Obama wants to do away with the filibuster?

[Avatar4321]

Is that what he was actually suggesting on The Daily Show when Jon Stewart was interviewing him?

 

[rightwinger]

As a lover of the Constitution, I would love to see where it specifies a fillibuster

I don't think we should allow practices that aren't mandated in the Constitution

 

[blu]

if this is true (havne't watched the interview yet) it certainly comes at an interesting time

 

[Justin Buell]

When listening to Obama talk about this, I felt a great sense of horror at the logic he was using. Limiting the power of the legislature and transfering that power to the executive is what dictatorships are made of.

 

[peach174]

Yes! He wants to do away with the one thing that has held back complete government control.
Never mind that dems used this also including Obama when he was in the senate.

 

[loosecannon]

As a lover of the Constitution, I would love to see where it specifies a fillibuster

I don't think we should allow practices that aren't mandated in the Constitution

It is mandated, sort of. The doc spells out that the house and senate must draft their own rules.

That aside the fillibuster is stupid. It should be banned by whatever means possible.

On the other hand I have become so politically cynical that I would approve of replacing the senate with a roulette wheel.

 

[BlindBoo]

Yep. It was an excellent Daily Show.

Jesus H, it's not like the idea is new? The pseudo-cons floated the idea around just a few years ago. Furthermore, I think banning it would would be alright as long as the ban doesn't start until after the 2013!

 

[LibocalypseNow]

He may want to but it's not going to happen. He doesn't own Congress anymore. He's a little slow on the uptake i guess. Their Super Majority is long gone.

 

[Seawytch]

If they don't do away with it, at least make 'em freaking DO IT. Make them stand up there, night and day, and read from the damn dictionary or something. The way it is now, they can say "I filibuster" and then go down to Barfy's Bar and Grill to smoke cigarettes and drink Rob Roy's. (simplified version)

 

[Two Thumbs]

Of course he wants it gone.

Politicains love all laws that don't get in thier way of grabbing power.

Keep in mind the super majority is dust, and the next super majority could be conservative.

Carefull what you wish for, or you just might get it.

 

[rightwinger]

As a lover of the Constitution, I would love to see where it specifies a fillibuster

I don't think we should allow practices that aren't mandated in the Constitution

It is mandated, sort of. The doc spells out that the house and senate must draft their own rules.

That aside the fillibuster is stupid. It should be banned by whatever means possible.

On the other hand I have become so politically cynical that I would approve of replacing the senate with a roulette wheel.

The Constitution says nothing about a fillibuster and the intent was that bills would be approved based on 51% of the vote in the Senate. The Senate rules allowed a fillibuster where a speaker could hold the floor as long as he could speak.
The intent of the fillibuster was to block egregeous legislation and was to be used once or twice in a legislative session.
The fillibuster has been twisted into a tool to block all legislation without 60% support. This is a direct subversion of the Constitutional intent.

I agree that if the Senate is to maintain the fillibuster it should be a true fillibuster session where you have to keep talking or give up the floor. Bring back Mr Smith goes to Washington

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

If they don't do away with it, at least make 'em freaking DO IT. Make them stand up there, night and day, and read from the damn dictionary or something. The way it is now, they can say "I filibuster" and then go down to Barfy's Bar and Grill to smoke cigarettes and drink Rob Roy's. (simplified version)

I agree. I have no problem with them maintaining the filibuster, but it should be a real filibuster, like back in the "good ole days" when guys like Strom Thurmond and Robert Byrd read out of a dictionary for 24 hours straight and pissed into a bucket next to the podium when they had to relieve themselves.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Is that what he was actually suggesting on The Daily Show when Jon Stewart was interviewing him?

Obama doesn't have the authority to do away with the filibuster, so it doesn't really matter what he thinks.

 

[LibocalypseNow]

Yea this guy really is a little slow on the uptake. Just like he was when he golfed his way through the Oil Spill calamity. Took him awhile to figure that one out huh? He may want to do away with the Filibuster but it isn't gonna happen. His days of owning our Congress will be over very soon. So what he wants just doesn't matter anymore. They had their Super Majority and they blew it. Now it's all over for them. Make 2010 count America. Vote.

 

[G.T.]

It's a poor method of checks and balances(the filibuster). If the people voted a party into majority, one way or another, they in effect entrusted those Representatives into that position to do what they do, and then the voter again gets to decide if they approve or disapprove of the job they did.

A filibuster is a way to leave dire problems unsolved when the two parties differ on the resolution.

Then there's the veto pen. The house, the Supreme Court, etc

 

[rightwinger]

If they don't do away with it, at least make 'em freaking DO IT. Make them stand up there, night and day, and read from the damn dictionary or something. The way it is now, they can say "I filibuster" and then go down to Barfy's Bar and Grill to smoke cigarettes and drink Rob Roy's. (simplified version)

I agree. I have no problem with them maintaining the filibuster, but it should be a real filibuster, like back in the "good ole days" when guys like Strom Thurmond and Robert Byrd read out of a dictionary for 24 hours straight and pissed into a bucket next to the podium when they had to relieve themselves.

Hell with that..

If I were to publically piss in a bucket, I would be arrested.
Make them hold it or surrender the floor. That was the intent of a fillibuster not to automatically require a 60% majority on all bills

 

[LibocalypseNow]

I'm glad all you Hopey Changeys feel this way. Maybe this will happen when a Republican retakes the White House and the Republicans control Congress. We have you on record for supporting ending the Filibuster. We'll see if you still feel that way in the future. Somehow i doubt it though.

 

[loosecannon]

If they don't do away with it, at least make 'em freaking DO IT. Make them stand up there, night and day, and read from the damn dictionary or something. The way it is now, they can say "I filibuster" and then go down to Barfy's Bar and Grill to smoke cigarettes and drink Rob Roy's. (simplified version)

So answer me two simplish questions:

1) why haven't the dems changed the rules to allow their mandate to proceed? (don't say the repubs would filibuster a rule change)

2)Why did Bush get nearly everything he wanted from the dem controlled senate after 06?

 

[G.T.]

I'm glad all you Hopey Changeys feel this way. Maybe this will happen when a Republican retakes the White House and the Republicans control Congress. We have you on record for supporting ending the Filibuster. We'll see if you still feel that way in the future. Somehow i doubt it though.

Somehow, you're an idiot.

Anyone who believes in the Vote should want it ended.

I don't care who's in office.

The people get to decide if they did the job right or not. No excuses, the filibuster is an excuse to get nothing done.

 

[loosecannon]

I'm glad all you Hopey Changeys feel this way. Maybe this will happen when a Republican retakes the White House and the Republicans control Congress. We have you on record for supporting ending the Filibuster. We'll see if you still feel that way in the future. Somehow i doubt it though.

your thinking is the problem in this country.