This graph shows cloture votes in the U.S. Senate, meaning the number of times Senators moved to cut off a filibuster. The giant spike at the end shows the period when Republicans lost the Senate and started filibustering almost every vote of any consequence.
When Democrats talk about never having seen anything like the current level of filibustering, this is what they mean. Yes, filibustering is necessarily the last-ditch tool of the minority party, and Democrats have certainly used the filibuster -- including to block President George W. Bush's judicial nominations -- but never on this scale.
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Americans don't want the Demonrats agenda, so the Republicans are standing up for popular sentiment on the fascist agenda of the majority party.
The Popular sentiment? Americans don't want? America is split 50/50 by any estimation. Not even allowing a vote on anything is not american. It's a cheap trick to win the debate. Not on principles or compromise but by sticking both index fingers in your ears and repeating Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na.
Hey Wing Chun, Americans don't want stupid people in our country, so if you and your fellow retardicans would please leave we would appreciate it.
And if you look at history, or even a comic book, you would know that fascism is a far right thing.
fas·cism a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc.
……sounds like use of the commerce clause by the Federal government under the Obama, Pelosi, Reid regime…… just sayin….
Under Bush & Cheney maybe, but no where near what the Dems are doing.
Republicans are the ones letting the corps buy our political system !!
I cannot agree with removing the filibuster from the rules of the legislative branch. The Founding Fathers placed this stipulation into the system for the protection of the people… All of the People. It was thought that it would be far harder to get 60% of the elected officials to agree with a bad law than only a 51% mob. It unfortunately comes with the consequence that it occasionally can be abused by the “Tail wagging the Dog.”
In the play A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More ask his soon to be Son-in-law:
“Would you cut down all of laws as if they were trees to chase the Devil out of England?”
“Then, when the Devil turns around on you, how will you stand upright when the wind blows? I give the Devil protection of the law for MY SAKE, Not for His!”
When a law is enacted or a procedure created, there is always a chance that it will be misused. But the situation without the law or procedure could be far worse. Today it is the opposing party that you wish to silence. Tomorrow they may be trying to silence you. You will probably not be so eager to give up this last ditch stand when that happens.
The Republicans are the ones trying to silence the opposing party.
The founding fathers never placed any such stipulation into the system. The only thing even close in the constitution is the clause that says the congress is responsible for its own rules and the filibuster is a rule.
The Founding Fathers did not intend a filibuster. They spelled out in the Constitution exactly where they wanted supermajorities, reserving them for unique matters such as treaties, impeachment and overriding a presidential veto. Otherwise, they believed in majority rule. Using it for each and every vote is about the worst abuse of the Senate that has ever been enacted by any Senate, ever, in American history.
Don't remove the filibuster, just go back to the way it was done before. Actually make them take the floor of the senate, stand and talk until you can't any more. Mr Smith Goes to Washington stuff. None of this just saying we won't close debate unless you get 60 votes.
Sure doesn't look like legislation to me. The "Party of No"
at it's worst!
#1 - If Americans didn't want the Democrat (non-fascist) agenda, they wouldn't have voted in so many Democrats! The problem is that the Republicans can't seem to accept that they lost the election in 2008.
Gigs, please don't reply to mad rants. The ranter will then believe he/she had a valid point.
Of the 735 times that the Filabuster was used from the 93rd through the 111th Congress, Republicans are currently responsible for 52.2% of the use and Democrats are responsible for 47.8% of the use of this Senate rule. That's hardly lopsided use!
Prior to the 110th congress, the Democrats had been responsible for 352 (56.4% and closer to real lopsided use) of all Filabusters in the same period while the Republicans were responsible for just 272 (43.5%); during which time Democrats never complained about the Filibuster (because it was their friend), but now that the Republicans have had to use the rule to stop Obama's radical agenda the Democrats want to complain - wah wah wah it's not fair stomp stomp stomp - come on Democrats, give me a break! Obama and many Democrats in congress essentially lied to the American people in 2008 while running as moderates and then once in power from 2009 to 2011 they have governed from the far left which has required so much use of the Filabuster by the Republican minority. Had the Democrats not deceived the American people in order to gain power, so many Filabusters wouldn't be necessary because the Democrat agenda would be genuinely moderate. The recent gain of 63 seats in the House and 6 seats in the Senate proves that the American people are onto the radical - say anything do anything for the sake of power - dishonesty of the Democrats!
These are facts, and it really angers me that I have to point them out to so many dum people.
SUPPORTING DATA
These are the Republican Majority Senate periods and therefore these 351 filabusters belong to Democrat minorities. (Note: Republicans were in the majority for approx. 25% of the 107th Senate and so I assigned the Democrats only 25% of the Filabusters for that period). Here are the 352:
97th - 30
98th - 19
99th - 23
104th - 50
105th - 53
106th - 58
107th - 16
108th - 49
109th - 54
These are the Democrat Majority Senate periods and therefore these 384 filabusters belong to Republican minorities. (Note: Democrats were in the majority for approx. 75% of the 107th Senate and so I assigned the Republicans 75% of the Filabusters for that period). Here are the 384:
93rd - 31
94th - 27
95th - 13
96th - 20
100th - 43
102nd - 47
103rd - 46
107th - 45
110th - 112
Year Congress President Senate (100) House (435)
2009 111th D D - 55*** D - 256
2007 110th R D - 51** D - 233
2005 109th R R - 55 R - 232
2003 108th R R - 51 R - 229
2001 107th R D* R - 221
1999 106th D R - 55 R - 223
1997 105th D R - 55 R - 228
1995 104th D R - 52 R - 230
1993 103rd D D - 57 D - 258
1991 102nd R D - 56 D - 267
1989 101st R D - 55 D - 260
1987 100th R D - 55 D - 258
1985 99th R R - 53 D - 253
1983 98th R R - 54 D - 269
1981 97th R R - 53 D - 242
1979 96th D D - 58 D - 277
1977 95th D D - 61 D - 292
1975 94th R D - 60 D - 291
1973 93rd R D - 56 D - 242
* There were 50 Ds and 50 Rs until May 24, 2001, when Sen. James Jeffords (R-VT) switched to Independent status, effective June 6, 2001; he announced that he would caucus with the Democrats, giving the Democrats a one-seat advantage.
** Independent Sen. Bernard Sanders (VT) gives the Democrats a one-seat majority.
** Two Independents and two vacancies (IL and MN)
Can this graph be updated to show which party was the Senate minority for each 2-year period? Maybe an "R" or "D" on each bar?
Silly Democrats, politics are for grown-ups!
Opps, meant filibuster!