Filibuster ‘reform’ near?

By: Moe Lane (Diary)  |  January 25th at 03:30 PM  | 

Scare quotes, because it’s DC Kabuki Time!  For those who are not ‘blessed’ enough to live within the Beltway – or downwind of it – this is that special time in the legislative calendar where federal politicians preserve the status quo by changing nothing at all and putting a big, red bow on the result.  In this particular case, the scenario is as follows: for | Read More »

Democrats, filibusters, and briar patches.

By: Moe Lane (Diary)  |  December 15th at 09:30 PM  | 

Let’s set the (somewhat stylized) scenario, here: The Senate on January 5, 2011 – as per the apparent wishes of Senators Tom Udall of New Mexico and Tom Harkin of Iowa, neither of whom are up for reelection in 2012 – votes to change the rules so that a simple majority may short-circuit the filibuster.  Cheers and applause from the progressives; silence from the Republicans.  | Read More »

Durbin (D, D Majority) vs. Durbin (D, R Majority) on filibusters.

By: Moe Lane (Diary)  |  February 13th at 04:17 PM  | 

You have undoubtedly seen by now that Senator Dick Durbin is now ready to try to kill the filibuster, not five years after praising the practice to the skies.  You are also undoubtedly not surprised.  But this particular bit below from Durbin is really quite interesting as an example of defiance against the tyranny of the majority: it’s an absolute pity that the senior Senator | Read More »