Would you mind explaining to those of us who are new to politics (not new to issues like FR, but new to politcal terminology) what the difference is between cloture and confirm, and also what are they talking about on this thread that Cornyn fought for straight up or down vote? I need to understand this. Cornyn is my senator and I’m calling his office tomorrow. We’ve supported him big time in the past and he is normally pretty conservative. I just need to understand this better for making my call.
He just sent us another fundraising letter.....
Thanks,
The Senate schedules its votes by unanimous consent. If consent is not unanimous, then debate continues, until consent is unanimous. You can see that this might cause votes to never happen, faced with a single obstinate Senator. So, in order to limit debate, the Senate uses a device called "cloture" (roughly out of Roberts Rules of Order), where, if enough of the members are ready to vote on the underlying matter, they can get around the senator(s) who is withholding consent to vote. IF 60 Senators agree to limit debate (i.e., "pass the cloture motion"), then debate is limited, and the will happen, notwithstanding the withholding of consent to vote by one or a few (up to 40) senators.
Failure to get 60 or more votes for cloture means debate can continue. The subject of debate isn't disposed of in any direction, by the cloture vote.