Senate Democrats are falling back in love with the filibuster.
After eight years of complaining about obstructionism, the Senate’s new Democratic minority is embracing some of the same tools Republicans had wielded so skillfully to jam the legislative machinery. On Tuesday, Democrats used the filibuster to stop a bill that would fund the Department of Homeland Security — and roll back President Barack Obama’s immigration policies — dead in its tracks.
Democrats’ relationship with the filibuster had been on the rocks when they ran the Senate, a time when the GOP regularly used the procedural weapon to disrupt the majority’s agenda. Democrats responded by gutting the filibuster on nominations, making “Republican obstruction” a go-to explanation for the Senate’s gridlock and complaining bitterly when the GOP minority blocked debate from even opening on bills.
Then came Tuesday’s 51-48 vote blocking the DHS bill. This was the first time a Democratic minority had blocked a bill from coming to the floor for debate since Aug. 3, 2006, when Democrats stifled legislation that would have raised the minimum wage and decreased the estate tax.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/0...8.html?hp=t2_r
the new party of No
boutons
false equivalence, as usual
Repugs block EVERYTHING the Dems propose, because they see anything, anybody non-Repug as illegitimate.
Dems block (most of) Repug craziness because it's crazy (eg, MORE cutting of estate taxes? which the Repugs already cut 10 years ago,losing over $1T in tax revenue. Repeal ACA? privatize SS?)
Last edited by boutons_deux; 02-04-2015 at 07:31 AM.
Social security is broken
You Lie, because you believe the SS-privatizers' lies. SS is trashed as pretext to send SS funds to Wall st crooks.
Last edited by boutons_deux; 02-05-2015 at 12:04 PM.
Never said anything about privatizing it. It's just ed up right now
you didn't, but the Pete Petersons who trash SS as ed up REALLY want to privatize it. Part of the VRWC strategy that govt is all bad, all wrong to help the 99%, but wonderful when it enriches the 1% (like allowing SS to be privatized)
Is it any surprise?
Both parties pull the same .
Remember...
We vote for what we perceive as the lesser of two evils. When is the last time you actually voted for someone, rather than voting against the other guy?
"Both parties pull the same ."
no, they don't. Look at the history of the number of filibusters per session, esp those sessions since Jan 2009 vs everything before.
speak for yourself.
the Dems pioneered it in the 80s and 90s. After the '06 midterms, the GOP took it to the next level.
You mean there is someone you actually voted for?
You said:
Some of us don't hold our noses and vote for "the lesser of two evils". I rather not vote.
"I rather not vote."
is a vote for the Repugs
Both parties definitely pull similar , so this isn't exactly surprising.
The frequency of a filibuster also changes with the rules applied for a filibuster.
I wish they would return to the old methods.
???
Elaborate please.
It's a vote for what ever corrupt election volunteer decides to make it. Could be either part, or even third party if someone is corrupting the process.
You believe the SS-privatizers' LIES, so you certainly won't believe any of my elaboration of why the entire financial sector wants ALL SS sent into the greedy, wealth-sucking, secret-fee-charging, fraudulent hands.
I have never seen such arguments made that way.
I wish I could opt out of SS and invest that 6.2% I contribute in my own retirement program, instead. Why do you want to deny me that?
Check any VRWC/BigFinance, eg Pete Petersen, source, or Congressional commission that wants to kill or deeply modify SS, then look at what their fixes are. They all want SS funds to be sent to Wall St, where Wall St can suck $100Bs per year out in (often hidden, unknowable) fees. They don't GAFF about SS, they only want those $Ts in BigFinance's hands.
You sure have a narrow minded perception.
I want them to make profit for making me money!
and you have no problem when taxpayers have to bail out BigFinance gambles with pensions and depoists and loses, the old private gain, public risk scam.
I accept the risk. I know some of my investments may be lost. That's why a person diversifies.
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