All to frequently, more than ever before in US history, Republican filibuzzards have abused Senate rules to create minority rule in the Senate on virtually all issues. Therefore, I have repeatedly called for ending the filibuster. However, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, for whose campaign I am proud to have volunteered, has a plan that reforms the filibuster rather than replacing it.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) has just recently announced his own set of proposals for Senate rules reform. And here it is (PDF).
Merkley’s proposal doesn’t seem to call for the actual elimination of the filibuster, but there’s plenty to it that goes a long way toward curtailing its abuse, and bringing it back to the widely-held public conception of what the filibuster is (or ought to be), which is to say a difficult test of endurance that you’d only undertake on strong principle, as opposed to just putting holds on things, and then walking away, returning occasionally only to insist on another useless quorum call.
So keeping in mind that these are proposals that contemplate the continuance of the filibuster’s existence, I’m just going to offer a quick run-down on the elements of the proposal, and tell you what I think… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Daily Kos>
I’d strongly recommend clicking through to the source article, as the author’s analysis is well worth the read. I also recommend reading the proposal itself (the PDF above).
I still tend to lead toward abolishment, because I fear that td a few his could not be implemented without first being gutted by a coalition of Republicans an DINOs. However, it it could be implemented without modification, I could live with this.
4 Responses to “Jeff Merkley’s Filibuster Reform Plan”
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You know it will never make it so the filibustering party has to stay and maintain the floor without relinquishing it because they are crafty but lazy bastards. Leave the super majority rule in place. Lets see if the supposed liberal side can play in this ball game or not. I for one don’t care if they shut the government down by not funding it. They want a fight it is going to come to the streets before much longer and then we’ll see how much they care for their masters or the people they have duped for the past ten years.
Mark, I won’t be that much use in that kind of a fight., so I’ll keep fighting to change things before it comes to that
The filibuster has been so abused by Teapublicans that majority rule has now been replaced by the tyranny of the minority. As noted in a very informative NY Times Editorial from over a year ago on filibusters:
Not only do I hope the Senate will adopt new rules come January reining in the tyranny of the Teapublican minority, but I honestly think they will move in that direction.
We have a commitment from Udall that he will move to change the rules. I’ll be watching to see what comes next.