Reply #37: actually you're wrong about the Democrats abilty to withstand a filibuster for a month

[onenote]

Filibusters put all of the burden on the party that is opposed to the filibuster. Its easy to keep a filibuster going -- all you need is one member to hold the floor, and when he/she is done, another can look to be recognized and keep the debate going. But if there isn't a quorum present (51 Senators), then everything grinds to a halt. The repubs don't actually have to keep talking. So in order to "organzie to withstand" a repub filibuster for a month, the Democrats would have to make sure at least 50 of their Senators were on the Senate floor at all times. That isn't going to happen.


There is a reason that traditional filibusters are rarely forced -- they are harder on the party opposing them and they almost always succeed in forcing the majority to kill a bill or water it down.