Think Progress

Filibusters skyrocket under Republican minority in 110th Congress.

Yesterday, Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) slammed the idea of passing health care reform and other Obama priorities through a simple majority of the Senate, a process called reconciliation. “Now, if they do that, that, in effect is the nuclear war,” Kyl said. The Republicans have become experts at using Senate filibusters — or often just the threat of filibusters — to block the Democratic agenda while in the minority. As this chart from Norm Ornstein shows, the use of filibusters have skyrocketed under Republicans:

filibusters-1101.gif

Ezra Klein writes, “If you want to understand why the earth is likely to heat and why comprehensive health reform is unlikely to pass and why the government is increasingly letting the Federal Reserve govern its response to the financial crisis, that graph basically tells the story.”



76 Responses to “Filibusters skyrocket under Republican minority in 110th Congress.”

  1. wiley says:

    I bristle whenever I see “nuclear war” used as a metaphor. I have to wonder if they think nuclear war is like reconciliation.


  2. Brian Crooks says:

    Meanwhile, the Republicans accuse the Democrats of presiding over a “do nothing” Senate and blame all of the failings of the Bush Administration on Senate and Congressional Democrats, since they were the majority. Oh brother.


  3. zuch says:

    If they’re going to “filibuster”, make them actually filibuster (and disallow any reimbursement requests for Depends™).

    Cheers,


  4. stateofthedivision says:

    Repugnican’ts get paid by the cloture motion. It’s called obstruction pay.


  5. Silence is Golden says:

    The Republicans have not used ONE Filibuster in the newest Congress.

    Can’t you folks tell the truth about anything?


  6. Silence is Golden says:

    Rules of the SENATE! Great when Democrats use it, but Republicans…


  7. krystalviews says:

    Oh no! Please don’t use that word in front of Harry Reid!! It makes his entire body quiver in fear!


  8. JosephP says:

    I must admit that @Silence may be correct—I do not recall seeing a single filibuster since January (in fact I don’t recall seeing one since Clinton). Why is that? A fillibuster would make dramatic CSPAN video. I suspect that Senator Reid never forces any issue with the Republicans but backs down at the mere threat of a fillibuster. Either he has balls the size of a fruit fly, or the Republicans have some great dirt on him (or perhaps he is secretly a Republican himself).


  9. robbez_92107 says:

    But, but, but they AREN’T the “Party of No.”

    Just ask Rush.


  10. Zooey Lepidoptera says:

    If they want to filibuster — either party — make them stand up there and do it. No cute little threats to filibuster, just get up there and say your piece for as long as you possibly can.

    Congress, I dare you to do it.


  11. ucsbclassics53 says:

    Oh please silence, you were probably crying when the Democrats threatened to filibuster oh let’s say maybe 6 of Bush’s 200 nominees…OMG THE FILIBUSTER MUST BE ENDED!

    Now that the Dems have 58 votes, you change your tone…


  12. Xisithrus, Hemiptera says:

    http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/cloture_motions/110.htm

    The graph says cloture motions. By the link, above, Reid filed most of the cloture motions…


  13. tombaker says:

    they might represent big money,

    but they have no class, at all.


  14. hanshiro the antlion says:

    Welcome to the new season of The O.C.*

    (*Obstructionist Cowards…)


  15. Pachydiplax St. Augustine says:

    JosephP Says:

    I do believe the title specifies the 110th Congress. We are now in the 111th Congress. Time will tell…


  16. Xisithrus, Hemiptera says:

    cloture – The only procedure by which the Senate can vote to place a time limit on consideration of a bill or other matter, and thereby overcome a filibuster. Under the cloture rule (Rule XXII), the Senate may limit consideration of a pending matter to 30 additional hours, but only by vote of three-fifths of the full Senate, normally 60 votes.


  17. Xisithrus, Hemiptera says:

    Okay, my bad, I got the graph backwards. Reid filed cloture to overcome filibusters


  18. Brian Crooks says:

    If they want to filibuster — either party — make them stand up there and do it. No cute little threats to filibuster, just get up there and say your piece for as long as you possibly can.

    Congress, I dare you to do it.

    AMEN! I’m tired of watching the Democrats act like every vote requires 60 to pass so we let the minority control everything. I don’t think we need to ram through everything and I’m definitely against using reconciliation for health care and the environment (because after 5 years it comes up for another vote), but I’d love to see the Democrats haul the cots in and show up in their alma mater’s sweatshirt and a pair of basketball shorts over EFCA.

    CALL THEIR BLUFF.


