Replies

As majority leader, Reid has the right of first recognition and will “fill the amendment tree” which means he’ll propose a bunch of amendments to the number limit so nobody else can propose any amendments.

This is what Cruz was talking about. No debate, no opportunity for amenement, just raw power. Reid disallows any changes, then comes cloture, then Reid proposes an amendment to strike after cloture is achieved, which will require a simple majority for passage. The amendment passes, no other amendments will be allowed, then the vote on the bill and back to the House with Obamacare defunding stripped.

This is why a vote for cloture is a vote for funding Obamacare.

Okay, so then the HOR gets that bill and it's still not law, is it? At that point, can't the HOR send the US Senate one bill at a time, each funding separate things?

I think what Cruz did is got a lot of normal citizens involved. Can the US Senate really vote against the Defense bill (etc) with the deadline looming?

One takeaway from the filubuster this AM is that Cruz is a real lot smarter than is Harry Reid. The differnece is like what I'd imagine if Putin and Obama played a chess match.