The Democrats have the power to shut down WarPig's agenda

[Walt Starr]

All they have to do is refuse to grant unanimous consent. Every time it's requested, object and force a vote. Adhere to every last rule of the Senate. Require any bill presented to teh Senate be read in it's entirety.

If the Senate adhered to the letter of their rules, nothing would ever be accomplished. If the Senate accomplishes nothing, WarPig is shut down.

It's pretty simple. It simply takes the courage of convictions to implement it.

[John Q. Citizen]

1. What's to stop the Republicans from changing the rules?

They have the votes to do it. It might take them a week or two, but not much longer than that.


Then what?

[Walt Starr]

3. Do you know the procedure for changing the rules of the Senate?

Read the rules of the Senate for yourself:

http://rules.senate.gov/senaterules/


It would first have to be proposed, go to the committee, be voted on there, be put before the Senate as a whole, and there it could be filibustered.

[John Q. Citizen]

4. I imagine the first rule to be changed would be the filibuster.

Then, the rest of the process could be fast tracked, and in a couple of weeks (or so) the whole deal would be complete.

The Repos would say they didn't want to do it but the Demos gave them no choice.

[Walt Starr]

5. It requires 2/3 of the Senate to change the filibuster rule

That means all it takes are 34 Dems saying the filibuster rule can't be changed and it can't be changed.

Read rule XXII:

http://rules.senate.gov/senaterules/rule22.php

[John Q. Citizen]

8. Thanks for the info. You have convinced me.

That's the way to go, no doubt.

So what's the big threat of the "Nuclear Option?" I'd think the Demo Senate leadership could get 34 Senators to block it, especially at this point of the bush regime.

[Walt Starr]

9. There will be a point of order made that a 3/5 majority for a cloture vote

on judicial nominees is unconstitutional.

The chair will rule it is unconstitutional. The Democrats will object. There will be a vote, and the Senate will consider failure to vote in favor of cloture for judicial nominess to be unconsitutional after at least 51 Senators agree.

It's really very convoluted and it violates the rules to change the rules.

[John Q. Citizen]

11. So in effect, you are agreeing with me that the Repos will just

change the rules?

[Walt Starr]

12. Nope

They'll be citing the special circumstance of a cloture vote on a judicial nominee to declare the 3/5 requirment on all other cloture votes to be unconstitutional in the case of judicial nominees. This is a point of order, not a rule change.

The way to change the rules of the Senate is laid out specifically in the rules of the Senate.

[Coexist]

17. K&R for the post-work crowd.

[depakid]

2. They've had the power to do all that and more

for Bush's entire time in office.

They just don't have the courage or the discipline to stand up and do the right thing. There's always some excuse- some apology. That's why they've been the minority party for 11 years.

Pretty simple way out of that dilemma- stop enabling Republicans on matters of policy- and START ACTING LIKE REPUBLICANS ON MATTERS OF PROCEDURE.

Do you think for a split second that if the roles were reversed, the Republican party would allow someone like Alito to sit on the Supreme Court!

there you have it....

[makeanoise22]

6. They do? Let them PROVE IT

Ken Starr went after Clinton for what 6 years?
Where the hell are the Democrats? Where?
You got one good shot, the name
Russ Feingold...

[bigtree]

7. I agree Walt

It's a cowardly sham how they act like their hands are tied and they can't do anything about the right's assault on our democracy. They are enablers, drunk on power, detached from the realities most Americans have to deal with, and mainlined into the cash funnel that has a hose in all of our pockets. Most don't want resonsibility for the mess they've presided over so they are content to let Bush have his way while they poo poo him from a safe distance.

[Emit]

10. Yup. Unanimous consent. Slow things to a crawl.

Also, don't know if this is fitting, but in regards to stopping Bush & Co.'s agenda, I have been following John Yoo and a few others who are promoting this notion of unitary executive.


The response from these guys always seems to be that the executive has undue power and the only way to check that power is in the form of Congress shutting off the purse strings.

Here's an example today from an on line discussion with Yoo regarding Clinton/Kosovo/presidential war powers (the discussion, of which, DU's very own Burt Worm got his Madison question answered, btw :) )

"...And Congress could have prevented the war by refusing to vote funds for the conflict."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/01/10/DI2006011001265.html

[happydreams]

13. K&R. It really is that simple. Thanks for posting. nt

[Coexist]

14. That's what I was waiting for...

a true call to brave action against what will be fierce media criticism.
How many Democrats have the stomach for the long fight?

Strikes left the poor hungry and unwelcome by many in their communities - but in the end they are the only true way out from under what seems an impossible tyranny.

Leaders - show us just how the Mighty fall.

[in_cog_ni_to]

15. K & R Get this on the GREATEST PAGE! Staffers need to read it!

so they can tell their Senators how the Senate works! Thanks Walt!

[Coexist]

16. .

[gizmo1979]

18. Bush doesn't follow the rules now

He would just use executive orders.