To: diotima
Rick Santourum said I believe on Rush that breaking the Fillibuster was not the problem. There are procedures already worked out to solve the filibuster problem.
The going to the mattresses is the opposite of the solution required in the present circumstances. The continuous fillibuster is designed to prevent a cloture vote. The cloture vote has been called and lost several times. A cloture vote can be called anytime but will fail because there are not 60 yeahs.
The procedure noted by Sen Santorem above will bypass colture vote and will require only a simple majority of 50 votes. The Repblicans don't have those 50 votes. The procedure has been discussed in detail but the simple fact is there are not enough votes for passage. The vote involves an interpretation of Senate rules such that Presidential confirmations are not subject to a cloture vote and must be brought to the floor a sa constitutional absolute. There are enough Republican Senators in opposition to prevent even that procedure.
If you want to bring some change, you should get on the phone and demand a list of those Republicans who will not vote for the noted procedure. Then apply lots of heat to those Senators.
17 posted on
11/10/2003 10:24:42 AM PST by
bert
(Don't Panic!)
To: bert
btt
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