Can someone please explain the Senate to me?

[mhatrw]

How is that when Republicans are in power in the Senate, anything they support that has over 49 votes can pass, but when Democrats are in power nothing below 60 votes can pass?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080611/ap_on_go_co/congress_oil_profits

[AndyTiedye]

1. Because the "Blue Dogs" are Boll Weevils Who Vote With the Repiglickins

and others are being blackmailed.

We don't really have a majority.

[lligrd]

3. Actually, Only One Voted With Repugs This Time nt

[Breeze54]

14. But there are many 'undeclared "conservative" Dems!

We all know that!!!

[lligrd]

2. Because A Filibuster Looks Bad When Democrats Do It

but is perfectly acceptable when Republicans do it for some reason.

[AndyTiedye]

13. ANYTHING Looks Bad When Democrats Do It, As Long as Repiglickins Own the Media!

The media will make us look bad no matter what we do.

[1]

4. i'm not sure, but my gut tells me that...

these are the driving force for any and all of our representatives...

http://www.emarketingwealth.com/images/$100bill.jpg

[izzie]

5. I think the GOP made new laws on it.

I can re-call how mad my mother-in-law got when she found out the the House made a law they could edit the records before they went in to the files. Congress is a very special club of, usually, men who do a lot as they like. They really did this once. Would not give a women member a seat to sit on. We should be happy to never have some one that has been there over one term in the WH I am sure. Any one who thinks McCain comes from a normal world is crazy. His whole life as been inside a bubble of some type. He has never once lived a normal life.

[Selatius]

6. You simply have a combination of incompetent leadership and "faithless" Democrats.

When you elect too many right wing Democrats or "faithless" Democrats, it's almost as if you are electing Republicans in terms of enacting progressive legislation. Sure, their being Democrats means you get to keep committee chairmanships in the control of Democrats, but when it comes to pushing legislation, they tend to bail on you and sink your ship by voting with the Repubs. An example of progressive legislation is the Employee Free-Choice Act, which currently languishes in committee.

If you cannot elect a social liberal who is also left wing economically in particular districts, the next best option is to run someone who is economically center-left or full-blown populist with a moderate social stance or even socially conservative. The old definition of populist was someone who was typically moderate to conservative on social issues but was clearly left wing in economic stances. These were popular with many rural farmers and laborers back in the days when people were trying to put food on the table. This is something the GLBT community does not like to hear, but ultimately, nobody will be in any position to support the GLBT cause if the middle class has been reduced to an empty shell with everybody starving for food.

[AndyTiedye]

15. So You Would Have Us Give Up Gay Rights, the Right to Choose, Civil Rights…

…in exchange for getting a few more social programs through. cough.

[Selatius]

17. Nope. I wouldn't revisit the question unless we're in a 2nd Great Depression.

Even then, the Democratic Party wouldn't overturn Civil Rights when it was in the process of bringing forward New Deal 2.

[anniebelle]

7. The repukes don't have to worry about a veto from on high.

When we take over in November, all that's going to change.

[mhatrw]

9. Wouldn't it be better to FORCE a veto or a filibuster on this issue? n/t

[Lasher]

8. See if this helps.

[mhatrw]

10. Wouldn't it be better to FORCE an ACTUAL flibuster on this issue?

And why can't Democrats use the filibuster?

[Lasher]

12. That's what I would do.

I'm hoping it will be better in January.

[Blarch]

18. Harry Reid won't do that.

As it turns out ...Harry is a coward ...he could insist on actual fillibusters ...but he doesn't.

[Lyric]

11. Well right now, because four of our Senators are out-of-commission.

Two sick, one still wrapping up campaign issues, and one still campaigning. Kinda hard to win when we aren't playing with a full team.

[guitar man]

16. here