Nothing is what it is, right?
What is the sense for me to discuss something with a person who denies the obvious? We have been having a record number of filibuster and that is obstruction of the Senate by a minority of at least 40%. It takes more than words to prove your case and you can't change facts. Having a 40% representation in the Senate can shut it down from passing legislation and some of that legislation is necessary daily business. The act of doing so is called obstruction of government. When you drag out passing a bill that you totally support, that is obstruction of government.
Source:
Filibuster in the United States Senate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
That's how government works? You propose legislation and endlessly debate your own proposal to waste the time of the Senate. Why isn't that obstruction of government? The Senate rules allows a minority to use legislation that even the minority supports and cause an endless debate to waste the Senate's time.
If it wasn't obstruction of government, why were the rules changed and don't you think the Republicans helped to change the rules, because they didn't want to risk having the same thing done to them? They were hoping they could get power in the Senate, but didn't and that's why they supported changing the rules they've been abusing. They had a shot at controlling the Senate, but they didn't have a chance to get close to a super-majority that is able to prevent a filibuster. Under the old rules, 60 Senators are needed to pass legislation. Legislation isn't usually anything new and is usually slight changes to present law. The law still exists whether new law is made. Our government functions under plenty of previous Republican laws, so it isn't a wonder that things are often fucked up.
You call it obstruction. I call it representation of the wishes of the people that sent these House members and Senators to Washington.
In conclusion you cannot get around the fact that you believe in unconditional majority rule without debate or dissent.
Obstruction is a term YOU use.
Here's the rub. A house or senate member sponsors a bill. The bill is presented to the floor for amendments. Too often, amendments are added to which the sponsor would be opposed. This happens all the time. It's called a "poison pill". Both parties do it. When a member or members see a piece of legislation they don't like, they will add amendments to the bill that essentially scuttle any chance of passage. BTW, the libs who proposed ending Filibuster rules entirely should be careful what they wish for. Because in doing this, they open the door for the poison pill to be used en masse. You think the wheels of government turn slowly now? Just wait.
Suppose we eliminate the filibuster. SO what. All a Senator has to do is enter an amendment or use other parliamentary procedures to keep a bill off the Floor.
Anyway, your whine is just that. You are just pissed off because Obama and the democrat party have been denied unfettered control of Capitol Hill.
Once again, the US is NOT a democracy. It is a representative republic. Which means you libs cannot disenfranchise half the country just because you feel as though you have power.
The Founding Fathers were aware of and feared the tyranny of democracy. SO they built a system to control government. A system where checks and balances were put into place. Not only to ensure equal power among the three branches of government but to ensure the rights of the minority party and their constituents would not be trampled.
You call it obstruction because you have been expecting goodies from the government at the expense of the producers and they haven't arrived at your door in that unmarked discreet package.
Instead of looking to government to do things for you, you should try doing something for yourself...
