Well there's "talk" of removing the filibuster because:
1. BO and the Dems were elected & given mandate to fix things.
2. GOP talking of same old tactics.- we'll see.
3. We'll repeat Term 1 if they file as many filibusters as before.
4. Something HAS to change - after all there WAS an election !!

Don't know if it'll happen- it's a pretty serious change but I wouldn't be surprised to see a compromise... i.e. keep filibuster but limited or after so long they vote !!
GOP might make a deal cause if they don't then, they're done in the Senate !!

What do you think ??

I do not want to be naive how does the filibuster work? Thanks

Well, I think we've had a couple threads here regarding the filibuster as it currently stands, and Rachel had a spot on this just a day or two ago.

In a nutshell: The filibuster was meant to be a risky, physically- and mentally-demanding, time-limited form of delaying legislation on the Senate floor.

Somehow* it has metastasized into a simple, consequence-free absolute veto power for the minority that can be used with impunity. Needless to say, this is a power never intended for the minority and imho is arguably unconstitutional.

So obviously I'm all for restoring the filibuster to the demanding and limited tactic it used to be.


* I still don't grok when and where this change happened, exactly. Up until this Congress I had assumed the filibuster to be in its former state and had been blaming the majority for simply caving at the threat of one. Apparently it's a hard-coded change, though, so apologies to the majority in this case =P

[edit]

Ah:

"In 1975, the Senate reduced the number of votes needed to invoke cloture to three-fifths (60) of Senate membership. At the same time, they made the filibuster "invisible" by requiring only that 41 Senators state that they intend to filibuster" -- About.com

Also: Ezra Klein on the history and constitutionality of the filibuster ... I'll have to see if the Supremes have ruled on this or not.

Nor do you want to be proactive enough to Google it for yourself.

Make sure he credits you on his term paper.

Ah, give the guy a break, will ya. At least he admits what he doesn't know and asks for help. I didn't know what youtube was when it was first becoming a huge thing and you guys kept mentioning it, but someone here nicely filled me in.

Oh goody! A new hall monitor. Do I get detention now?

At least you understand where I am coming from. Thanks Some people do not want to I see this now.