  19. po says:

    How do you know when you’ve got no “political capital” to spend . . . when all you can do is go around threatening to destroy the nation / world if you don’t get your way. Cry us a river . . .

    Seriously, even my 3 year old makes better threats than these. But, in the end, I fear the threat will be sufficient an the Ds will cave. It’s what they always do.


  20. Xisithrus, Hemiptera says:

    http://gsmith.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/cloture_motions/111.shtml

    16 Clotures filed in the 111th congress, all by (D)Reid..so SIG there must have been some procedural motions to block [filibuster[ legislation.


  21. LibertyLover says:

    Congress Being Held hostage to Republican’ts? Why am I not surprised.


  22. ralph the wonder locust says:

    Silence is Golden Says:
    Rules of the SENATE! Great when Democrats use it, but Republicans…

    Um…excuse me?

    I don’t recall Democrats claiming that filibusters were “formula for tyranny by the minority” as Bill Frist did in 2004.

    The issue is not that filibusters are bad — they’re not, except in cases of abuse — it’s that Republicans decried them as “obstructionist” when they were in the majority and now avail themselves of the maneuver at every opportunity.

    It’s the hypocrisy of Republicans. But we don’t expect you to understand that. We really don’t expect you to understand anything, SIG.


  23. hanshiro the antlion says:

    5. Silence is Golden Says: The Republicans have not used ONE Filibuster in the newest Congress. Can’t you folks tell the truth about anything?

    Can you even read?

    “Filibusters skyrocket under Republican minority in 110th Congress.”

    The ‘newest congress’ to which you refer is the 111th congress, so the truth stands. Here’s a question that ’silence is illiterate,’ will not answer: Have filibusters skyrocketed under the republican minority in the 110th congress? Yes or no?

    Watch as he evades and avoids, but will not answer the question, because ’silence is cowardly.’


  24. wiley says:

    Guess this is one of the reasons the GOP is going “nuclear” over Franklin.


  25. Silence is Golden says:

    The last time a filibuster was actually used, the Democrats used it.
    LMAO!


  26. hanshiro the antlion says:

    27. Silence is Golden Says: The last time a filibuster was actually used, the Democrats used it. LMAO!

    See? I told you he’s a coward. He’ll never answer tough questions like on #25. Like every conservative eunuch, he’s a no-balls coward.

    Run along, pussy…


  27. ralph the wonder locust says:

    SIG, why do you persist in showing up here and confirming, over and over again, your inability to comprehend simple concepts and language?

    It’s really kind of pathetic.


  28. Silence is Golden says:

    The title says FILIBUSTER.
    The graph deals with Cloture MOTIONS, which END DEBATE.
    A filibuster is denying a vote for cloture by continuing debate, in order to deny a vote on the matter at hand.

    Motion to cloture can be overidden to continue debate.
    Filibuster is used to stop a VOTE!

    Get your facts right.


  29. Silence is Golden says:

    “Filibusters skyrocket under Republican minority in 110th Congress.”

    There were no Republican filibusters in that Congress either.

    The last Filibuster was use by the Democrats when they were in minority.
    Get your facts right before misleading folks.


  30. Silence is Golden says:

    Democrats used a filibuster in the Judicial nomination process, where they were NEVER used before!


  31. RUCeriousDragonfly says:

    Harry (fruitflynutz) Reid (C-NV) needs to let them fillibuster. Provide cheeze burgers, cheeze whiz, cheetos and gravy. Fillibuster them into a cholesterol induces coma.


  32. RUCeriousDragonfly says:

    cloture motions, idiot. Look at the graph. Read it. Cloture motions are defacto fillibusters. Geez, Gummint 101 anybody?


  33. Silence is Golden says:

    hanshiro the antlion Says:

    “5. Silence is Golden Says: The Republicans have not used ONE Filibuster in the newest Congress. Can’t you folks tell the truth about anything?

    Can you even read?

    “Filibusters skyrocket under Republican minority in 110th Congress.” ”

    Who is the dumbass now?!?! LMAO!

    The article talks about the Republican minority!
    And they have not used the Filibuster!!!!
    LMAO!!!!
    “PAWNED!!!”


  34. Silence is Golden says:

    Jeez, all you have to do is fact6 check you folks and find you lie and distort.

    Like that “Out of Context O’Reilly Hurtful interstate Mic SCAM”


  35. tombaker says:

    After 14 years of watching R’s game and gerrymander the Legislative process, Mr. Silence, we’re all familiar with how it works.

    Take your haughtiness down a notch or two. It’s really not fitting.


