Ezra Klein on The Last Word

[LiberalFighter]

Covering the filibuster. He touched on a quote by Alexander Hamilton...

Alexander Hamilton’s reply (in The Federalist No. 22): What a load of anti-federalist bull!

In practice, Hamilton charged, the “real operation” of the filibuster

is to embarrass the administration, to destroy the energy of the government, and to substitute the pleasure, caprice, or artifices of an insignificant, turbulent, or corrupt junto, to the regular deliberations and decisions of a respectable majority.

Hendrik Hertzberg at The New Yorker has more to say back January 10 2011

[link:http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/hendrikhertzberg/2011/01/alexander-hamilton-speaks-out-i-the-filibuster-1.html|Alexander Hamilton Speaks Out (I):
The Filibuster]

[liberaltalkingpoints]

1. Filibuster reform must be on the table

The window of time to change the rules is discrete and short. It is a huge bargaining chip that must be in play. There is no argument that the rules have been abused by the minority. What if Dems win back the the house in 14 and the GOP is still filibustering in cloture motions? It is time for the Dems to play hard ball and put the cloture rule reform in motion.

Just as the GOP has banked on the public not understanding the outcome of cloture motions, the Dems can now act with the same assumption while making changes to the arcane processes of senate bill making.

[liberaltalkingpoints]

2. watch it online

link to the segment, short commercial in front: [link:http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-last-word/49926132?__utma=34328804.1465694069.1351666641.1351737103.1353568533.3&__utmb=34328804.7.10.1353568533&__utmc=34328804&__utmx=-&__utmz=34328804.1353568533.3.2.utmcsr=msnbc.msn.com