Filibuster Reform

In Wisconsin the Governor and Republican majority are trying to strip state employees of the right to collective bargaining. The are literally trying to "ram through" in a very short time, out of nowhere, a bill that removes employee rights. more »

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We all want to see the Senate start working again, and be more democratic. We have all lived through the breakdown of the Senate and the damage this has done to our democracy and the public's faith in government because of the abuse of the current rules. more »

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A couple of weeks ago it looked like Senate Democrats were "fired up and ready to go" on reforming the filibuster system. All of the returning Senate Dems signed a letter calling on Harry Reid to push for change, and that unanimous opinion looked like the foundation for real change. But then two things happened: First, reform of the process seemed to get bogged down in ... what else? ... process. But there also seemed to be a growing under-the-radar sense that maybe, with their political fortunes waning, this wasn't the time for Democrats or progressives to weaken the power of the minority.

But the minority would still be able to filibuster. What would be weakened is the ability of any single Senator to paralyze the entire system, and to use that power for negotiations that are little more than blackmail.

When they think of the filibuster, a lot of people picture Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. You remember - with his tie askew, his hair wild, and his eyes filled with the fire of righteousness, speaking up for "the little guy" to an uncaring body of cynical solons: "You think I'm licked. You all think I'm licked. Well I'm not licked. And I'm gonna stay right here and fight for this lost cause."

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The Senate is considering reforming the rules for filibusters. In the last few years the filibuster has been used so frequently that it is now conventional wisdom that "it takes 60 votes to pass a bill in the Senate." This is because the public, and apparently even much of the news media, does not understand how the Senate operates. more »

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The Senate is considering changing the rules for the "filibuster" and this is an opportunity for you to do something that can make a difference. The filibuster has been abused and the Senate is broken. Call your Senators and tell them you want this fixed! more »

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“But.” Everything you read about the filibuster talks about how important the filibuster is, allowing a minority to retain some power over abuse by a majority… and then it says, “But.”

For example, the Camden, N.J., Courier Post editorial today, "Alter filibuster rules in Senate," reads: more »

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There are a lot of complicated issues out there, ones that require detailed analysis and serious number-crunching. The Senate will be debating its own filibuster procedures over the next three weeks, which will give us plenty of time to dig into the numbers. But the basic principle is surprisingly simple: it's about democracy itself. So why aren't we calling our Senators right now and telling them to fix the Senate's ridiculous filibuster procedures? It could be the biggest step toward real democracy we've taken since abolishing the poll tax.

It's easy enough to make a call. Don't know their phone numbers? You can find them here - unless you don't know what state you live in, in which case I can't help you. I know what state I'm in: a state of exasperation with the United States Senate. You probably are, too.

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If a filibuster happens in the forest and no one is told about it, did it really happen?

The GOP is said to be ready to filibuster the bill extending jobless benefits today. Will this be reported as the national emergency that it is? Will this be reported as a filibuster? Will this even be reported? more »

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