  36. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    Silence is Golden Says:
    Rules of the SENATE! Great when Democrats use it, but Republicans…

    So perhaps you can tell us about all the times that the Democrats filibustered the Republicans in the first six years of the Bush rein of terror. What? You can’t? That’s right, because the Democrats did not use the filibuster to stop the Republicans from passing legislation.


  37. Silence is Golden says:

    Take a civics lesson and check the facts BEFORE you run your mouth..

    Gerrymander is a Republican thing?!?!

    That is ignorant!


  38. ralph the wonder locust says:

    Silence is Illiterate is a garden-variety troll, the one who was banned a couple months ago as “glezzery”. You guys remember that bonehead?

    Same one. Not that it matters, as they all seem to have the same message, which winds up being “trolls are brain damaged”.


  39. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    Silence is Golden Says:
    The article talks about the Republican minority!
    And they have not used the Filibuster!!!!
    LMAO!!!!
    “PAWNED!!!”

    SIG – you certainly are a moron. The 110th Congress was the last congress while Bush was in office. The Republicans were the minority at that time. And they used the filibuster to stop every piece of meaningful legislation that the Democrats tried to pass.

    As for them not using it in this current Congress, they tried but they failed because three Republicans sided with the Democrats. The Stimulus bill is the only piece of meaningful legislation that Congress has passed and the Republicans tried their darnedest to filibuster it. They just lost.


  40. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    Silence is Golden Says:
    Jeez, all you have to do is fact6 check you folks and find you lie and distort.

    So moron, enlighten us. What facts did you check where you found out we lied or distorted. Be specific now.


  41. tombaker says:

    sig,

    i’ll let you in on a secret…

    sometimes, words are used literally,

    and sometimes figuratively, or metaphorically.


  42. hanshiro the antlion says:

    31. Silence is Golden Says:

    “Filibusters skyrocket under Republican minority in 110th Congress.”

    There were no Republican filibusters in that Congress either.

    Explain this then, because if you can’t, that makes you a god-damned liar as well as a pussy coward:

    Following the 2006 congressional elections, Democrats held a 51-49 Senate majority in the 110th Congress. The Republican minority used the filibuster frequently in the first month of the session.

    Example: During the summer of 2007, Senate Republicans were successfully filibustering the Levin-Reed amendment to the FY 2008 Defense Department authorization bill that would set a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.

    In current practice, Senate Rule 22 permits procedural filibusters, in which actual continuous floor speeches are not required, although the Senate Majority Leader may require an actual traditional filibuster if he or she so chooses. This threat of a filibuster can therefore be as powerful as an actual filibuster. Previously the filibustering senator(s) could delay voting only by making an endless speech. Currently they need only indicate that they are filibustering, thereby preventing the senate from moving on to other business until the motion is withdrawn or enough votes are gathered for cloture. Since this change, the procedural filibuster is used frequently, and the traditional filibuster has become increasingly rare.


  43. tombaker says:

    here’s another one for you sig…

    …just because a doctor prescribed them,

    doesn’t mean they’re not “drugs”.

    i’m a wellspring of “knowledge that was heretofore secret to righties”


  44. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    Silence is Golden Says:
    Democrats used a filibuster in the Judicial nomination process, where they were NEVER used before!

    Do some research SIG, maybe you won’t end up sounding like such a moron.

    In fact, while Democratic senators used the filibuster to block 10 of Bush’s 229 first-term judicial nominees, it was Republicans who first initiated a filibuster against a judicial nominee in 1968, forcing Democratic president Lyndon Johnson to withdraw the nomination of Associate Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas to be chief justice. It was, according to a “Historical Minute Essay” on the U.S. Senate website, “the first filibuster in Senate history on a Supreme Court nomination.” While conservatives have recently insisted that no filibuster actually occurred during the Fortas nomination process in order to claim that Democrats’ filibustering is “unprecedented,” a June 5, 2003, Congressional Research Service report pdf described it as “[t]he first clear-cut example of the use of a filibuster against a nomination” and noted that a cloture vote took place:


  45. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    Actually, I do think that SIG is technically correct. The Republicans didn’t actually filibuster anything in the 100th congress, they just said they would and then Reid backed down. But the point is they would have filibustered if Reid had forced them to do it.



  46. Silence is Golden says:

    The Republicans have not used the filibuster in decades.

    Play semantics games. Good thing you bring up who has been in control of the Congress for two years! Two years during which The Great Democrat Fannie Mae Scandal stole tens of trillions!

