How long can the Republicans continue to filibuster the financial reform bill?

[kentuck]

Republicans stand together. Not only in the Senate, but Republican voters as well. If their leaders say it is OK, their voters seldom question them. Democrats do the same, but they are nowhere near as loyal as are Republican voters. Few Republican votes will be lost by this filibuster.

But it is a battle about the two political ideologies. Democrats do not mind fighting this fight. The Republicans say they want a "bi-partisan" bill. However, there can be no bill so long as the Republicans continue to filibuster, which is what they are doing when they refuse to vote to debate it. It cannot be amended or reformed if it is not permitted to be debated. That is what the Republican Party is doing. They do not believe they will lose any Republican votes by blocking this protection for the American people - not just the 401K's and the savings of Democrats but the savings of Republicans and all Americans. And they are probably correct in that they will lose few Republican votes.

However, the Democrats win this debate because they have taken a stand that pleases the progressives and liberals in the Party. This issue will increase the voter turnout in the next election, simply because it will motivate the base to stand behind the President when he is fighting the good fight. It is only a battle in a larger war. The Democrats win this debate because they recover much of the momentum they lost during the long healthcare fight. Hopefully it will be sufficient to keep the Republicans from winning back the House and the Senate.

Democrats need to explain to the people exactly what the Republicans are doing to them. There are many Americans out there, Democrats and Republicans, that saw their 401K's and savings disappear in a matter of weeks just over a year ago. It can happen again. This is not a Republican or a Democrat issue. The Republicans must stop blocking the debate on this Wall Street reform. If they have Amendments, we can vote on them. If they pass, they become part of the law. The Parties simply must work together to fix this problem. It is not enough just to block and filibuster. Democrats should welcome this debate with passion.

[BlooInBloo]

1. Kind of like the immortal Tootsie Pop question. Let's try it and find out.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x279605

[denbot]

2. Hopefully till election day.

One can dream..

[kentuck]

3. Do you believe it is to the Democrats' advantage also.

:-)

It's time to show the people the difference between the Democratic and the Republican Parties.

[Enthusiast]

4. Until Chris Dodd caves in to their wishes. nt

[kentuck]

5. True, but...

Even Chris Dodd must get Democrats votes. Some Senators, like Russ Feingold, have stated that they do not want to vote for any one bill, up or down, without the right to add amendments.

[warren pease]

6. How about making the bastards actually filibuster for a change?

How about supplying sleeping bags and urns of hot coffee? How about supplying the freelance video crews to record it all for posterity -- and for the current news cycle as well? Maybe a priority FedEx delivery of adult-sized diapers for Vitter and some tap dancing shoes for the honorable gentleman from Idaho?

How about treating these loons with the precise level of respect they've so richly earned? How about putting the whole country on notice that they've been taking their marching orders from these laughable clods and mental defectives for three whole decades, ever since the coronation of King Raygun I made madness fashionable?

Can you imagine Lyndon Johnson, when he was Senate majority leader, allowing these cheap little pricks to simply declare they're filibustering and that's it... game over.

Harry Reid richly deserves to lose his seat this November. Unfortunately, lacking a progressive alternative in the primaries, the eventual winner is likely to be yet another deranged desert state wingnut. Bartering chickens for medical care, my ass.

wp

[kentuck]

7. Absolutely...

But the rules permit the Republicans to do this. Why aren't the rules changed? This has never happened before in our history, as Rachel pointed out last night on her show.

Democrats need to define this issue better than the Republicans. They need to put it in the most simple and basic language, so the average moron can understand. Republicans are threatening their savings and their 401k's once again. If one of these big banks collapse again, those that are supporting the Republicans could lose everything. And it could happen again. We are still at risk as long as the banks continue operating as they are. This is a dangerous game being played by the Republicans. It is not about politics, it is about the future of all Americans, Democrats and Republicans.

Forget trying to explain the complexities of credit derivatives, etc. It has to be in plain simple language, so the people at large can understand. Republicans are threatening your economic security. They are holding a gun to your head and they might pull the trigger. Put away your teabags and smell the gunpowder.