By GottaLaff
First of all, everything is an uphill battle these days. Second of all, well, I have no second of all. How’s that for pithy? Yep, this flu hasn’t affected my brain cells at all….
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) intends in the next few weeks to introduce legislation that would take away the minority’s power to filibuster legislation. [...]Harkin believes senators in recent years have abused the procedural move.
Harkin’s bill would still allow senators to delay legislation, but ultimately would give the majority the power to move past a filibuster with a simple majority vote.
His staff said the bill would be introduced sometime before the Senate’s current work period ends on Feb. 13.
It takes 67 votes to change Senate rules, so, good luck Tom.
Several liberal activists as well as Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) this week have called for filibuster reform to make it easier for legislation to pass.
So how exactly would Tom’s idea work again?
Under Harkin’s bill, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), 60 votes would still be necessary to cut off debate on an initial procedural motion. If senators failed to reach 60 votes, a second vote would be possible two days later that would require only 57 votes to cut off debate. If that also failed, a third vote two days after that would require 54 votes to end debate. A fourth vote after two more days would require just 51 votes.
Well, as long as Traitor Joe’s behind it, how could it lose?
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