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To: frogjerk
The change really is minor. Before the change, it was possible, and happened frequently, that it took 60 members to agree to bring a bill up for consideration, and then again get 60 members to agree to vote on what is under consideration.

Historically, the minority didn't use the power to prevent a bill from being brought up for debate. I think that practice started becoming common around 2008 or so.

Anyway, a determined group of 41 senators can still block passage of anything. And, FWIW, the power to block bringing something to the floor was useless. The senate would often debate the bill, even though it wasn't up for consideration.

As for what the founders intended, I am quite sure they did not intend for a minority of the senate to control.

102 posted on 01/24/2013 11:17:36 AM PST by Cboldt
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To: Cboldt
Correct. 60 votes still needed.

Looks like there's a lot of hyper-ventilating for nothing.

107 posted on 01/24/2013 12:33:19 PM PST by what's up
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