tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post5324010031806969146..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: Elsewhere: Filibusters, More, and some HousekeepingJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-32899379672319568752012-11-18T16:09:27.149-06:002012-11-18T16:09:27.149-06:00I second Steve's idea. (2/5ths of senators dul...I second Steve's idea. (2/5ths of senators duly sworn in to continue a filibuster rather than 3/5ths to end one)<br /><br />A talking filibuster has its advantages:<br /><br />It is visible; the press will reliably report it as a filibuster, which does not happen much at present.<br /><br />It is non-normal and therefore newsworthy. Obstruction will look like obstruction, where now it is invisible to all but political junkies.tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13145639900234999261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-72712307282215098002012-11-17T16:31:52.201-06:002012-11-17T16:31:52.201-06:00Don't you think a majoritarian Senate with a w...Don't you think a majoritarian Senate with a weak party leadership would different enough from the contemporary House anyway, such that a 60 vote requirement isn't really necessary for that to be true?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-57459443024216211852012-11-17T15:06:45.869-06:002012-11-17T15:06:45.869-06:00I'd like to see your positive proposals too! ...I'd like to see your positive proposals too! Putting them up on WaPo might have some effect on the debate. Neil Sinhababuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03249327186653397250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-62871592613312772102012-11-17T12:35:44.696-06:002012-11-17T12:35:44.696-06:00A talking filibuster with minimal other changes wo...A talking filibuster with minimal other changes would just end up with one or two opposing senators reading talking points off a right wing website. <br /><br />The single most important change that could be done IMO is to place the voting burden on the obstructionist side - 2/5ths of senators duly sworn to continue a filibuster rather than 3/5ths to end one.<br /><br />Being able to call for cloture votes quickly adds more teeth to it, but isn't quite as critical. Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00975440137165270965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-69738055384636257742012-11-17T09:45:24.985-06:002012-11-17T09:45:24.985-06:00Jonathan:
One reasonable rebuttal to your filibus...Jonathan:<br /><br />One reasonable rebuttal to your filibuster argument is simply that a talking filibuster greatly increases the possibility/opportunity for cloture by attrition.<br /><br />The filibustering minority can't make a procedural error if they don't have a chance to.jfxgillishttp://jfxgillis.newsvine.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-30058486846335484982012-11-17T01:54:27.102-06:002012-11-17T01:54:27.102-06:00I think it is time you describe some of your propo...I think it is time you describe some of your proposals on filibuster reform in a PostPartisan column. I happen to agree with you on this but others don't read you here and don't know about them.Bajsanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-22881374207845320392012-11-16T20:46:41.923-06:002012-11-16T20:46:41.923-06:00I see your argument on the "talking filibuste...I see your argument on the "talking filibuster" but I don't find it convincing.<br /><br />These senators are (relatively) privileged, lazy, and unprincipled. I think of my senators (NH's Shaheen and Ayotte) and I can't imagine either of them giving a three hour senate-floor speech to block a jobs bill or judicial appointment. I definitely can't imagine them doing it week after week. I don't think they would want the endurance test or the publicity.<br /><br />But the bigger problem is that your argument is pure conjecture. Maybe the GOP would have won every endurance test on every issue, no matter how popular. But maybe not! <br /><br />If Reid could have forced talking filibusters in the 112th he should have tried it. It's not lot like they were getting anything done by just surrendering to the obstruction right away.<br /><br />I suspect the real reason Reid allowed them to get away with the lazy-man's-filibuster is not that it's easy to spend hours and hours giving floor speeches - but because it's hard. It would suck. And Reid doesn't want to be forced to do it when he's in the minority.swainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08696058464538049417noreply@blogger.com