posted October 06, 2010 10:33 AM         

When the Democrats regained tenuous control of the 110th Congress in 2007, filibusters by the new Republican minority skyrocketed. Following the landslide victory of Barack Obama and progressive Democrats in 2008, there was a clear mandate for change in reform in America, yet the 111th should set a new record for filibusters as part of a clear pattern of obstruction from those who do not want change or reform.

The History of Filibusters in the US Congress

For those unfamiliar with the procedures, a senator can stop progress on any bill by speaking on and on and on on any topic they choose, unless 60 Senators vote to invoke cloture, there by ending the endless ramble. The first instance of cloture being used was to end a filibuster of the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles by isolationists in 1919. Following that, there were only 3 instances of cloture until 1960......
During an attempt by the Bush regime to appoint a group of conservative activist judges to the nations highest courts in 2005, the Democratic minority threatened to filibuster. At this point, the Republican majority threatened to abolish the filibuster (called the nuclear option) as a parliamentary procedure.

According to Wikipedia:

In 2005, a group of Republican senators led by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), responding to the Democrats’ threat to filibuster some judicial nominees of President George W. Bush to prevent a vote on the nominations, floated the idea of having Vice President Dick Cheney, as President of the Senate, rule from the chair that a filibuster on judicial nominees was inconsistent with the constitutional grant of power to the president to name judges with the advice and consent of the Senate (interpreting “consent of the Senate” to mean “consent of a simple majority of Senators”, not “consent under the Senate rules”).

Clear Pattern of Obstruction

This is all part of the Republican plan to deliberately stop government from working, as part of a playbook to retake Congress and hamstring the change voted for in 2008, and one that is eerily similar to the one they used in 1994.

This playbook consists of 5 distinct steps:
Step 1: Avoid Responsibility for GOP Failures
Step 2: Increase Negativity
Step 3: “Throw the Bums Out!”
Step 4: The New Contract on America
Step 5: Retake Congress

Where the filibuster should have a legitimate role in a functional democracy to protect minority rights, it is a procedure that is highly susceptible to abuse. In the past, this was always kept in check by the morality of individual senators, but in the 111th Congress, the sheer number of times it has been used indicate a clear pattern and dangerous precedent.

Reaction to Obstruction

Lou Gerber, the Legislative Director of the Communication Workers of America writes, “Under Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Republican Senators have instituted “new math” in which 60 votes have replaced 51 votes as the required majority to pass legislation.”

Ali Frick of ThinkProgress adds, “The Republicans have become experts at using Senate filibusters — or often just the threat of filibusters — to block the Democratic agenda while in the minority.”

There is more. Wes Rackley documents that while only 3 Bush nominees have been held up more than 3 months during his first year, 63 Obama nominees have been subjected to delay tactics, leaving important posts left unfilled.

Conservatives from both parties, but mostly the Republicans have held up health care reform for almost a year. There was even a manual on procedural ways to obstruct reform written by Sen. Judd Gregg, (R-NH) leaked.

The Republican Party has been doing everything in their power to obstruct progress, delay reform, and poison the well for the last year. This record number of votes invoking cloture to end a the record number of filibusters is just the latest incarnation of this.

posted October 06, 2010 10:34 AM         

Now here is Jim DeMint

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) speaks at the Values Voter Summit. DeMint has announced that he will block all legislative business in the Senate until after the midterm elections. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images.

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We are seeing a split in Republican leadership, although you have to look closely. It's that purity thing again, they just can't escape it. South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint has aligned himself with the Bagger movement, earning awards and support from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation -- founded and funded by the Libertarian billionaire Koch brothers who are pouring multi-millions into right-wing ads during this campaign season -- and flying the Bagger flag by actively endorsing non-mainstream Republican candidates. Radically conservative as well as religious, DeMint was a featured speaker at the Values Voters Summit held in D.C. this month. He's making a name for himself among this new breed of Republicans. With more than 70 percent of the GOP base approving the Tea Party's 'lower taxes / smaller government' platform, DeMint is on the right side of movement politics.

