Every session starts totally from scratch. They are now operating without any structure (or rather the old structure) until the new one replaces it.
The Dems can just keep the new structure stalled and things will be just like November 5th, 2002, never happened.
There's a section in the new volume of Caro's life of LBJ about what was done at the opening of the new Congress in 1957, when the liberals wanted to change the filibuster rule so that cloture became easier. If I understood Caro correctly, until the old rules -- possibly with changes -- were adopted, everything was to be decided under normal rules of parliamentary procedure, i.e., with simple majorities deciding everything, without the possiblity of a filibuster.
Anybody know anything about that?
By the way, if the RATs are able to filibuster the reorganization resolution and block Senate business, what happens until the filibuster ends? Do the committees function? Do staffs get paid? Is all business to be conducted -- in the absence of committees -- on the Senate floor?
C-SPAN Radio had a Senate Commerce Committee hearing this morning. How was it possible to hold this?