Comments on: Glenn Reynolds on the Conventional Warfare Option

By: BoiFromTroy

BoiFromTroy — Thu, 05 May 2005 21:47:46 +0000

Filibustering the Filibuster Options
Fellow L.A. blogger Patterico has taken a break from bashing to Los Angeles Times to discuss an old proposal (resurrected by Kaus and Reynolds in recent days) regarding the U.S. Senate Filibuster situation. Rather than pursue the “nuclear option” sug…

By: Mike O'Sullivan

Mike O'Sullivan — Wed, 04 May 2005 23:45:08 +0000

Frist should step up to the bar and do the nuclear option.
The GOP is doing a lousy job explaining this to the public.

By: The Unalienable Right

The Unalienable Right — Wed, 04 May 2005 22:08:13 +0000

The real filibuster juggernaut hits a speedbump
The Committee for Justice has a document explaining why the real filibuster won’t work. (Thanks to Ramesh Ponnuru at NRO for the link)

They make a pretty good case, though we think there would be some value in making things more difficult for the …

By: Mark Williams

Mark Williams — Wed, 04 May 2005 21:30:21 +0000

Just to let you know, this blog was mentioned on CNN’s ‘Inside the Blogs’. I have posted the video of your CNN appearance over at my blog.

Congrats on the plug!

By: Rick Caird

Rick Caird — Wed, 04 May 2005 21:28:52 +0000

Just to answer the question from Fred Z: The US Senate is unique in that it’s rules allows unlimited debate on most questions. The only way to force an end of debate is to invoke “cloture”. That currently takes 60 votes (out of 100). Hence 40 senators can prevent action.

By: Rod Stanton

Rod Stanton — Wed, 04 May 2005 20:51:35 +0000

“Incidentally, this may be the first time I have ever been accused of saying something that is “too clever.” ” – Not true – check your logs from last year. I made this observation more than once. But in a positive way, I hope.

By: Ladainian

Ladainian — Wed, 04 May 2005 18:53:28 +0000

What is the deal with Speaker Hastert anyway? He is the most inarticulate polititian I’ve ever seen. And he shows up on TV with messed up hair, and a bunch of dirt on his jacket. Him, Frist and DeLay are this Iron Triangle of obfuscation and unclear communication.

By: Fred Z

Fred Z — Wed, 04 May 2005 18:51:19 +0000

Can anyone explain to me, as a curious Canadian bystander, why the Senate cannot just act? Are committees in the constitution? Is there a reason why the Republicans cannot simply use their majority to resolve or vote or decide or whatever the term is, in a fully binding fashion, to abolish or ignore the committees and approve the candidates? Other than the apparent fact that they are completely spineless.

By: ThoughtsOnline

ThoughtsOnline — Wed, 04 May 2005 18:38:04 +0000

Patterico is suggesting what he calls the �conventional warfare option�
The problem with this proposal is that is predicated on Senate Democrats being susceptible to being swayed by ‘public opinion’ – which I don’t think they are. First of all, an awful lot of Senate Democrats are pretty much immune from pressure of any…

By: actus

actus — Wed, 04 May 2005 17:44:42 +0000

“I believe the public would agree with Republicans on the judicial filibuster issue – if Republicans could just make the public understand that Democrats are blocking judges with majority support”

This sort of ‘if you would only understand me’ stuff is what has doomed democrats forever.