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Those on the left who fuss that Obama hasn't been able to achieve the liberal dreams of the nation despite his majority in Congress, take note: over 300 proposed bills, successfully passed through the House, have not received a Senate vote. Twenty-three judicial nominees, some having received unanimous approval in Judiciary, have not come to the floor. There are 103 judicial vacancies -- nearly one in eight seats on the bench -- and at least half of those positions have been labeled emergencies because of heavy caseloads. The right to a speedy trial is compromised because Obama's nominees have been stonewalled. Other branches of government are also going without leadership because of obstruction; some 200 of them earlier this year. There are so many non-controversial appointments outstanding that some legislators have suggested they be 'bundled' together for an up/down vote, should the GOP be persuaded to participate in one. The President took a defensive posture recently by appointing Elizabeth Warren as consultant to his economic team so she wouldn't end up in this long line of obstructed nominees.

An unprecedented level of obstruction -- read that again: unprecedented -- has occurred, and it's only going to get worse. Last week, Republicans blocked a defense bill that included the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" as well as the Pentagon-sponsored DREAM Act, which would have offered fast-track citizenship to illegals who volunteer and serve. The bill never even came to the floor for debate, the first defense bill to be blocked since 1952. Similarly, the renewal of a bill that funds almost a quarter of a million jobs through the stimulus plan was blocked for a third time this week, despite Dems working for renewal since early spring. Even the new iteration of START, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty beloved of GOP hero, Ronnie Reagan, has met an inflexible GOP block.

Not all of the obstructed bills are controversial. As ThinkProgress writes, "They include measures to prevent prisons from becoming breeding grounds for AIDS, to authorize relief for torture victims, and to ensure that college dorms are equipped with fire sprinklers. Even bills to enable a full investigation into BP's catastrophic oil spill and to ensure that BP is held accountable for this spill are being denied a Senate vote."

And remember those half-billion bad eggs? There's a food safety bill in the Senate now that will go nowhere while Republican bad eggs dither. And they ARE bad eggs, every one who follows this party line. People die from salmonella, and each day that this necessary law remains stonewalled endangers us all. While Republicans don't believe that government should protect the public, it is ironic that the virulent obstruction they're practicing now -- in a concerted effort to get themselves elected as the architects of our future -- is exactly the kind of thing from which we need protection.

According to the polls, the majority in this country want more healthcare options, more financial regulations and more government intervention. Think how far along we'd be if we hadn't had to fight for every scrap of progress! Perhaps in these few weeks before elections we could point out to a confused public, not what the Republicans plan to do if they win, but everything they've done since they lost. When people are hurting they look for someone to care. No unemployment, no food stamps or healthcare assistance, no limits on Wall Street's plunder or its ability to manipulate your future and your children's? Really? [/i]
By Judith Gayle

Maybe the Dems should abolish the filibuster like the Republican Majority tried to do a few years back, and have the Vice President Joe Biden be King of the Senate as was 'floated' with Dick Cheney?

posted October 06, 2010 10:44 AM         

if the dems, like the republicans, were able to don the hive mind and just adhere to party lines and interests, of course, this obstruction would not work. but the dems, gotta love em really, actually have minds and interests of their own aside from the lust for power for its own sake...

and interestingly even rasmussen shows that the dems are not so far behind as some had thought...those who have already counted their chickens need to go back to the haystack and count again methinks.

posted October 06, 2010 12:21 PM         

Why should congresspersons and Senators who have been defeated over their spending, attempting to RULE over Americans, passing legislation Americans do not want and want repealed....why should any of these lamebrained morons be given an opportunity to pass any more of O'Bomber's Marxist agenda over the objections of American voters?

Filibuster every bill demoscats bring up in the lamebrained session.

They had their chance to pass a budget...required to be passed by April 2010...and didn't do so.

They had their chance to extend the Bush tax cuts...and didn't do so.

