I: 29
• Position unknown : Total: 28, D: 6, R: 22 -- Mark Kelly D-AZ, Dianne Feinstein D-CA, Michael Carper D-DE, Gary Peters D-MI, Margaret Hassan D-NH, Robert Menendez D-NJ
• Opposed to filibuster reform: Total: 32, D: 5, R: 27 -- Kyrsten Sinema D-AZ, Jacky Rosen D-NV, Jack Reed D-RI, Mark Warner D-VA, Patrick Leahy D-VT

 

[ZiprHead]

Do your jobs and vote up or down on legislation instead of using tricks to keep avoiding votes.

 

[lpetrich]

Update of the list at People's Whip Count:

• Supports eliminating legislative filibuster: Total: 12, D+I: 11, R: 1 -- Steve Daines, R-MT
• Open to filibuster reform: Total: 31 D+I: 31
• Position unknown : Total: 23, D: 4, R: 19 -- Mark Kelly D-AZ, Michael Carper D-DE, Margaret Hassan D-NH, Robert Menendez D-NJ
• Opposed to filibuster reform: Total: 34, D: 4, R: 30 -- Kyrsten Sinema D-AZ, Jacky Rosen D-NV, Jack Reed D-RI, Patrick Leahy D-VT

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

It is time to end the fake filibuster.

 

[Jayjay]

It is time to end the fake filibuster.

No it shouldn't. Why? Because (imagine a long and convincing explanation here).

QED.

 

[ZiprHead]

It is time to end the fake filibuster.

FTFY

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

It is time to end the fake filibuster.

FTFY

I'm not against a filibuster, I'm against the virtual filibuster, which just needs to be suggested to happen. If people had to actually follow through, instead of just threaten, then that would likely reduce the number of them. At least try that first.