Suit Filed To End Senate Filibuster

[Satchel]

Good. Hopefully much needed reform will be forced upon the Senate so that the abuse of the filibuster will end:

Common Cause Files Lawsuit to End Senate Gridlock
PR Newswire –


WASHINGTON, May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Common Cause filed a lawsuit today asking the U.S. District Court in Washington to declare that the Senate's filibuster rule is unconstitutional and violates the core American principle of majority rule.

Once a rarely used maneuver to allow extended debate, the filibuster now is routinely employed to block debate on hundreds of critical issues, including tackling the student loan debt crisis, revitalizing the economy, requiring disclosure of campaign spending and filling court vacancies. The suit charges that the rule is unconstitutional and was never contemplated by the nation's founders.
The Link

 

[Mr. Deez]

Satch,

Two problems. First, you're all a bunch of hypocrites, and I'm referring to all partisan Democrats and partisan Republicans. The only reason you don't like the filibuster is because of who's using it. When the GOP was whining about Democrats using the filibuster to keep the tax cuts from being permanent and to block judicial nominations, I don't remember you taking the GOP's side and saying Democrats should allow a vote on them.

All I can say is that at some point, the GOP will have 51 votes in the Senate. If there is no filibuster at that time, your party will have no seat at the table at all. You're not going to like that.

Second, it's not unconstitutional. The Constitution gives the Senate the power to set its own rules. It doesn't even say that a majority is needed to pass a bill, much less bring it to a vote

Under the rationale the plaintiffs are making, any obstruction to a bill being voted on (such as the committee process) would be unconstitutional.

 

[Satchel]

Theoretically, the filibuster is fine. To paraphrase the illogic of the gun lobby; it's not the filibuster it's the people who abuse it.

 

[Mr. Deez]

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[ProdigalHorn]

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[Satchel]

And?

 

[ShinerTX]

When was the last real filibuster? I don't remember hearing of one recently. I know it is discussed as if it happens all the time, but you would think there would be some news coverage of it going on in the middle of the night. I have not seen any such report. Interesting that one of the primary plaintiffs in this suit is an organization of non citizens. Our world is so screwed up.

 

[Satchel]

Deez, as is the case with the gun, youi need the filibuster and a nafariously intentioned politician to make the process abusive. Again, I hope the lawsuit sparks reform in the Senate.

 

[majorwhiteapples]

Reform in the Senate will only come when Reid is gone, he is the worst leader of the Senate of all time.

 

[ProdigalHorn]

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[Mr. Deez]

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[Satchel]

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[ShinerTX]

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[Leftwith]

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[majorwhiteapples]

Somebody should stop drinking at lunch on Tuesdays.

 

[Mr. Deez]

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[Satchel]

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[Mr. Deez]

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[Satchel]

You're a lawyer and should be better practiced in precise language.
I post a thread wherein I express satisfaction with the potential reform that could come from filibuster lawsuit. You introduce your version of what you think I really meant. When I disagree, you call into question my fariness.
Whatever, dude.

 

[Mr. Deez]

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[Satchel]

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