Fletch... wait no The Filibuster Lives!

[Jimmy Higgins]

One of the questions remaining to see just how much leverage would remain to keep the nation from devolving in to a single party rule remained with the Filibuster. Sen. Thune's words in the past month or so was implying that he wasn't considering getting rid of the filibuster. Had he done so, with the GOP Senate majority, there would have been very little in the way of what the GOP couldn't pass. But in killing the filibuster comes the cost of most legislation being at risk of being negated down the road.

So Sen. John Thune, the GOP Senate Majority Leader, has confirmed that the filibuster would stay.

In his maiden floor speech as Senate majority leader, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota used his first few minutes of floor time to make a commitment to defend the filibuster rule, which requires at least 60 votes to pass legislation in the Senate.

"One of my priorities as leader will be to ensure that the Senate stays the Senate," Thune said. "That means preserving the legislative filibuster, the Senate rule that today has perhaps the greatest impact on preserving the founders' visions of the United States Senate."

Thune's comments came just after the Senate gaveled in to begin its new session.

The unfortunate part of all of this just how prevalent the filibuster is. Legislation has become near impossible to pass anymore because one party hasn't had that majority since 2010, a majority that isn't all too common. And with the parties so diametrically opposed on legislation, getting 60+ votes often seems a dream of fantasy.

But with reconciliation, one to three bills can be passed with a 50 +1 vote. But the entire scope of the bill must be budget related. So the GOP will get their tax cut. The deficit ceiling? Not certain if that passes along with the budget issues. And the question regarding the border are up in the air. Beyond that, who knows. I mean there isn't anything else in the GOP platform these days.

The GOP have options, but they won't have unrestricted access to power.

 

[laughing dog]

I have no problem with the concept and practice of the traditional filibuster where someone has to actually work to hold the floor of the Senate. But the procedural filibuster (which is just a threat to actually filibuster) is bs and should be eliminated.

 

[bilby]

I have no problem with the concept and practice of the traditional filibuster where someone has to actually work to hold the floor of the Senate. But the procedural filibuster (which is just a threat to actually filibuster) is bs and should be eliminated.

Yup. Make the fuckers work for it. If you can't find a senator who cares enough to spend a few days on his feet gasbagging, then the senate doesn't really have any members who are adamantly opposed, and the bill should pass.