[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

It takes 40 to vote down cloture but not to filibuster. A filibuster needs just enough courage to keep someone at the lectern 24/7, to keep it from being put to vote. Senator Robert Byrd is legendary for his ramblings while stalling legislation he stood against. With C-SPAN, perhaps Senator Sessions, Senator DeMint and a few others could rotate and read the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and McGuffey’s Reader...and actually educate some people.

REMEMBER THE ALAMO.

[Greg F]

A filibuster needs just enough courage to keep someone at the lectern 24/7, to keep it from being put to vote. Senator Robert Byrd is legendary for his ramblings while stalling legislation he stood against.

Is this true? A single individual Senator can still truly filibuster without a 60 vote ability to end the filibuster? If so, let's find a hero. He'll be the most popular Republican in the country with Republicans.

[Guenevere]

bump your post!

[K-oneTexas]

I'm missing something ... or are we just stating this from different ends.

From .pdf 'Invoking Cloture in the Senate' [http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-425.pdf]

[snip] The majority required to invoke cloture is three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn, or 60 votes if there are no vacancies in the Senate’s membership. However, invoking cloture on a measure or motion to amend the Senate’s rules requires the votes of two-thirds of the Senators present and voting, or 67 votes if all 100 Senators vote. [snip]

[CaptRon]

I don’t think they even make you do that anymore. I don’t know the exact rule but I think you just have to say “do over” or something.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

why did martinez vote no...wouldn’t he be for the amnesty bill passing?

i am getting very confused. Everyone seems to know how this works. How about a dumbed down version for the rest of us..what is with ‘cloture”?