GOP has passed bills without 60 votes more often than Dems

[WI_DEM]

Republicans have been nearly twice as likely as Democrats to pass legislation in the U.S. Senate with fewer than 60 votes, according to a Daily Kos review of all Senate roll call votes since 1989 in which a bill was passed or a conference report was agreed to.

Under Republican control, the Senate has passed an average of 5.24 pieces of legislation each year with less than 60 votes. Under Democratic control, the Senate passed just 2.95 pieces of legislation with less than 60 votes. Overall, 13.1% of legislation under Republicans was passed with fewer than 60 votes compared to just 7.4% under Democrats.


In the nearly 21 years since the 1st Session of the 101st Congress in January 1989, Democrats and Republicans have evenly split control of the Senate, with about 10.5 years apiece. Although Republicans were more likely to pass legislation without 60 votes, both parties passed an equal amount of legislation -- 418 bills for Democrats, 421 for Republicans.

Of the Democrats' 418 bills, just 31 -- 7.4% -- were passed with fewer than 60 votes. Meanwhile, of the Republicans' 421 bills, 55 -- 13.1% -- were passed with fewer than 60 votes.

These numbers put the lie to the claim that the Senate never passes legislation with fewer than 60 votes. In fact, they do regularly pass legislation with fewer than 60 votes, and Republicans have done so nearly twice as often as Democrats.

For a full listing of all 839 votes used in this analysis, please view this Google docs spreadsheet.

http://www.dailykos.com/

[bain_sidhe]

1. That's because when Publicans are out of power

they filibuster every single bill. Dems don't.

[Chulanowa]

2. Because Republicans at least have the stones to TRY

Our team just wrings its paws and snivels out, in its best Droopy Dog voice "But we caaaaaan't we don't have sixty vooooootes"

[Dr Fate]

4. Republicans actually WANT the things they stand up for. Our DEMS dont WANT real reform.

It's apparent- b/c when they WANT something (Like when they constantly vote to continue funding Bush's wars)- we never hear about any "problems finding the votes."

The snivling is all an act- they say "we cant" when they really mean "we dont really want that, but we realize we have to pretend that we do."

[Dr Fate]

3. DEMS can "find votes" when they want to. (See Iraq funding) Face it, they dont WANT reform.

Republicans get what they "want" because they REALLY DO want things.

It's apparent that many of our DEMS dont really want meaningful reform.

That is why they fight the "wacko, far left" base more than they ever DREAMED of fighting Bush or even the current GOP.

Get it?

[timeforpeace]

5. But none of them ran on health reform. Except Obama.

[Dr Fate]

6. None of them ran on supporting wars based on lies either. Yet they found it so easy to do so.

Whether a politician ran on this, that or the other is a lame argument to me.

There is no rule that a politician has to "run on it" for them to do the right (or wrong) thing.