Can someone please explain to me what this Motion to Invoke Cloture means?

gateley

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Mon Oct-01-07 03:38 PM
Original message

Can someone please explain to me what this Motion to Invoke Cloture means?

Regardless of whether I understand very well what the vote is truly about, I always check out how Kennedy and Kerry voted and then I know what side I should be on.

On this, they voted Yea, as did Boxer and a couple other of my weathervanes, but Dodd voted no. Even Elizabeth Dole, my senator (hiss) voted Yea.

What I really want to understand is why three of the Dem candidates -- mine included -- didn't vote. Is it an indication of their stance on it? An assumption that it would pass? Any input?

Thanks.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00357

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gratuitous

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Mon Oct-01-07 03:42 PM
Response to Original message

1. In the Senate . . .

In the Senate, debate on any matter before the Senate is unlimited. A motion to invoke cloture means that the Senate is being asked to end the debate and vote on the matter, whether its a motion, a bill, a resolution or whatever. The kicker, though, is that in order to end the debate, a motion to invoke cloture needs 60 votes to pass, so 41 Senators can band together and keep the debate going on forever.

Due to the funky procedural rules in the Senate, if a motion to invoke cloture fails once or twice, the matter is often abandoned.

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TwilightGardener

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Mon Oct-01-07 03:42 PM
Response to Original message

2. Cloture means debate is ended, and the measure is able to be brought to a vote.

So when they vote for cloture, they vote to proceed with allowing the actual measure to be voted on.

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gateley

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Mon Oct-01-07 03:53 PM
Response to Original message

3. Ah. I get it. Thank you both so much. NOW I wish I would have paid

attention in school, but frankly, I have no doubt you DUers can explain it in a way -- as you just did -- that makes it easy to understand.

:toast:

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Wilber_Stool

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Mon Oct-01-07 04:05 PM
Response to Original message

4. It's also called a

fillabuster

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nealmhughes

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Mon Oct-01-07 06:01 PM
Response to Reply #4

5. A filibuster stopper, you mean! Not invoking cloture is to vote for a filibuster.

So, nay is a positive for filibuster, and yea is a nay for continuing to talk and a yea to get to the vote. Couldn't be more arcane, now could it?

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Wilber_Stool

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Mon Oct-01-07 07:01 PM
Response to Reply #5

6. I just re-read the OP.

Yes, that is what I meant.

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