Cenk Uygur: Democrats Should Force the Republicans to Physically Filibuster

[babylonsister]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_cenk_uyg_070207_democrats_should_for.htm

Democrats Should Force the Republicans to Physically Filibuster

by Cenk Uygur

Remember Mr. Smith Goes to Washington? When Jimmy Stewart had to stand and keep talking until he passed out. Ah, the good old days of filibustering. Well, I think the Democrats should bring that back.

If the Republicans want to filibuster the Iraq debate, then they should be forced to get up and keep talking about how well the Iraq War is going and what a great idea escalation is.

I hear we are having "enormous successes" in Iraq. Maybe Dick Cheney could make a special guest appearance to help his Republican buddies in Congress talk about how much progress we're making there.

They could read the telephone book for all I care. I just want to embarrass them. Make them get up there and physically block a vote about what we should do in Iraq. Have them in front of the cameras telling the American people why we wouldn't shouldn't vote on the most important issue in the country.

They want a filibuster? Give them one. Let them make jackasses of themselves.

The Democrats could join in and counter with their own points about Iraq. A filibuster isn't supposed to end debate. It's supposed to extend debate. Great! Let's do it. My guess is that the Republicans will be begging to close that debate pretty soon. And they'll let the Democrats vote on whatever resolution they like.

This could be the best filibuster since Strom Thurmond read the phone book to try block the Civil Rights Act of 1957. That was classy. The spectacle of the Republicans desperately trying to block a vote on Iraq might come close to matching it.

[Captain Hilts]

1. I agree. I've been saying this. Make 'em do it! Get out the cots, etc.! nt

[Igel]

2. It's what I said when

the repubs controlled Congress--filibusters should not be implied.

So of course I think that's true with a dem controlled Congress.

But a filibuster isn't intended to extend debate. It's a ploy to prevent a vote. Procedurally it's identical to voting to extend debate, but functionally it's entirely different.

An older meaning of 'filibuster' (parallel to 'freebooter, with some dissimilation) was 'to act as an irregular military adventurer, esp. for revolutionary purposes'.