Filibuster update

This will come down to a battle of wills.

Moments ago, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced that in response to conservative obstructionism, he plans to force war supporters to physically remain in the Senate and filibuster Iraq withdrawal legislation....

Republicans are using a filibuster to block us from even voting on an amendment that could bring the war to a responsible end. They are protecting the President rather than protecting our troops.

They are denying us an up or down — yes or no — vote on the most important issue our country faces.

I would like to inform the Republican leadership and all my colleagues that we have no intention of backing down.

If Republicans do not allow a vote on Levin/Reed today or tomorrow, we will work straight through the night on Tuesday.

The American people deserve an open and honest debate on this war, and they deserve an up or down vote on this amendment to end it.

Here's Bob Geiger's take:

In making this move (based on my understanding of Senate rules), Reid is invoking the provisions of Rule 22 (Precedence of Motions) of the Standing Rules of the Senate, which provides, at the Majority Leader's discretion, up to 30 hours of debate if a filibuster is initiated -- as the Republicans will most certainly do, knowing that Reed-Levin may very well have the 51 votes needed for passage.

Sixty votes are needed to achieve cloture (end debate) and move legislation to a full, deciding vote.

Reid will be using the provision of Rule 22 that allows for up to 30 hours of continuous debate once it's made clear -- in this case, by Republicans trying to avoid an up-or-down vote on Reed-Levin -- that there is a desire to continue debating the issue.

In other words, the Majority Leader is saying "You want to debate? We'll stay all night and debate."

In theory, I think this can go on straight through the end of session. That's how I understand it, anyhow. The upshot to that (or to a Republican backdown) is that the bill won't need 60 votes to get through. The downside is that, if the GOP keeps it up indefinitely, no new business can advance. But since the Republicans are basically filibustering everything anyhow, this is, it seems to me, exactly the right issue to clash on.

Comments

[JimPortlandOR]

Exactly! Nights, weekends, whatever it takes to get the job done. That's what most working Americans have to do, year after year. If a minority wants to delay, make them pay a real price: exposure and exhaustion and neglected family/social life.

[Virtue Lord Purple]

There is no solution to the Iraq War. If Americans really want the war to end, and they truly care for their ‘Soldiers’, then they will immediately, without hesitation, cease and desist from driving their cars. Other than that, you have no one to blame but yourselves. Also, I have news for you folks. Bush is ‘The Leaker’.

In the Name of Brutus

Dames and Gents,

In times unprecedented and tinged with despair, it is appropriate to reflect on the founding of our great nation. It was not with George Washington, but with Brutus, and not the one who killed Caeser. There was another who rebelled against the tyrant monarchy of Rome, The Tarquins. He wrote the Roman Constitution that would stand for 500 years. His sons sided with the monarchy. The monarchy lost. So to punish his sons and found a perfect union, he immolated his own sons.
Machiavelli speaks fluently and voluminoulsy and voiciferously on this subject, in ‘The Discourses’, and yet is proved wrong on several counts by the miracle of America. He says that a nation founded in servitude, as America was a colony, will never win its freedom. He also says that a nation founded on fertile soil that is easily defended, will in time loose all of its freedoms because it will become, eventually, inevitably, sloth and sated, and will forget to protect them.
As regards 'The DC Madam', I am personally involved. You can view my involvement at http://www.maytheygetwhattheydeserve.com/KAT.html
Sometimes a mouse will lead you to a kat, and a kat can lead you to a rat and a rat, ironically, can lead you to the truth. And the truth, as they say, and as it is written, will set you free.
May all those who sincerely and patiently wait for freedom be free and may all those who desire to steal those freedoms find instead the dire consequences that accompany contempt for a great man like Brutus.

As regards Machiavelli,
eram sapiens tamen nefas
And again,
vox vocis publicus est vox vocis deus

May The Republic stand forever and bring the Glory Of The World, with Dignity, into Its Treasury.

Purple

Virtue