TPM: Ed Rendell: Time to play hardball on health care. Make them filibuster.

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (D) had some choice words for his fellow party members over the weekend.

To those Democrats who are worried about passing health care reform in the wake of Republican Scott Brown's upset victory in Massachusetts, Rendell said "get that best bill as strong and as tight as you can then send it back to the Senate and let's see if they (Republicans) are going to filibuster."

Rendell, who was speaking to ABC News, also said, "my message to those Democrats is don't be afraid. ... Listen, you got elected because you wanted to do something to change the quality of people's lives - here we have a chance to do something historic and if it means some of us are going to lose because of that so be it. At least you will have lost your office fighting for something and accomplishing something."

Video here:

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/rendell-to-democrats-its-time-to-play-hardball.php?ref=fpa

Under Rule XXII, an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Senators present and voting is required to invoke cloture on a measure or motion to amend the Senate rules. This exception has its origin in the recent history of the cloture rule. Before 1975, two-thirds of the Senators present and voting (a quorum being present) was required for cloture on all matters. In early 1975, at the beginning of the 94th Congress, Senators sought to amend the rule to make it somewhat easier to invoke cloture. However, some Senators feared that if this effort succeeded, that would only make it easier to amend the rule again, making cloture still easier to invoke. As a compromise, the Senate agreed to move from a maximum of 67 votes (two-thirds of the Senators present and voting) to a minimum of 60 votes (three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn) on all matters except future rules changes, including changes in the cloture rule itself.