Dems Need to NUKE the FIlibuster now and JAM IT DOWN their throats.

[berni_mccoy]

After being stopped from filibustering with this threat of the use of the Nuke option in the Congress, Republicans RAMRODDED legislation through Democratic resistance. Even though the Dems had the ability to block legislation, they didn't.

Now, it's time to turn the tables, but not just in an equal way. They need to retaliate with an order of magnitude LARGER response: they need to strip republicans of their ability to Filibuster, period. They should even make it brazen and sunset the provision in 2008, noting that this is a Temporary procedure in order to do what is necessary to stop Republicans from blocking required laws, funding and investigation.

The Republicans in Congress no longer represent America or their constituents.

[illinoisprogressive]

1. the dems in the senate has to be just as nasty as the repukes were last year.

[jgraz]

2. I think the repuke plan was to use Cheney

I'm not sure if the Dems even have a credible way to cheat here.

What they REALLY should be doing is what the Repukes did: hold pressers, go on the talking head shows, stage some "political theater" and, most of all, CALL IT A FUCKING FILIBUSTER instead of saying "blocked" or "procedure".

[Nickster]

3. Terrible idea when they brought it up and a terrible idea for us.

I sympathize with the desire, but that's not how our congress should work.

[Strawman]

4. I agree in principle but how?

The nuclear option required a ruling from the Vice President and was limited to judicial nominations based a particular Constitutional argument.

I think we need 67 Senators to Amend Rule 22 (filibuster rule) during a session. At the beginning of a congressional session I believe they could change the rules by a majority vote but that won't happen until 2009. I think that's how they made the rule freezing committee chairs until 2009 at the beginning of this session so that won't change if Lieberman flipped or Johnson had to resign.

I don't think they can nuke the filibuster. I wish they could.

I don't understand why Reid didn't play hardball on something like the Webb Amendment. We were very close to winning that cloture vote. Why withdraw that amendment? Why not hold up the business of the Senate and make them actually filibuster (not precedurally)? How many of the Republicans would be willing to do that?

The Senate rules are arcane and difficult to understand. I'm not 100% sure on any of this. I'm not sure if we couldn't do that with the Webb amendment because of some unanimous consent agreement stipulations or what. But I don't get the sense that Reid has really played hardball yet and I'm not sure why.

Of course the President would probably veto the bill with the Webb Amendment and it would be hard to get 67 votes to override. I think they should make him do that though.

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. I don't think they can. We don't have a large enough Majority...and then there's the asshole

Lieberman who would NEVER go along with the Nuclear Option. HELL, the Dems can't get a Majority vote on ANYTHING. The Nuclear Option would never work....unless, we pick up Vitter's seat and the 2 other Senators who may be 'outed' from Madam Paltrey's list. THEN, it might work. We need a MAJORITY vote. Lieberman votes with the repukes, Cheney's the deciding vote.:( You know where that will go.

The "nuclear option" involves a procedural trick by which the Senate, which normally changes its rules only when 67 or more senators agree, would rewrite a rule by majority vote.

Dems = 51 (49 Dems & 2 Independents Lieberman & Bernie Sanders) minus Lieberman = 50 (tie) = tie breaker vote = Cheney.:( PLUS, Tim Johnson is still not back to work, so really, the repukes with Lieberman have the Majority. 50 Dems minus Tim Johnson = 49 = repuke Majority.

Also, this would depend on if any repukes would join the Dems. Hagel? doubtful. Snowe? doubtful. Collins? doubtful. NO REPUKE would ever join the Dems in the Nuclear Option. It's just not gonna happen.

So, looks like we're screwed.