"I hope everyone will pay attention to this debate"

[Blue Christmas]

So said Sen. Charles Schumer to his senate floor colleagues as he began this morning's speech about the Bankruptcy Bill.

And that got me to thinking about some questions, which I'd like to pose to my esteemed DU colleagues. Namely:

1) Do you think that any Senate Floor speech - no matter how impassioned - ever serves to actually change another senator's vote these days? If so, could you give examples of this?

2) If not, do you think there once was a time where an impassioned senate floor oratory during a debate WOULD lead to change(s) in votes? If so, could you give an example of the last documented time that - to your knowledge - this has happened?

3) Lastly, if you believe that debates no longer have any effect on voting, then why do you believe that some Senators (like the admirable Byrd) continue to put so much heart and soul into speeches that their "colleagues" across the aisle probably don't even listen to? Is it just a CYA maneuver to get one's beliefs on record so as to show in the future that they at least did not sit silent and let the GOP hijack the country and the congress? Or is there more to it than that?

As for myself, I believe that speeches, sadly, do not change votes anymore and do not know if they ever did. Which I feel is unfortunate because what, after all, is the point of "debate" if your opponents don't even listen to your points? The only benefit I see of these speeches is that they sometimes give me solace that at least a handful of our elected "representatives" are still standing up for the values I - and I believe a lot of Americans - still hold dear.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your replies!

[blm]

1. The historic record is often overlooked, but it will inform future debates

for generations.

Sadly, I doubt floor speeches change any opposing minds, but may possibly tilt undecided ones.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Votes are changed in the cloakroom and...

by deals and armtwisting, not by speeches.

When these "major" speeches are made, check out how many Senators are in the chamber listening. Most are out raising money or making their own deals, not wasting time listening to another one yakking on.

The speeches are there to go into the Congressional Record, and hopefully, to be reported widely showing the Senator to be a great statesman.

[kentuck]

3. They sense no consequences for their votes...

That's the reason they are so brave in going after SS...

[zbdent]

4. Reply -

1. No.

2. Yes, but I can't give any examples. Don't go that far back. Maybe when the House was a tad more civilized. Couldn't have been any time since the late 70s, though. Maybe during the Nixon impeachment.

3. Playing to the audience. Makes great soundbytes. That is one of the truly non-partisan aspects of Congress since the cameras came in.