Republicans have threatened more than 100 filibusters in the last year...?

Question

Very few people seem to remember what a real filibuster consists of.  Senators who oppose a bill prevent a vote by holding the floor and speaking until they're blue in the face; no food, no water, and no sitting allowed.  Given the heat Democrats are taking for not producing legislation would the Democrats be right to make Republicans actually produce a filibuster?  As it is all that it takes to stop legislation is for Mitch McConnell or Jon Kyl to threaten a filibuster of any meaningful legislation and then the legislation basically dies.  50 years ago Strom Thurmond held the senate floor for over 24 hours to prevent a vote on the Civil Rights Act of 1957, sometimes actually speaking about the bill and at one point reading his grandmother's biscuit recipe.  

Why don't Democrats actually force the Republicans to mount a genuine filibuster?
How would Republicans like being broadcast on C-Span 24/7 rambling about biscuit recipes and reading the phone book from their home states?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

That would be awesome.  So it's really just a way to prevent a vote by not shutting up?  I'm guessing they would excel at that.
But that goes with the record Republican fillibusters during 2006-08, which prevented Democrats from doing ANYTHING about the problems REPUBLICANS ARE NOW ACCUSING THEM OF CAUSING!

Anonymous · Answer

Filibusters should be limited to the actual reading of the proposed legislation.  That way it would be known what is really in the bill.  Any other discussions should result in being removed from the floor.

Jello F · Answer

filibusters is a good way of checking the balances of power


too many legislations have passed that were not supposed to. don't you realize you pay nearly 40% in taxes and that's going to increase with a revamp of the health care sys. ? if you're a pharmacist and u make 100k per year, well you're gonna lose 40k when u pay taxes. also do you really think doctors and healthcare will improve under a gov run program? haev you seen the medical staffs in prison? there is NO incentive to increase production, so yes it is true about rationing of care.

there is an alternate to this but the news stations aren't talking about it. i suggest you go look it up yourself.

Anonymous · Answer

Because they know the Republicans would use the same tactic against them when the Republicans gain power again (don't know when, but as long as it's a 2 party system, the other party will ALWAYS come back into power).

Anonymous · Answer

I have to really question your information (intelligence ?).  The Democrats have had a 60 -40 filibuster proof senate for the past year, yet you liberals continue to make/ask asinine questions like this.

y n · Answer

the democrats held a filibuster proof 60 votes until Brown won. just how did the republicans plan to filibuster anything?

Anonymous · Answer

Because the democrats want to look good on cspan.  They have in interest in making the republicans look silly on TV.

Anonymous · Answer

Actually the Number is One.

Not even close.  

No soggy Clinton cigar for you.

Sorry.

Anonymous · Answer

We did?  Huh, seems like the dems would have had the guts to call us on at least ONE of those...  Who kept count of the number threatened?  MSNBC?

spot the cat · Answer

1 year of trying to work together, should show us to just leave them out of everything

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Republicans have threatened more than 100 filibusters in the last year...?

12 Answers