I don't think it's too wonkish to raise the issue of the Senate filibuster process is it? Everyone should know that the United States Senate was designed by the founding fathers as a firewall between the unwashed masses and the new elite that kicked out the old elite... call it
democracy.
One of the ways that firewall works is that, before a bill can be voted on by the entire US Sentate, a procedural vote is conducted to
allow the bill to be considered by the full Senate. In the past, it worked somewhat in reverse... Any senator, or group of senators, could
stop legislation via a process called the
filibuster and sixty senators could overcome the filibuster with a vote to that end.
HOWEVER, in the past, a filibuster process required those trying to stop the legislation to physically stand at the Senate floor podium and argue their case... non-stop. No other Senate business could be conducted on the floor while the filibustering senator(s) held the podium. The filibuster represented a battle of wills, with the obstructionists facing the potential wrath of the public for preventing popular legislation from advancing.
Rarely do we see the traditional form of a filibuster these days. Instead, the Senate usually just tests the water with a vote of 60 or more. If they can't reach the magic number of 60, the legislation doesn't move forward, and is either modified to appease any hold-out senators, or is simply stopped. Hence, by effectively requiring a "super majority" on
every vote, 60 of 100, the Senate keeps the "unruly masses," We the People, from having the laws we want.
It's time for the Democratic Party get a backbone and forced the Republicans into the glare of the public light by forcing them to undertake a traditional filibuster on the healthcare legislation. Maybe the filibuster cannot be broken, but we won't know if we don't try. Let the filibuster process go on for a day or two and see what happens. Maybe the public sentiment would ratchet up. It would surely be a media event... an educational moment. Maybe the public pressure would rise after a couple days, giving the Democratic leadership the support to let the filibuster continue for several days, a week, or more.
I think it's time. If you agree, you're not alone:
The People's Voice, October 29, 2009
Urging the Democrats to bring the legislation to the floor for debate without the proceedural 60-vote super majority, and forcing the Republicans to filibuster, The People's Voice blog says:
The Republicans are griping that the discussions regarding the content of the bill have not been open and transparent as promised by Candidate Obama... Now it is time for the "transparecy" for which they pine.
Debate it on the floor of the Senate.
A contributor to Daily Kos,
KWolfman, also expresses this view:
Honestly, who cares if Joe Lieberman sides with the Republicans here? Who cares if the GOP + One tries to filibuster real health care reform with a strong public option? Why is it so important to avoid a filibuster scenario?
Let the Senate leader Harry Reid know you want to
Let them Filibuster.
For Your Convenience:
We could all drive ourselves crazy following the twists and turns of the Senate healthcare legislative process, but that would be very stressful. The word is that the Senate will likely pass healthcare without a public option, thereby gaining the necessary 60 votes for cloture. Then, the legislation will go to the conference committee to be reconciled with the House bill, at which point the public option will be put into the bill. Then the Senate will vote on the reconciled bill with only 51 votes needed.
Climate Justice
