http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/18218.html

Seven months into the current two-year term, the Senate has held 42 “cloture” votes aimed at shutting off extended debate — filibusters, or sometimes only the threat of one — and moving to up-or-down votes on contested legislation. Under Senate rules that protect a minority’s right to debate, these votes require a 60-vote supermajority in the 100-member Senate.

Democrats have trouble mustering 60 votes; they’ve fallen short 22 times so far this year. That’s largely why they haven’t been able to deliver on their campaign promises.

By sinking a cloture vote this week, Republicans successfully blocked a Democratic bid to withdraw combat troops from Iraq by April, even though a 52-49 Senate majority voted to end debate.

This year Republicans also have blocked votes on immigration legislation, a no-confidence resolution for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and major legislation dealing with energy, labor rights and prescription drugs.

Nearly 1 in 6 roll-call votes in the Senate this year have been cloture votes. If this pace of blocking legislation continues, this 110th Congress will be on track to roughly triple the previous record number of cloture votes — 58 each in the two Congresses from 1999-2002, according to the Senate Historical Office.

As for cloture votes sometimes they are just not done because the majority party knows it doesnt have the votes. The FACT is the GOP IS filibustering at a record pace.

Hmmm, Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Reid told us to elect a Democratically controlled congress and all would be peaches and cream (you remember her promise of lowering the gas prices, right?)

So now Congressional approval rating is the lowest in 14 years (which was another D-controlled congress), yet it’s all the fault of the Republicans? Do you also check under your bed every night for the boogeyman?

How much of that has to do with the RECORD NUMBER OF FILIBUSTERS the GOP has pushed you MORON?

The only landslide loser the last twenty years was Dukakis. Gore won the popular vote, Kerry lost but not horribly.

McGovern and Mondale are ancient history and Carter won.

No mention of Bill Clinton’s eight year term.

Dems at 29% (Research 2000, 7/25-27/08)

Republicans at 18% (Research 2000, 7/25-28/08)

No polling organization showed the numbers you claim for similar polls.

The 22% you claim for the Democrats comes from the Harris poll, which I mentioned, and which places the Republicans statistically even at 21%. (Why you would not mention that, I don’t know, unless your priority is to debunk my numbers.)

There is a CNN/Opinion Research poll from the same time period as the Research 2000 that I mentioned that actually has Democrats at 36%. But there is no corresponding report of a number on Congressional Republicans from that organization.

The next most recent poll which covers both parties in Congress is the Research 2000 poll that I referenced, and which places Democrats at 29% and Republicans at 18%.

And since Congress has been on vacation for a month, and argument could be made that the Research 2000 poll is more relevant than the August 10 Harris poll.

Check the links again please… maybe the wrong link was posted originally?

DaleW Says:

And you’re “whole statement” was:

Sorry, Dale, your party is headed for a big loss. It’s only natural given your failures.

Care to post any facts to discuss? Or just make blanket statements?

Why bother? When we DO post facts, you seem to distort or ignore them anyway.

DaleW Says:

As far as Ralph’s points:

approval ratings? Following the links Ralph provided to pollingreport.com shows a dem approval rating of 22%; a repub approval rating of 18%… both have a MoE of 3%; which basically makes both ratings very close.

This is a flat-out lie.

The poll I cited (Research 2000) had Democrats at 29 percent and Republicans at 18.

Not close at all. In order to make them seem close you have to mix-and-match among polls which, as anyone familiar with the practice will tell you, is a no-no, an apples-and-oranges situation, given differing polling questions, sample groups and methodologies.

filibusters?
I’m looking at articles in CQ Today, but unfortunately those articles aren’t available for mass consumption.

Fair enough. That sometimes happens with insider pubs.

But the NYT link clearly backed up the Doc’s assertion that Republicans have set filibustering records, a claim you disputed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/weekinreview/02herszenhorn.html?ref=todayspaper

Nascar? Really? That’s the best you could come up with?

Perfect fit for a neonut. It’s the best you could come up with for a hobby.

At least you’re smart enough to know you’re losing big time, and not challenge my whole statement.

Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, Menards… go to any one of them and ask for a new paint brush… the one you’re painting everybody with is getting pretty ratty-looking.

And you’re “whole statement” was:

Sorry, Dale, your party is headed for a big loss. It’s only natural given your failures.

Care to post any facts to discuss? Or just make blanket statements?

Thanks for the backup, ralph.
As the regulars here know, my posting depends on the ebb and flow of the pharmacy.
Unfortunately, the work load for me after my 4 day weekend is busier than usual.
So DaleWuss, before you claim a faux “gotcha” victory because I failed to respond, you may want to reread ralph’s post, which provides links and facts you required.
Also, I noticed that you’ve become predictably silent.

Silent. Yeah. It’s called being in a meeting.

As far as Ralph’s points:

approval ratings? Following the links Ralph provided to pollingreport.com shows a dem approval rating of 22%; a repub approval rating of 18%… both have a MoE of 3%; which basically makes both ratings very close.

filibusters?
I’m looking at articles in CQ Today, but unfortunately those articles aren’t available for mass consumption.

exactly. i’d venture to guess that your results are reasonably indicative of america in general. so why make that a central focus of a campaign? speeches are distilled to the public via 10-second sound bites and one-liners replayed on the national and local news. and candidates can’t make jokes about signing statements if 98% of america has no idea what they are.

same with gordon smith, specter, voinovich, grassley, et al. at the end of the day, after all their “concern” with bush’s [and mccain's] policies, they vote with repubs every time.

and when gas prices and the cost of bread and milk are affecting people’s lives in a practical and troublesome way, those are “vitally important issues.” on a gut level, feeding your children will trump constitutional issues 8 days a week. pissing on the constitution is not okay, but running solely on existential legal issues will not win you votes. [see 'libertarian party']