On both counts, they charged out of Washington DC to go home and lie to their constitutients with the business of Congress unfinished.

posted October 06, 2010 12:34 PM         

this makes the dems look like they are doing nothing. whole point, jwhop...not that they have been DOING nothing.

once again, it is too early to count them thar chicks. way too early!

posted October 06, 2010 05:54 PM         

And when are the Marxist Socialist Progressives among us going to stop attempting to play the class warfare card?

posted October 06, 2010 06:25 PM         

Here is the link to S. 510 Be sure to click on the blue box highlighted questions, click on answers and you will go to a new page. Overall it is a baby step in the right direction, and I believe that the small, the organic, or the heirloom might actually benefit in the long run. All of us will, FDA departments and food safety had been systemically dismantled soon after 2001 when the definitions for Organic were just getting going. We have a lot of catching up to do.

from jw

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why should any of these lamebrained morons be given an opportunity to pass any more of O'Bomber's Marxist agenda over the objections of American voters?

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Because a huge majority of american voters said they wanted health reform, financial reform, and CHANGE from the disastrous agenda of the previous admin.

quote:

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They had their chance to pass a budget...required to be passed by April 2010...and didn't do so.

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quote:

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They had their chance to extend the Bush tax cuts...and didn't do so

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you still need to work on #1 in the playbook:

Step 1: Avoid Responsibility for GOP Failures
Step 2: Increase Negativity
Step 3: “Throw the Bums Out!”
Step 4: The New Contract on America
Step 5: Retake Congress

Or take any responsibility for holding the Senate Hostage in an attempt to save face.

over 300 proposed bills, successfully passed through the House, have not received a Senate vote.

Twenty-three judicial nominees, some having received unanimous approval in Judiciary, have not come to the floor.

There are 103 judicial vacancies -- nearly one in eight seats on the bench -- and at least half of those positions have been labeled emergencies because of heavy caseloads.

The right to a speedy trial is compromised because Obama's nominees have been stonewalled. Other branches of government are also going without leadership because of obstruction; some 200 of them earlier this year.

posted October 06, 2010 08:41 PM         

as to $250,000 not being rich, it is rich enough so a little extra help when the country is floundering in debt would only seem the RIGHT THING TO DO to express thanks for all they have. for many of them it was enough to keep them from hurting these last 3 years even though their jobs disappeared!

posted October 06, 2010 10:04 PM         

i just don't want it to be an excuse to make the smaller farms unable to operate...the last food reg bill i read closely was all about implementing the kind of oversight and tracking technology that your local mom and pop farm can't afford. you can be sure monsanto is not going to be hurt by much of anything they look at.

posted October 06, 2010 10:48 PM         

So, you are blowing smoke on O'BomberCare which was passed over the objections of American voters...who will get even with the Socialist Congressional Comrades on November 2nd.

posted October 06, 2010 11:52 PM         

Much beloved by the Conservatives RassReport says:

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The percentage of voters who favor repeal of the bill is down seven points from last week and is the lowest level measured since March.

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And that is not the point of the more than 1,000 words on this page and you know it. Obstructionism weakened attempts at stronger reform, money poured in from special interests, corporate interests.

You can keep your deflection tactics.

Republicans need to own the fact that they could care a less about Joe Middle class.
They care so little they are willing to ride this pony into the ground, and that means the country.
The public welfare the public good are nothing compared to the disastrous agenda they wish to resume!

posted November 03, 2010 09:52 AM         

Senate Republicans held up / killed through Cloture close to 300 bills thus far in the 111th Congress. Unprecedented abuse of power, particularly and most especially by a minority. Nearly all of the Domestic legislation that had passed the House was filibustered by senate republicans, requiring a 60 vote super majority for passage.
The 100-member Senate’s (then) 58 Democrats and two allied independents — Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Joe Lieberman (sometimes ) of Connecticut — ostensibly lost their filibuster-proof majority on February 4 with the swearing-in of Senator Scott Brown (R-Mass), although Brown quickly broke ranks with his fellow Republicans to cast his first vote in favor of a $15 billion job-creation bill.

