Can the President veto bills? Can the Democratic minority filibuster?

[Enrique]

Of course I know that they have the legal authority to do these things. I'm talking about "can" in the sense that I hear it used here. Like to explain why Democrats don't use their power to its full extent. e.g. Democrats can't do such and such because it would make them look something or other. Obama can't do this or that because he would look like an angry black man. and so on.

One of the things that the Democrats "couldn't" do was to end the filibuster. I wonder if ending the filibuster NOW becomes a possibility?

[RandiFan1290]

1. No!

The American people will NOT stand for obstruction or filibusters!

We must get along if we want to win another election.



It will be funny to hear the words 'mandate' and 'obstruction' finally find their way back.

[Enrique]

2. and "filibuster"

instead of "the bill failed to reach the 60-vote threshold", we'll hear "the Democrats filibustered the bill"

[Yo_Mama]

3. The Rules of the Senate were changed by the Dem majority to end some filibusters in 2013

A decision which I thought was a mistake, but I think they did not see the loss coming:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/21/harry-reid-nuclear-senate/3662445/

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., pushed through a controversial change to Senate rules Thursday that will make it easier to approve President Obama's nominees but threatens to further divide an already polarized Congress.

Fifty-two Senate Democrats and independents voted to weaken the power of the filibuster. The change reduces the threshold from 60 votes to 51 votes for Senate approval of executive and judicial nominees against unanimous GOP opposition. Three Democrats — Sens. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Carl Levin of Michigan — opposed the change.

The rule change does not apply to Supreme Court nominees, who are still subject to a 60-vote filibuster threshold, or to legislation.

The Dems can still filibuster on legislation.

[belzabubba333]

4. The Dems can still filibuster on legislation. untill the cons kill it