Talk, Talk, Talk

Ever wonder why our Congress gets so little done?   One of the reasons is the misuse and overuse of the filibuster (more here) by Senate Republicans, The Party of No (PON).

It seems that for the PON, there is no issue too small for a filibuster.  I think I may have to  start maintaining a list of filibusters that make the news, because every day it seems there's another legislative measure that the PON seeks to block by never-ending "debate."   So the government that is supposed to be operated by majority vote (51 in the Senate) seems to almost always require 60 votes.  The PON filibusters mean that the Senate is unable to end debate and conduct votes on the merits of the legislation.  So much for majority rule. 

Here's the latest: As a result of the infamous Supreme Court decision in January 2010 that confers personhood on corporations, political contributions by companies are now practically limitless.   As a result, we can expect to be absolutely buried by political ads this Fall by anonymous corporate special interests.  The Congress has a bill to place limits on this corporate political spending which the PON has filibustered to prevent a vote.   The Senate attempt to end debate failed 57-41 on this week.

Earlier in July, another filibuster from the PON prevented the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 from reaching a vote.  An effort to end the filibuster failed 58-38 in early July 2010.  Previous attempts to invoke cloture failed 57-41 and 56-40 June.  This bill included provisions to extend unemployment compensation.   Cloture was finally invoked and the bill passed later in July after a new Senator from West Virginia was sworn in to replace the late Sen. Byrd, providing a 60 member majority.

Even Senate efforts to reform filibuster rules and lower the votes needed to end debate on legislation from 60 to (perhaps) 55 can't get past the PON filibuster.

One of the most galling aspects of Senate "modern" filibusters is that the filibustering Senators don't even have to actually stand up and speak the entire time the Senate has a quorum.  They don't have to actually break a sweat to prevent the Senate from acting on a bill.  Under Senate rules, the Senate Majority Leader (Senator Reid) has the ability to require an actual "traditional filibuster," but Reid doesn't seem to want to do anything to make the PON really, really angry.  How could they be any less cooperative?

What's a democracy to do when it's held hostage by the minority party?