Top Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, spoke out Tuesday against what Alexander called the “brazenness” of proposed changes by Democrats to the filibuster. (more)
A myriad of liberal organizations has plotted for months behind the scenes to rewrite Senate rules to limit the power of Republicans. As their anti-filibuster campaign reaches a critical moment, they’re pulling out all the stops. In recent days, the New York Times editorialized in support of their effort and the Washington Post carried op-eds from their allies. (more)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is considering canceling the results of the November elections by changing the Senate rules when senators conduct their opening day procedures on January 5th. Democrats want to reduce the number of senators needed to invoke cloture (limit debate). (more)
Senate Democrats are laying the groundwork for an assault on the filibuster, the means of unlimited debate that can only be shut off with a super-majority vote of 60 senators. (more)
Sen. Jeff Sessions, leading Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, says public anger at the White House is making his fight against President Obama’s yet-to-be-named Supreme Court justice easier. (more)
As President Barack Obama prepares to nominate a Supreme Court justice to replace John Paul Stevens and Republicans are likely preparing to filibuster someone they consider too liberal, it’s worth remembering the “Gang of 14” and consider the situation that exists today in the Senate. The result: The shared hypocrisy and double standards of both Democratic liberals and Republican conservatives will be all too obvious. (more)
I am not a constitutional scholar, but I believe the recently announced “Slaughter Rule” approach is not consistent with the Constitution. Ms. Slaughter is the Democrat chairwoman of the House Rules Committee. Under the Slaughter approach a single vote is cast to (a) deem the Senate version of the health care bill passed, (b) pass reconciliation language that would revise the health care bill that was “deemed” passed, and (c) set a unique procedural rule for the House. If you follow the idea of the Slaughter approach, legislating will fundamentally change to a system fraught with confusion. The court would really need to think twice about its role interpreting basic legislative rules, but we are starting to look at a very bad set of facts. (more)
Republicans now expect Democrats to pass health care through the House with a trick only Capitol Hill could dream up: approving the Senate bill without voting on it. (more)
Are there any odds in Las Vegas on this yet? (more)
A $15 billion jobs bill was overwhelmingly approved in the U.S. Senate today, thanks to the votes of 13 Republicans. But as Mike Memoli notes, just five of those senators supported a cloture motion earlier this week which allowed the bill to come to the floor for a final up-or-down vote. (more)
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) suggested that the Senate abolish the filibuster in recent interview with Air America Radio. (more)
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