If The Republicans Supposedly Filibuster So Much…

…there’s a reason:

the GOP’s historic number of filibusters is the only viable response to Sen. Harry Reid’s unprecedentedly authoritarian rule of the Senate. Senator Reid has blocked the minority from amending bills more than any Senate majority leader in history — and more times than the last four Senate majority leaders combined.

How does Senator Reid do this? He uses his right to be recognized first by the chair to offer just enough amendments to bills to block any further amendments. These amendments are usually meaningless, like changing a word or a date, but they effectively block the minority’s opportunity. This is a clear abuse of the spirit, if not the letter, of the Senate’s rules, and that is one reason why we have witnessed Republicans’ frequent use of the filibuster.

Well, we’ll have an opportunity to fix that in a couple years. And even if Reid had lost, I wouldn’t lay long odds that Schumer wouldn’t have behaved the same way.

2 thoughts on “If The Republicans Supposedly Filibuster So Much…”

  1. You have to remember that “bipartisanship” is defined as when Republicans shut up and do what they’re told. “Growing in office” is when Republicans give up what they believe and act like Democrats.

    And dissent is the highest form of patriotism but only when Republicans are in charge. When Democrats are in charge, dissent is racism.

  2. Will we not be able to fix this is just another month? The new house leader can play the same game… then we can start calling the dems the party of no (I prefer ‘hell no’ for the GOP, but…)

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