Monday, November 26, 2012

GOP warns of shutdown over filibuster

The U.S Capitol is shown. | Jay Westcott/{POLITICO 

A partisan war is brewing that could bring the government to a screeching halt as early as January — and no, it’s not over the fiscal cliff.


It’s all about the filibuster.

Democrats are threatening to change filibuster rules, in what will surely prompt a furious GOP revolt that could make those rare moments of bipartisan consensus even harder to come by during the next Congress.

Here’s what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is considering: banning filibusters used to prevent debate from even starting and House-Senate conference committees from ever meeting. He also may make filibusters become actual filibusters — to force senators to carry out the nonstop, talkathon sessions.

Republicans are threatening even greater retaliation if Reid uses a move rarely used by Senate majorities: changing the chamber’s precedent by 51 votes, rather than the usual 67 votes it takes to overhaul the rules.

“I think the backlash will be severe,” Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), the conservative firebrand, said sternly. “If you take away minority rights, which is what you’re doing because you’re an ineffective leader, you’ll destroy the place. And if you destroy the place, we’ll do what we have to do to fight back.”

“It will shut down the Senate,” the incoming Senate GOP whip, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, told POLITICO.

“It’s such an abuse of power.”

More @ Politico

5 comments:

  1. Yeah, right- we've seen how you poodles fight the Dems.

    BUT maybe now that you have something to lose we'll see what you've really got that you haven't used before (for us).
    I'm not going to make any bets, though.

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    Replies
    1. Neither am I and it is interesting that the majority of people think Republicans are more partisan than Democrats and the majority have a negative view of the Tea Party. Our Marxist newspapers have done their job.

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    2. Forgot: Reference my comment on the Tea Party above. Exit polls at the recent election reveal:

      The Tea Party. Despite a blizzard of negative press and media spin against the tea party, exit polls show they didn’t fare too badly among all the electorate. A total of 63 percent of voters say that they either support the tea party or are “neutral” toward it.

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