Democrats Should Force the Republicans to Physically Filibuster...

[meldroc]

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. They can tell us for hours and hours how much they believe in the escalation and how the Iraqis will throw roses at our feet.

...

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.

Linkage: Democrats Should Force the Republicans to Physically Filibuster

Why don't we have physical filibusters anymore? Congressmen are lazy. All you have to do now to filibuster a bill is tell the veep or president pro tempore that you intend to filibuster. He then does an informal straw poll to figure out if there are enough votes for cloture. If there are enough votes, the filibuster fails. If there aren't enough votes for cloture, the bill debated dies. Far too little work in my opinion. I want to see the GOP reading from the dictionary if they're going to do filibusters.

[illinoisprogressive]

1. I've thought the Dems should do this. call thier bluff and they will be

skewered by the media for it.

[bigtree]

2. It's very hard. NO bathroom breaks, can't sit

who's the best candidate for this?

[ncrainbowgrrl]

3. Definitely Jeff Sessions.

He can go for days in hearings...

[Sydnie]

4. No, that Howdy Doody guy from Florida

That would be worth watching! :rofl:

[ncrainbowgrrl]

6. Mel Martinez?

Nahhh... I think it would be better to see Jon Kyl try it.

[Sydnie]

7. No, no, the Howdy Doody guy

But, I forgot, he's in the House, not the Senate. :rofl:

[ncrainbowgrrl]

8. HAH!

If that guy ever gets in the senate... UGH!!!!

And you're right- howdy doody is a great nickname for him!

[mmonk]

5. Exactly, and with a binding resolution.

Nonbinding resolutions on this are BS and designed for different politician's agendas.

[DearAbby]

9. Reid should do just that.

Make them explain to the AMERICAN PEOPLE hour after hour why they are not allowing this to come to a vote. I am calling my Republican Senator and asking is he really prepared to filibuster? I want to hear it. I want to hear him tell the people of this state, how great Iraq is going...so great they need more troops, to make it greater! Are you prepared to do that ALLARD?

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. Perhaps, but doing so would also tie up the Senate, stopping Democrats

from passing ANY legislation, even the bills where they can get 60 votes.

[meldroc]

11. Seems like the GOP's already doing a good job of that.

They didn't want to be made asses of during the debate on the Iraq war resolution, so they delayed it for a while by introducing over a hundred amendments to the minimum wage bill.

If the GOP's going to be jerking the people around like this anyways, make them be explicit about it. At least this way we can be entertained by watching them read from the phone book and have to wear diapers because they aren't allowed bathroom breaks.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. Yet the minimum wage bill did pass

It will have to be reconciled with the version passed by the House. A real filibuster would stop reconciled bill from passing.