Reply #66: I believe the rules were changed some time ago...

[Iowa]

They aren't required to talk anymore. Someone can simply declare the intent to filibuster, and it's all over unless they have the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture.

That being said, this isn't about votes. It's about two corporate parties whoring for corporate campaign contributions and a political system that is completely corrupted. If the filibuster disappeared tomorrow, there would be some other excuse for their dismal performance. They are passing exactly what they want to pass. All this drama about Lieberman's antics, filibustering, Ben Nelson's whoring, reconciliation, and all the rest... it's either an excuse to pass an even WORSE corporate-written HCR bill via reconciliation (because it WILL be worse), or it's all theater designed to make the public believe they're really trying.

The Dems could have the WH plus 100% of both houses of Congress, and the outcome would be the same.