LIVE THREAD: SENATE FILIBUSTER!! Call Capitol Swtchbrd 1-800-648-3516 to Protest Dem Obstructionism

www.freerepublic.com | November 12, 2003

[Howlin]

FILIBUSTER BEGINS AT 6:00 P.M. EST!!!!

[Saundra Duffy]

How 'bout the democrats "crapping" on the Constitution or using it for toilet paper?

[OXENinFLA]

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[WhiteGuy]

I bow to you!

( I am clearly in over my head)

( I guess I'll seek out some "tin foil" threads or maybe start something involving the Green Bay packers..........)

I can handle that!

[alnick]

don't have the cajones to stop them

They don't have the means to stop them. They can and will use it as a campaign issue though.

[Miss Marple]

I believe you are right. She has her minions creeping and skulking all over the capitol. Grrr.

[BigSkyFreeper]

The Republicans need to start getting serious about gaining seats in the Senate, this will in effect, give them a means of nominating and effectively voting in more Republican judges. This was a fight worth fighting for in one sense, but realistically, it was an act of futility, given the results.

[faithincowboys]

Of course, the media and the dems are the same people.
We don't have a free press, we have a dishonest media propagandizing for a political party that's destroying America-- it's a crying shame!!

[Mo1]

I think I bookmarked the guys name .. I'll have to look for it later

and you are right .. she does have her minions creeping all over the capitol.

[Positive]

Question of terminology: As I understand it Super Majority in the Senate means 60 votes. There are also some reqirements for a 2/3rds vote. Impeachment needs a 2/3rds vote while Cloture needs a "Super Majority."

My understanding is that the "Super Majority" concept is just part of the "Rules" of the Senate, I have searched the U. S. Constitution on the WWW.Senate.gov website and there is no reference to a "Super Majority" in there. In other words, since the Constitution was written when there were only 13 states and 26 senators, the number 60 would not be in there, nor are the terms 60% or 60% of the whole number or for that matter, the word "Super."

[Dolphy]

I am listening to Frist/Hatch/Graham press conference. A question was asked quoting Kennedy's negative comments about the nominees. Hatch says he has known Kennedy for a long time but that he has noticed a change in him over the last few years and he doesn't know what's wrong with him.

[Congressman Billybob]

There are five instances in which the Senate itself is forbidden to act except by a supermajority. However, there are 55 instances in the Constitution which are anti-majoritarian, meaning either requiring a supermajority (2/3rds of House and Senate, plus 3/4ths of the state, for amendments) or absolute prohibition of a majority decisions (Congress shall make no law respecting ....)

Three months ago, I wrote a long article for an organization of 2,500 state legislatures on the subject of anti-majoritarian provisions in the US Constitution. I'm waiting for word that my article is in print.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, " 'Preserving' the Constitution by Spitting on It," discussion thread. IF YOU WANT A FREEPER IN CONGRESS, CLICK HERE.

[ClancyJ]

You got that right!!!

Well - I'm discouraged. Rush's show host is pointing out that this was all a waste, did nothing, and that the GOP senators have no clue on how to run the senate.

[Stop Legal Plunder]

Isn't this kinda like what the pigs did in the book "Animal Farm"? The animals couldn't read the rules and the pigs would sneak in at night and change the rules just enough to fool the animals. The people of America don't know the constitution and the dims (with help from media) are trying to amend the constitution without the Congress and ratification of 3/4 of the states.

One group that is doing a great job educating citizens on the constitution is the Institute on the Constitution

[Congressman Billybob]

Early on this thread, around 3,000, posts from the Democratic Underground urging an electronic assault on Frist's poll, and others celebrating the success of that assault, were posted here. It happened. It's been verified.

John / Billybob

[Ladytotheright]

Well, what does the sub on Rush think the GOP should do???: any suggestions???

[RandallFlagg]

Does Senator Frist know? Or has it already been broadcast all over the alphabet channels?

[Not A Snowbird]

We're here. I gave up on the sleepy C-Span piano music and I'm working my way through computer jigsaw puzzles. At least I'm trying to, I have a 25-pound cat sitting on my mouse arm.

Love your smiley icons, by the way.

[Consort]

The Founders did not give the Constitution the ability to defend itself, unfortunately. The Constitution, to a large degree, is whatever at least five Justices (a majority) interpret it to be at any given time, based on their ideology, and regardless of what the Founders intended or what the citizens expect.

[RandallFlagg]

LOL! We also have a hugh kitty. The thing's so lazy that he plops on the floor to eat out of the bowl. Looks like a rug that chews...AND THE BREATH!! YUK!

[Cboldt]

Super-majority is any requirement greater than a simple majority. If 101 people are voting, 51 is a simple majority, but to require 52 to concur would impose a super-majority requirement. In practice, super-majority margins are substantially greater than simple majority.

The 60 votes to invoke cloture comes from Senate Rules, and is expressed, IIRC, as 3/5ths of the members, period (i.e., not 3/5th of the members then present).

The Constitution recites "two thirds," one fifth" (to invoke recording a roll call vote), and "three fourths" (the number of states required to ratify Constitutional amendments).