12 thoughts on “Dems Did It”

  1. Pretty good article discussing the ramifications, The Vote that Will Change America:

    …Far more important, however, is the precedent that Senator Reid’s move sets. At this point, Senator Reid and his Democratic colleagues have only eliminated the filibuster for certain presidential nominees. However, more importantly, they’ve taken the historic step of changing the Senate rules — in this case, a super-majoritarian vote requirement — by a simple majority vote. The gravity of this move cannot be overstated: Senate rule changes have always required a two-thirds majority; it is part of what makes the Senate such a slow moving, or to be generous, deliberative body. Having done this once, it is all but inevitable that either this Senate or a future Senate will eventually extend this precedent and eliminate the filibuster for everything else, as well. Over time, the Senate will simply become a majoritarian institution, much like the House.

    Viewed one way, this returns us to the Founders’ vision. The filibuster isn’t mentioned anywhere in the Constitution. And, indeed, there are good arguments that it’s contrary to the Founders’ vision….

    …Viewed another way, this is a risky move. Without the filibuster, the minority party is stripped of its most important counter-majoritarian power. And if the opposing party achieves a cohesive majority in the House and the Senate and secures the presidency, that party will have the power to run right over the minority party and radically change America….

    Nevertheless, our federal government was designed as a republic. Within this system, and over time, elections were to have consequences and enlightened public opinion was to govern. Extra-constitutional appendages like the filibuster, abused by minority parties, have moved us away from that vision. Instead, our government is in perpetual gridlock, and the American people have lost faith in their government to even function properly — let alone solve big problems. Even after this rules change, one of our parties must still win the House, the Senate, and the presidency before radically changing our country. That’s no small feat.

  2. UH-OH!

    Stand back!
    Stand back, or you’ll be deafened by the waling and shrieking!

    And don’t look, or if you do, wear protective goggles, becauser their tit’s will be in a hurricane-like uproar- and there might be flying debris!!

    Get the “Jaws-of-life,” to pry the knickers that will be knotted-up far past their colon’s!!!

    And put on Kevlar helmet’s, because the Republicans heads will explode!!!!!

    And, don’t listen, because ALL you’ll hear until Election Day 2014, is how the Republicans ARE THE REAL VICTIMS!!!

    Completely innocent babe’s in the Washington woods!

    Victims of that Kenyan SocialiFasciCommuMusliHeathen Usurper’s TYRANNY!

    AND THE TYRANNY OF THE MAJORITY!!!!!

    Which they desperately want to return to.

    AND WE CAN’T AFFORD, AS A NATION, TO HAVE HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. Meh, there hasn’t been a good filibuster scene in a movie in forever, and with idiots like Ted Cruz around, there wasn’t likely to be. Good riddance, moving along now.

  4. The idea of the filibuster did give minority parties great power in our system, which historically was probably valuable, BUT historically they’ve all understood the “Spidey’s Uncle Ben Principle” about great responsibility coming with that power. The modern GOP was irresponsible, and so the power had to be taken away.

    Yes, it will be different. But it was already different, because of the way they were obstructing EVERYTHING, and it wasn’t working. Maybe this will. It’s worth trying.

  5. “Some of us have been around here long enough to know that sometimes the shoe is on the other foot,” McConnell said before the vote, telling Democrats “you may regret this a lot sooner than you think.”

    There’s that same spiteful spirit that brought us to the edge of default.. it’s that fucking attitude that is destroying America. Who needs terrorists when you’ve got people like McConnell, Cruz, Rubio, and a host of other destructive idiots whose only concern is to satisfy their own agendas. These are the same type of personalities that kill their spouses when they can’t cope with rejection…If I can’t have you nobody can!

    They delude themselves in thinking that they are upholding democratic principles, while in reality they are carrying it to such extremes that they are ending up destroying democracy..

  6. Maybe the Repugs should reflect on the loss of their precious filibuster by scouring the scriptures. I think somewhere in Proverbs there is a passage that says: Do all things in moderation.

  7. There isn’t the word ‘filibuster’ in the entire US Constitution. If you ever have the chance to study Parliamentary Procedure, you will find that the underlying principle behind a two-thirds vote to ‘close’ discussion in NOT to empower the minority to obstruct. Obstruction grew OUT of a sensible rule that you have to understand before you can understand the abuse that evolved (and both parties participated in).

    When the idea of government by a majority was evolving, as were the rules for discussion, debate, and decision by vote, it was observed (correctly) that a simple majority could railroad something in a wham-bam thank-you-maam manner. So the rule of a two-thirds majority to close discusion ensured that the minority could be heard before a vote was held.

    According to the rules of civilized self government, by the rules that exist, a majority, half plus one, will decide the issue – after full discussion. Arguments that rule by the majority goes against the history of the ‘Republic’ is pure swill. The founders wrote, let me find Jefferson…. (brb)

    “All . . . will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect and to violate would be oppression.

    My congratulations to Harry Reid for growing a pair of testicles. Hopefully, he can continue to wear them without tripping and falling on his face.

  8. So far the reaction from the republicants seems to be: The Democrats did a very bad thing and once we get control of the whote house and senate back we are going to do a worser thing?

  9. Actually, Reid could have accomplished the same thing by going back to the historic use of the fili: make the minority party talk themselves silly, then call for a vote.

    When did the rules of filibuster change to just a threat?

  10. dan.. There’s always the possibility that Reid might have had an ulterior motive. It never hurts to draw attention to the Repug’s obstructionism. Whether the Repugs are aware of it or not( like having bad breath) their obstructionism is becoming a major issue that is weighing against them more than they seem to realize.
    Today Obama echoed my thoughts, and perhaps the thoughts of millions of us Americans when he said, enough is enough. It’s well past time that these obstructionist Repugs fulfill their duty to serve the American people rather than engaging in partisan political warfare.
    One thought keeps coming back to my mind. It was Mitch McConnell’s boast that he was going to make Obama a one term president. That in itself taints any legitimate actions that the Repugs have in opposition to Obama and his administration. I can’t get past that irresponsible claim to attribute any sincerity in doing what’s right for America to the Repugs. They are blinded by hate…and in my heart of hearts I truly believe they’re blinded by racism.
    Remember Joe Walsh shouting out at the State of the Union address that Obama was a liar? If that didn’t send a message that underlies what’s going on regarding Obama, then nothing will.

  11. Swami, apparently I need to remind you that Obama is responsible for the destruction of two space shuttles, loosing the war in Vietnam,the attacks of 9/11, the war on Christmas, and the great recession. He also started al-qaida, with the help of the Muslim brotherhood, who now controls the pentagon. I mean, like, we’re no longer a christian nation because of the Kenyan user per / imposter.

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