Republicans Plan To End Cherished Political Tradition Of The Filibuster

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 4-10-2005 | Philip Sherwell

[El Gato]

Could you imagine how drawn and ugly ol' Teddy Kennedy would look after a couple of days without sleep, having to remain in his seat while they filibustered?

I imagine he has sufficient fat reserves to last quite awhile, but can you imagine how bad he'd look and feel if he couldn't get someone to smuggle him in some hootch for the length of a filibuster?

[El Gato]

. And I'll live with it when - someday - the Democrats come back into power, as they certainly will

While that's probably right, political parties are not permanent fixtures of the landscape. They aren't even mentioned in the Constitution, and none other than George Washington was opposed to them. He'd be appalled to see how ingrained into the structure of the legislative branch, not to mention our electoral process they've become. That said, they have been known to die. I think what we are seeing is the death throes of the Democratic Party. I suspect it's far left wing, which now dominates the party hierarchy, will hang on for some time, while a new party is formed of it's more moderate members, along with some RINOs. Although if you listened just to the MSM, you'd not know there was such a thing as a "moderate" Democrat, that term is only applied to Republicans, where they imply that it right wing fanatic", but it really means a "RINO"

[shetlan]

"Republican Senate leaders are planning to curb the cherished American political tradition of the filibuster in an effort to prevent the minority Democrats from using the tactic to block the appointment of conservative judges."

Stopping the filibuster of judicial nominees is going to be a hard fight.

When Americans rally behind a good cause, they are invincible.

Let's rally!

[Cowboy Bob]

Republicans plan to end cherished political tradition of the filibuster...Republican Senate leaders are planning to curb the cherished American political tradition of the filibuster...

Good writing skills.

[streetpreacher]

The longest filibuster was staged by Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, who held forth for 24 hours and 18 minutes in an unsuccessful attempt to block the 1957 Civil Rights Act, only surrendering the floor after his doctor warned him that he risked imminent kidney failure.

Bobby Byrd would've just peed in a cup.

[Tennessean4Bush]

BTW I am in favor of filibustering (not on appoinments) because it eliminates what John Stuart Mills called the "tyranny of the majority".

Filibusters are not for and have never been able to eliminate the "tyranny of the majority". That is what the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is for. True filibustering never has worked much, the famous filibuster on the Civil Rights Act by Strom Thurmond being exhibit A. How long can one talk non-stop? Not too long, and then your issue will be swept away by the majority.

However, what is being debated today is not true filibustering. Like everything else, it has been lost in the debate. What Frist should do is not eliminate, but rather restore the true filibuster. If he did, then the demonRATs can have their say, and then we can move on with what the majority wants.

[streetpreacher]

Looks like gakrak started an Amen run only to be intercepted by an "I'll believe it when I see it" Doubting Thomas pass by Carolyn.

Interesting how these things always come in cycles. Coincidence or are the mods having way too much fun altering the order of posts.

[RJL]

Article headline:
Republicans Plan To End Cherished Political Tradition Of The Filibuster

First sentence in the article:
Republican Senate leaders are planning to curb the cherished American political tradition of the filibuster

Yet another example of the MSM’s numerous layers of editors checking facts and biases that the bloggers just don’t have.