Is there going to be any change of tactics after the "3 filibuster threats in a day" milestone?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

Or is Reid going to meekly ride it out this way until 08 elections?

After this Moveon vote it feels like the elected Democrats can be led through whatever hoops the discredited Republicans choose to lead them through. I'm not expecting to see any vote censuring Ann Coulter or Rush Limbaugh for the outrages they utter every day.

Is this all there is?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. Words vs. action.

Apparently a novel concept to many in positions to change things. MKJ

[C_U_L8R]

2. meh

so disappointing, we bring a styrofoam sword to a gun battle.

[napi21]

3. I sent Reid an email today telling him "If the Pubs want to

fillabuster, LET THEM DO IT!" Let the American people SEE just who are the obstructionists!

PLEASE, send him one of your own emails! If enough of us do, MAYBE he'll hear us!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. Here's mine, that I just sent:

http://reid.senate.gov/contact/email_form.cfm

Senator Reid,

It is nothing less than an outrage the way you and the Democratic contingent in the Senate have allowed the Republican minority to buffalo the majority through the mere threat of filibuster on multiple issues. You need to force the Republicans to actually debate all night each and every time they do this so that enough publicity will cause "rank and file" voters to actually understand what is happening with the filibusters. Right now the news media coverage does NOT make it clear that you are obstructed by the minority, just that your bills and amendments "failed" or were mysteriously "blocked by the Senate". The obstruction is rarely laid at the feet of the Republicans in coverage. We elected Democrats to get something done, and to FIGHT. I am sorely disappointed by the lack of fight from Senate Democrats so far. Half the Senate Democrats voting to condemn moveon.org merely underscores the tragic comedy of the situation: that the Republicans, while totally discredited, can still lead you through whatever hoops they choose. What business do they have demanding the condemnation of an independent organization's ad? What business do you have kowtowing to such a demand? Why will you help the Republicans score their PR points for them, and not score your own for yourselves?

Do NOT let the Republicans kill worthy bills and amendments with the mere THREAT of filibuster and change the de facto threshold of passage to 60 votes. The sorry performance of this week does not inspire confidence that the Democratic Party is an effective vehicle to combat Republican corruption and incompetence.

[ljm2002]

8. I sent an email...

...earlier today, and that was one of the points I made: make them filibuster. At least make them work for it -- and help to clarify in the public's mind just who is doing the obstructing here.

[niceypoo]

4. Im still waiting for them to bring Harriet Miers and Rove back for snubbing subpoenas

The democratic leadership makes me ill. They repeatedly allow themselves to be made fools of by a 27% approval rated, failed, president. I am sure that the republicans are overjoyed by these doormats.

[napi21]

6. I agree, but you still need to join us with sending an email about

letting the Pubs fillabuster! I'?m sure no politician, but I'm also not a radical leftist either. I honestly think I can look at what's going on here and see that it's the Pubs who will suffer AGAIN for shutting down the Congress! After all, it won't be the Dems who are doing the fillabusters!

[AuntPatsy]

7. I have to agree with you

[napi21]

9. Here's a link. Does this make it easier for ya?

http://reid.senate.gov/contact/email_form.cfm

We really need to do this enmass! Lots of contacts on the same subject DO make a difference.

[kansasblue]

10. I hope we can handle FISA.

The FISA legislation expires in February.


So here's a big test for the Democratic Congress. The Republican can try to roadblock it with a filibuster but the advantage should be with the Democrats as stalemate in this case means the expanded powers then lapse. New legislation will be required. In other stalemates the Republican filibuster worked because it blocked action and lack of action then retain Bush's current policies. Such was the case with Senator Jim Webb's "dwell time" amendment or restoration of writ of habeas corpus.

And the Congress should now be aware that Bush will play rough. In the last round the administration was 'pretending' to work on bipartisan legislation and then at the last moment demanded complete capitulation as time ran out on congress. Congress gave in. The party faithful responded sending the Democratic Congress's approval rating through the floor.

So. Democratic Congress, let's get this one right.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Well just sent this, not that it is gonna make any diference

Dear Majority Leader

It is time to make those filibusters occur the way they were meant to be procedurally

No more pro forma

You want to filibuster? Fine, start talking

And do this WITH EVERY FILLIBUSTER THREAT

You want to filibuster? Fine, start talking... if you stop, it's over

Star talking

Enough of bringing a spit wad to a gun fight.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXX

PS, why the ... did you allow the amendment taking MoveOn ot the woodshed to the floor? Or should we consider freedom of speech to be passé in this country? Habeas Corpus, freedom of speech... the Geneva Convention, I guess all of these are quaint. In case you wonder, that squealing you hear, is the base that has been thrown under the buss.

[pinto]

12. The Senate rule is that the intent to filibuster is considered a de facto filibuster. There's

no requirement for endless speeches anymore.

The only procedural move to stop that is to move to cloture (end debate), which requires 60 votes.

The only way to change the rule is to amend the Senate rules, which requires 67 votes.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

13. So why was Reid able to require debate earlier, and not now?

You know, that earlier semi-allnighter.

[pinto]

14. During the last debate on the Pentagon supplemental debate, Democrats lost a cloture vote to bring

an amendment to the floor that would have required withdrawal of troops from Iraq in 120 days. Sen. Reid then pulled the underlying supplemental appropriation off the floor, altogether, proposed that amendments be subject to a simple majority bypassing the cloture rule, and refused to adjourn the Senate, hence the all-nighter.

It was a grandstand act meant to highlight the Democratic differences with the Republicans over conduct of the Iraq war. Sen. Reid knew the Democrats wouldn't be able to change the cloture rule or get limits on troop deployments to a vote, yet felt it was worth it to highlight Republican obstructionism. In that it worked.

It was more symbolic than anything.

In fact, he didn't require all Senators to be in chamber, which he could have by law, just a quorum sufficient to be official business.

Could he have replayed the gambit today? Suppose so, but I think he picks his spot for grandstanding.

The supplemental that he pulled that night wasn't really pressing (DOD had the funds they needed to continue with operations with or without it through October). Yet it was a perfect point to highlight that the Bush Administration was playing the funding process to avoid oversight. Specifically supplemental funding.

It was an opportunity to make a point directly to the big picture. Today was not.

(That's my take.)