Republicans filibuster three bills yesterday.

[deminks]

I know this is a rehash, but just wanted to put this in perspective. You can rant about dems not having any balls, but this IS why nothing is getting done. The repugs are filibustering at THREE TIMES the rate of previous sessions.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

Senate Republicans killed three major measures via filibuster threats today: habeas corpus for enemy combatants, a House member for DC, and the Webb Amendment on troop rotations. It is part of an unprecedented use of the filibuster by Senate Republicans in the 110th Congress. I don't use "unprecedented" lightly. McClatchy ran the numbers, as we noted back in July (thanks to Kevin Drum for the reminder). At that time, Republicans were on pace this term to nearly triple the previous record high for the use the filibuster in the modern era. It's worth taking a look.

Link to McClatchy article:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/18218.html

Link to Kevin Drum:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2007_09/012097.php

Look at the graphic in both articles. The rate of filibustering is off the scale with this session.
The Repuglican blockade of America.

[Coexist]

1. not good, but still important to get their roadblocks on the record.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. Democrats need to start making the Republicans do the 30 hour talk with EACH one of these. If

nothing else, it will call attention to this to the general public.

[Orsino]

18. Yeah. Shrugging and saying that they don't have the votes...

...isn't really impressing me.

[The Doctor.]

37. Could they revise the filibuster with an up or down vote?

[Crazy Dave]

3. I'd love to see that same determination on our side

Being a democratic politician has got to be the easiest job in America right now. No matter what you do (or don't) you can always count on the democratic voters to keep voting for you.

[cali]

8. This pisses me off. I've got two of the hardest working

Senator in D.C. Although I know they're glad to be in the majority, they're still frutrated as hell.

[Crazy Dave]

17. Everybody thinks theirs is the best

Yet nothing still gets done except more loss of life, quality of life for Americans with no health care, social security, los of civil liberties, yadda yadda.

We had to help in a fund raiser last weekend for two teenage girls injured in an accident and their insurance has run out. It's REAL things like that is what pisses me off instead of someone saying something bad about my representatives.

[cali]

24. Bernie Sander and Pat Leahy

are among the best. And no one in either House has done more for issues like health care, social security, and media control. Just as no one in the Senate has done more than Leahy on civil liberties.

The slam all dems mentality around here, has gotten really stale.

[OzarkDem]

28. They get outmaneuvered

when they're in the minority and when they're in the majority.

People are sick of hearing all the excuses, especially when we see they're not working with vigor and passion to get this stuff done. They're too timid, too afraid of offending someone to take a strong stand on issues. Their leaders aren't fully exercising the power they have.

[OzarkDem]

21. Then they need to get to work

and get their caucus organized.

No one can do it for them and nothing is stopping them from getting it done.

[cali]

27. Gee, I think they have been working at that

Too bad they don't have a nice sparkly magic wand. And one of them in't a dem anyway.

[terip64]

11. Did you read the articles?

From the Drum article:

So, for the record, here are the votes. On the habeas bill, Democrats and Independents voted 50-1 in favor. Republicans voted 42-8 against. On the DC bill, Democrats and Independents voted 49-1 in favor. Republicans voted 41-8 against. Would it really be so hard for reporters to make it clear exactly who's responsible for blocking these bills?


The one is Lieberman which I don't think he should be counted as a dem, so the dems are united. They are working their asses off, I believe, as they should be, and we should all vote for them.

Just my two cents.

[bahrbearian]

4. nuke em

[liberal N proud]

5. These are the same bastards who wanted to kill the filibuster

WHEN THEY WERE IN POWER!

:grr:

[rodeodance]

22. and Newt tred to get rid of Dept of Education---THEN we got NCLB

[acmavm]

6. Isn't that ironic? When the dems should have fillibustered things

like bush**s nominations to the Supreme Court they were scared off by the 'nuclear whatever' that the repubics threatened against them. Why can't our reps do the same thing?

[cali]

10. First of all we'd need a vp

of our party. Second of all, the pukes threatened to do away with judicial filibusters, not legislative one, and lastly, it's a sucky idea.

[Trekologer]

7. Funny...

Not too long ago, the Republicans were screaming "up or down vote" to anyone who would listen. Why aren't the Democratic senators doing the rounds of the talking heads shows saying, these issues deserve a proper up or down vote. Throw it right back at them. This is one of the reasons that Republicans are good at controling their message: they jump on the air with the same message from the top down. It doesn't hurt to have the MSM in your pocket either...

[zabet]

9. You know ....

It would seem that with the shape the US is in, these elected
representatives would put partisan loyalties aside and actually
vote with their conscience, vote to do what is right for the US,
vote without fear of having to 'pay for it' later. The partisan
posturing is sickening.

[Crazy Dave]

14. But there's lots of bipartisanship...

...when they vote for their own pay raises.

[zabet]

33. Yes..

they all vote with greed and self interests in mind on
that issue. Not whether or not they have 'earned' that
raise. Most of them think they are 'entitled' to it.

[fasttense]

12. There was never any filibuster

The republicans simply said they would filibuster and the Democratic Senators backed down. The Democrats need to force the republicans to conduct real filibusters and see what happens.

[Selatius]

13. If the corporate news media were fair about it, Repubs would be painted as obstructionists.

Instead, Democrats are reported on as being weak simply because they're not accomplishing anything, omitting the fact that Repubs are issuing a record number of filibusters.

[rodeodance]

25. and the last Congress was the Do Nothing Congress which never really caught in either.

[hootinholler]

15. But they won't have any dry powder!

The fools! How will they be able to win without dry powder?

-Hoot

[eppur_se_muova]

36. GMTA! nt

[SoCalDem]

16. You really have to hand it to them.. They put their money where their mouths are

Look at all the opportunities where democrats "could" have stopped legislation..bad legislation, but they chose to huff and puff on tv and SAY they "were-a-gonna do it"...but in the end, they all lined up and drank the koolaid, pushed the button and then cried about thr mean ole republicans..

republicans, even mortally wounded ones, keep their cards close to the vest, and when they "need" to, they band together and vote against their own best interests and side with the Toad in the Hole at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.. Then they go on tv and get it all spun into yet anotrher "victory" against the dems..:(

[OzarkDem]

20. True

Dems let the GOP eat their lunch every day. They could do the same with their agenda, but for some reason choose not to.

[OzarkDem]

19. You have to give them credit

They get what they want because they're organized,passionate and work hard for it.

I wish we could say the same....

[rodeodance]

26. they also never look back, ---just make lemonade out of lemons

[rodeodance]

23. REC

[malaise]

29. And the Dems refused to filibuster these goons during the 109th

Congress.

[cali]

30. actually, the dems did filibuster

over the years that there were in the minority. Having said that, they didn't always do so when I believe they should have.

[malaise]

34. That's my point but technically I was wrong

since they did filibuster.

[spanone]

31. funny, haven't heard the word 'obstructionists' . guess that applies to democrats

[malaise]

35. It helps when you own MSM and have them spinning

your talking points.

[tom_paine]

32. If a tree falls in the forest, and it's not on TV, did it make a sound?

NO, you foolish traitor, it never fell and is still standing today.

[f the letter]

38. If there's a single thing in the Constitution that really _really_ matters,

it's habeus corpus. How can anybody look at the right to challenge their indefinite detention as disposable? Good lord