Something I have been thinking about for a while: The Nuclear Option.

I think it is a given that the Republicans (at least enough) will work with the Democrats on the big economic issues, but beyond that it is up in the air. This past Senate session was repeatedly filibustered by the GOP, ensuring nothing big got through.

The question now becomes, what if the 41 (or 42) Republicans in the next Senate do the same? What if they repeatedly block legislation using the filibuster and don't use that ability sparingly (like the Democrats did when they were out of power)?

The Nuclear Option could be an option and has been brought up on some radio shows/blogs, but I think that is a dangerous path to go down. I think it is likely worth the lost ground on certain legislation (in the form of concessions to the GOP to avoid a filibuster) if that means maintaining the power and option of the filibuster in the future case of another Democratic minority.

though I've got to admit I look forward to the theater of everybody changing sides on the issue
:toast:

Not the filibuster of legislation or even some other appointments.

That would require a formal rules change and 75 votes.

I'm of two minds on this at the moment, though.

First and currently foremost, I think the so-called "nuclear option" is bogus, a pile of crap run up the pole by Cheney as one more level of the Bush administration's attempt to blur or eliminate the separation of powers.

Second, and without that as a consideration, the recent Democratic minorities haven't used the filibuster when it actually mattered, so I'm not sure what the difference would be.

Your never in power forever and once you've done it there's no going back

USE IT! :mad: I'm so sick and tired of those disgusting knuckle dragging rethugs. F'em!

The USA has almost fully morphed into one big CORPORATE right-wing duopoly. That is, our rulers within both parties only bother continuing elections in order to give "us peons" the illusion of a representative government. :P

There are Republican Senators in states that Obama won handily.....I do believe. All Obama has to do is make an appearance in that state and talk to the contituents. He'd get big local coverage in a state like Maine, for example, where Sen. Snowe and Collins are from. He get the Maine constituents to start writing letters to those Senators.

So, I don't think that republicans are going to be able to block as much as they think.....or let's just say, they don't know BO.

It's antithetical to our form of government no matter who is behind it.

The filibuster rule is just a rule... it's not in the Constitution. The Constitution DOES have certain items that require super-majorities in order to be passed (ratifying treaties, overturning vetoes, etc.), but being able to indefinitely block a vote on anything else with a minority of Senators is not...

ball with them on Health Care Reform they get the nuke options. They can pull their usual bullsh*t on everything else but they better clear a path for that one.

I have a big problem with a minority of Senators being able to indefinitely prevent a vote on anything - judicial appointments, or anything else.

The way I'd "fix" it would be to allow a minority of Senators to delay, but NOT prevent, a vote on anything. Once an issue is delayed by such a minority, the next time the issue is brought up, a larger minority would be required to delay the vote, and that would continue until finally a vote is allowed.

So the first filibuster attempt on an issue would require only 41 votes. But after the delay, it would take at least 42 Senators to force another delay, and then 43, 44, etc. This would let a minority of Senators greatly extend the amount of time and debate on an issue if they thought that something was being rushed through without proper debate, but ultimately the full Senate would be allowed to vote up or down on the issue.

It's time to end it. We allow this modern day House of Lords to block legislation with 41 votes. Time to peel that back to about 55 votes, if we keep it at all.

It's just a god damn rule and it's been changed before.