    Good job ACORN/CRA/Frank/Dodd/Raines/Cuomo…


  47. Zooey Lepidoptera says:

    Naw, Bilbo. Glezzy would still find a way to sound like a moron.


  48. ralph the wonder locust says:

    Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
    Silence is Golden Says:
    Democrats used a filibuster in the Judicial nomination process, where they were NEVER used before!

    Do some research SIG, maybe you won’t end up sounding like such a moron.

    Maybe, but I doubt it. SIG’s problem isn’t so much that he doesn’t research; even if he researched, it’s pretty clear that he wouldn’t understand what he’d read.

    Nice work , though, Bilbo.


  49. tombaker says:

    uh-oh, Mr. Silence….

    Mr. Baggins had quite the secret to share with you, didn’t he?

    Thanks, Mr. Baggins, for contributing that little gem of Congressional history for Mr. Silence and the rest of us to enjoy.

    ….Mr. Silence, is that you…? where are you, Mr. Silence??


  50. tombaker says:

    Jane Fonda said to tell you “hi”, Mr. Silence.


  51. Silence is Golden says:

    “Filibusters skyrocket under Republican minority in 110th Congress. ”

    It SHOULD read: “Filibusters NONEXISTENT under Republican Minority but used by Democrats against Judges!”


  52. Silence is Golden says:

    tombaker Says:

    “Jane Fonda said to tell you “hi”, Mr. Silence.”

    Will she sign my Barbarella poster?


  53. Silence is Golden says:

    LMAO I just showed the whole article is bogus.
    Keep spinning your wheels!


  54. hanshiro the antlion says:

    47. Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says: Actually, I do think that SIG is technically correct.

    Read #44 again:

    Reid forces traditional filibuster

    During the summer of 2007, Senate Republicans were successfully filibustering the Levin-Reed amendment to the FY 2008 Defense Department authorization bill that would set a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) issued a statement saying:

    It would be one thing for Republicans to vote against this bill. If they honestly believe that “stay the course” is the right strategy — they have the right to vote “no.” But now, Republicans are using a filibuster to block us from even voting on an amendment that could bring the war to a responsible end. They are protecting the President rather than protecting our troops. They are denying us an up or down — yes or no — vote on the most important issue our country faces. I would like to inform the Republican leadership and all my colleagues that we have no intention of backing down. If Republicans do not allow a vote on Levin/Reed today or tomorrow, we will work straight through the night on Tuesday. The American people deserve an open and honest debate on this war, and they deserve an up or down vote on this amendment to end it.[7]

    What ensued was an all-night debate on the Iraq war. In the morning, the Democrats still fell short of the votes required for cloture, though they won over four Republican defectors.


  55. Zooey Lepidoptera says:

    That’s so adorable. Glezzy doesn’t even understand the thing, but he’s so pleased with himself.

    I guess we’ve been “PAWNED” again. :-D


  56. hanshiro the antlion says:

    So silence is a Liar’s strategy is to just ignore facts or anything that disputes his lies. I proved conclusively that silence is a Liar and he’s too much of a pussy coward to admit it.

    No wonder he defends O’Reilly: pussy conservative Liars stick together…like toejam.


  57. dbadass says:

    I just showed the whole article is bogus
    —-
    Can I trouble you to show me how because I don’t see it?
    Thanks


  58. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    Silence is Golden Says:
    Play semantics games. Good thing you bring up who has been in control of the Congress for two years! Two years during which The Great Democrat Fannie Mae Scandal stole tens of trillions!
    Good job ACORN/CRA/Frank/Dodd/Raines/Cuomo…

    I wonder if SIG could even communicate if one were to take away all the right wing talking points and force him to speak with his own voice. I doubt he could do it.


  59. muzz says:

    SIG – you are a complete fcuking idiot. All you have to do is Google “110th congress filibusters” – there are at least 108 of them – or does the truth just get in the way of your imagined reality?


  60. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    Silence is Golden Says:
    Democrats used a filibuster in the Judicial nomination process, where they were NEVER used before!

    Silence is Golden Says: The Republicans have not used the filibuster in decades.

    So which is it SIG, they have NEVER used them before or they haven’t used it in decades?

    This is all a semantics game with SIG. Because the Stimulus bill had three Republicans who sided with the Democrats, the Republicans “didn’t filibuster”. It makes no difference to SIG that they would have filibustered the Stimulus if the three Republicans hadn’t jumped ship.

    I suggest we stop playing this semantics game with him and allow him to make a moron out of himself without our further responses. He’ll get bored and go away. Actually, he’ll probably declare victory and go away.