The continued and ridiculous claim by Republican supporters and bloggers that the Senate Democrats could pass any legislation they wished, is not only entirely fact less, it is two sided-ly two faced, as the legislation and appointments that have passed were generally regarded as "rammed down our throats" (regardless of the number of months the esteemed Senators had to review certain legislation or the abuse of the filibuster) or the even more hilarious "against the majority of American wishes"

So what is the epiphany? Given the unprecedented and some say unconstitutional actions of Senate Republicans how is a Republican majority in the House going to change things Really?
Perhaps not as much as one would think...Having Boehner as speaker is unchartered territory- but a river that is likely to dry up in 24 months.

There is still a Dem majority in the Senate. I am fairly confident that as 2012 draws near voting records will be thought of more and more frequently by Conservative Democrats. And with Senate Republicans reaching new filibuster heights in the past, the Dems have certainly taken notes

Major legislation such as the 'repeal' of HCR just ain't gonna happen.
I heard a few rumors about Obama impeachment. That really made me laugh, Obama has a noticeably hot vibe with the Missus. so throwing an accommodating intern his way would mostly give other members of staff the `staff`. And perjury an unlikely scenario.

So, in the long term this will likely improve Democratic and Independent chances in 2012. It is a near perfect set up for a second Obama term. The Baggers are not a viable third party and never will be.

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290 BILLS PASSED BY HOUSE STALLED IN SENATE BY GOP FILIBUSTERS

That Senate Republicans have imposed an unconstitutional “tyranny of the minority” was made even more evident last Tuesday, when House leaders made public a list of 290 bills that passed in the lower chamber — only to be stalled in the Senate by the Republicans’ blanket use of the filibuster.

Many of those bills passed the House with broad bipartisan support, including a critically-needed measure aimed at bolstering the security of the Internet. That bill passed by an overwhelmingly bipartisan majority of 422 to five.

Another is a bill to crack down on predatory mortgage lending. That measure passed in May by a 300-114 margin, with 60 Republicans voting “aye.”

Still another is a measure to stimulate job growth by increasing opportunities for small-business entrepreneurs. That bill also passed the House in May by a whopping 406-15 margin, with 159 Republicans voting in favor.

In September, the House passed, by a lopsided 406-18 — with 161 Republican “ayes” — a measure to prohibit increases in Medicare part B premiums charged to millions of senior citizens who do not receive their annual cost-of-living increase in their Social Security benefits.

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Earlier in this thread I posted the GOP ALSO BLOCKED CONFIRMATION OF SCORES OF OBAMA NOMINEES some of them leaving critical posts unfilled.

And that paralysis is/was a major reason why Senator Evan Bayh (D-Indiana) had decided not to seek re-election. In an op-ed column in The New York Times, Bayh wrote that the filibuster, which “historically . . . was employed to ensure that momentous issues receive a full and fair hearing” has instead “come to serve the exact opposite purpose — to prevent the Senate from even conducting routine business.”

quote:

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It was as a result of massive public outrage against the use of filibusters to block reform bills aimed at curbing abuses of government power under the administration of President Richard Nixon in the 1970s that prompted a change of Senate rules in 1975 to to reduce the number of votes required to kill off filibusters from 67, the same two-thirds majority required to override presidential vetoes, ratify treaties and pass constitutional amendments to the present 60.

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posted November 03, 2010 10:41 AM         

apparently carly fiorina is trying to "filibuster" the result here in cali, refusing to concede to barbara boxer even though she has patently LOST the election. i am so pleased to find i was right, california is NOT FOR SALE ...

as i've said here before, i think this election will make it only too clear who is obstructing the government of the country. of course jwhop has said out loud he'd rather see us ALL go down than see obama succeed, so their MO has been on the table for two years; now it is going to be blatantly obvious even to those who were fooled by the palin "party"...

asked last night if one could be TOO rightwing she proclaimed it was absolutely essential to be as right wing as possible to balance the "far left" trying to ruin us...apparently she has NOT got her finger on the pulse of the nation. but now the nation is starting to get its finger on hers!

posted November 03, 2010 01:33 PM         

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of course jwhop has said out loud he'd rather see us ALL go down than see obama succeed...katatonic

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You're a liar!