  61. hanshiro the antlion says:

    He hasn’t replied because he’s furiously searching for some semantic loophole to sleaze through.

    He baldly lied. He outright cited ACORN as if they had anything to do with any conspiracy, etc.

    silence is a pussy-coward who just posts lies…easily debunked lies at that. No wonder he works for Fox…


  62. pastcaring ceratopogonidae says:

    #56 Silence is Golden Says:

    LMAO I just showed the whole article is bogus.
    Keep spinning your wheels!

    THEN

    #57 hanshiro the antlion Says:
    During the summer of 2007, Senate Republicans were successfully filibustering the Levin-Reed amendment to the FY 2008 Defense Department authorization bill that would set a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.

    Well, I guess you really will be spinning those wheels…on your tricycle…hmmm!?

    BTW…how did you like your $hithead steak I served you in the troll cafe?


  63. RUCeriousDragonfly says:

    I still refuse to believe he’s silent whilst experiencing his golden shower.


  64. ralph the wonder locust says:

    Wow. That was some impressive troll-whacking, you guys.

    SIG has proved that he can hang in there, beatin’ a horse long after it’s dead, for days, even, and he didn’t last an hour and a half on this thread.


  65. tombaker says:

    sig went for the sillibuster,

    but got the cloture instead.


  66. hanshiro the antlion says:

    silence is a coward.

    Typical conservative, lying, pus-sack, pussy-coward.

    Pwned.


  67. Eugene atrax robustus Debs says:

    Silence is Golden Says:

    The Republicans have not used ONE Filibuster in the newest Congress.

    Can’t you folks tell the truth about anything?
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

    My GOD you are stupid. The real question is can you UNDERSTAND anything or are you really this stupid? THIS is the 111th congress. Did TP make this OBVIOUSLY TRUE claim about the 110th congress? Why yes they did. Are you too stupid to tell the difference? Obviously you are. Adult education, look into it.


  68. Eugene atrax robustus Debs says:

    JosephP Says:

    You dont remember one since Clinton? Then you havent been paying attention. There were a record 104 cloture votes in the last, that is 110th congress. No Silence isnt right he is a liar and a propagandist moron


  69. Eugene atrax robustus Debs says:

    Silence is Golden Says:

    You are a moron. Cloture is the way to END a filibuster.

    http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid=‘0E%2C*PLW%3D%22P%20%20%0A


  70. Eugene atrax robustus Debs says:

    Silence is Golden Says:

    You are the one using a semantic argument. Cloture ENDS debate and filibusters. Ending the actual filibuster or the threat of a filibuster BEFORE it begins is a semantic argument. It is STILL the GOP USING the filibuster.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/weekinreview/02herszenhorn.html

    “MR. PRESIDENT, I rise today to address the record number of filibusters in the Senate, a tactic that seems to have a death grip on the federal government.”

    So far in this first year of the 110th Congress, there have been 72 motions to stop filibusters, most on the Iraq war but also on routine issues like reauthorizing Amtrak funding.


  71. Eugene atrax robustus Debs says:

    Silence is Golden Says:

    It SHOULD read: “Filibusters NONEXISTENT under Republican Minority but used by Democrats against Judges!”
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<,

    No it shouldnt since that would be a lie. YOU are an ignorant lying propagandistic troll.


  72. Eugene atrax robustus Debs says:

    As usual Silence wraps himself in a cloak of stupidity and ignorance to protect him and his delusional fantasies from factual reality. You are stupid glezzy. You always were and you always will be.


  73. rjw919 says:

    Note that the “Gumming up the Works” chart comes frm the conservative American Enterprise Institute which itself notes the increased obstructionism by Republicans through invoking cloture and using the informal “hold” to stop pending legislation:

    “Tom Coburn is the undisputed hold champion in the Senate, with at least 80 bills and nominations in limbo because of his actions. His closest rival in the field is fellow Republican Jim DeMint. But these days, all senators use holds.”

    http://www.american.com/archive/2008/march-april-magazine-contents/our-broken-senate


  74. mikehunt says:

    National healthcare, what a retarded idea. Where are all the extra doctors coming from? If an older person over 70 gets ill, they will go back to the end of the line. Your mothers and fathers will die sooner than they should with National healthcare.

    Obambi is cutting defense spending for global warming. There is no global warming, its still snowing in some parts of the country. Global warming is a way for a lot of people to get rich off nothing.


  75. Eugene atrax robustus Debs says:

    mikePUNK you are a liar you are a fool and you waste our time telling us what the hivemind has told you to think. YOU are a brainwashed moron we arent. Adult education look into it



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