Further, O'Bomber is an abject failure. His Marxist Socialist Progressive agenda was soundly repudiated by American voters yesterday.

Node, from what Cracker Jacks box did you pull that dim witted litney of lies?

posted November 03, 2010 03:35 PM         

i remember calling you on how that plan would affect millions of americans out of work and you professed it would be worth it in the longterm.

as to the democrats who helped obstruct progress, yes there were, and they are now mostly gone. should be an interesting couple of years if the republicans don't NOW tie everything up with big publicity impeachment investigations...while behind the scenes the big money who thought they could buy the whole country do their string-pulling.

the wet-behind-the-ears "independent" people are going to be awash in confusion and deals that look too good to refuse now.

posted November 03, 2010 04:58 PM         

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of course jwhop has said out loud he'd rather see us ALL go down than see obama succeed...katatonic

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yes jwhop, you did say that sorry...katatonic

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Post it right here with a link to where I said it katatonic.

Btw, O'Bomberproofing my life by taking myself out of a position where his insane Marxist Socialist Progressive policies can cause me financial harm is hardly saying I'd like to see all go down into the bottomless pit of Marxist Socialist economic ruin.

posted November 04, 2010 12:40 PM         

Your state, (and mine by birth ) proved to be very entertaining for months.

The "far left" cry always cracks me up, have you seen any "far left" candidates?? Looney yes, but far left??
They are not thick on the ground these days.

And in a Pythonish moment I took pause the other day whilst perusing the various headlines.

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Four candidates who died while campaigning won their elections on Tuesday. Two deceased candidates lost.

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...."In California, state Sen. Jenny Oropeza (D) won re-election with 59% of the vote. Oropeza, who was 53, died two weeks ago from complications of cancer. The local Democrats, however, mailed supporters encouraging them to vote for Oropeza anyway.

"The Republicans are trying to take unfair advantage of Jenny's tragedy," said the mailer which, according to CNN, did not mention her death. "I am asking you to vote for Jenny Oropeza. If a Special Election is called in a few months, you'll have the chance to thoughtfully elect your Senator for a new four-year term."

Republicans filed a complaint, calling the tactic illegal. A special election will likely be held in December...."

With all due respect for the deceased [seriously] that is bloody hilarious.

It [i]is worth a mention that their names remain on the ballot for monetary and/or time issues.

I agree with you about the mandate. Likely a tweak in the offing there, though how much that would change the projected savings in the program[s] is anyones guess.

Turtle Hybrid McConnell of the "I take him at his word" game when queried about whether Obama is Christian or not....

Yertle

...Jesus had a questionable birth history too...

Anyway... the ESTEEMED Mr. McConnell is rapaciously delivering sound bites- to all looking for the nosh- about the "Repeal" HCR debate. Or, not really a debate so much as a useless rallying cry.

The next few days will be popcorn time again as Mr. " "

hits the IPADS and Kindles

posted November 04, 2010 12:52 PM         

sharon I had tons of out-of-state- money pouring in Angle

posted November 04, 2010 02:38 PM         

well the last poll i saw said about 48% want it repealed and about 47% DON'T so bye bye to that concept(that MOST americans want it repealed) it was not the healthcare bill that caused this "upset" which after all is fairly traditional at this point in a new presidency...the opposition always gains seats. considering the money and advertising that was put into this one i consider it a fairly good indication that only SOME of the people can be fooled by advertising and money.

apparently all some of the new congress want is to disgrace and send obama packing. i wonder how much of your taxes will be sent on that process?

personally i think the vote showed that people are sick of washington politics and that more of the same will create a ROUT for the republicans in '12.