Question -- Can one or more Senators start a fillabuster on their own?

[Armstead]

I'm not clear on this aspect of Senatorial procedure, but suppose a few Senators like Feingold, Boxer or others decided to attempt a fillabuster on their own, can they do it?

I know it requires certain votes to keep one going, but how about starting it? What's the process for that?

[MercutioATC]

1. Actually, nobody has to "start a filibuster"...

41 Senators just have to vote "no" on cloture.

[crikkett]

2. so in a sense, the filibuster started already?

or will debate end the moment 50 Rs vote yes?

[Mass]

5. Frist will try to get an UC to bring the debate to cloture.

At this point, any senator can refuse the UC and force a vote on cloture. If this vote does not get 60 votes, either the debate continues until a cloture vote gets 60 senators to vote for it or until they take the debate off the floor.

[MercutioATC]

8. They need 60 votes to gain cloture.

If they gain cloture, THEN they need 50 votes to confirm Alito.

If 41 Senators vote against cloture, that's the technical definition of a filibuster. If that happens, the Repubs could invoke what's informally termed the "nuclear option" and they'd only need a simple majority (50 votes) for cloture. They'd then have cloture and would need another simple majority (50 votes) to confirm Alito.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Not really

It will be a filibuster if a cloture vote is taken and fails.

[Armstead]

3. So theoretically, it just takes one?

I'm still unclear on how it actually gets started. Is it more a matter of just stopping the normal debate?

Somthing hs to change it from a normal debte into that.

[Mass]

6. It takes 1 to ask for the vote on cloture - It takes 41 to stop the final

vote.

[MercutioATC]

10. The process for votes in the Senate is this:

A bill is up for vote. It gets voted on (requiring a simple majority to pass) UNLESS a Senator asks for a vote on cloture (essentially saying that they want further debate on the issue). A vote on cloture is then taken. If the cloture vote doesn't pass with 60 votes, the issue is opened for debate (a filibuster).

So, yes, it only takes one Senator to ask for a cloture vote. It then takes 41 votes to defeat cloture and begin a filibuster.

[berni_mccoy]

4. A fillibuster "begins" when vote to cloture fails

And there are no signs that the cloture vote will pass (ever).

[Zinfandel]

15. !!!

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NV Whino]

9. Welcome, Hillary and Bill

:hi:

[mdmc]

12. Welcome to DU

We need Kucinich on the Supreme Court! No big guys lookin after us right now...

[Armstead]

13. Thanks for the clarifications

Parliamentary procedure is not my strong point. I guess I watched Mr. Smith Goes to Washington too many times.

[peacetalksforall]

14. In the end, though many contribute to a filibuster or prohibit cloture,

our destiny is in the hands of a few. And some of them may be Republican hands.

Anyone know anything yet about Leiberman? Landrieau? The usual ones. I think their fact processing minds have to rise above the logic of Ben Nelson, this time? Right?

One of the things Ben Nelson said is that he thinks a sitting President should have his pick. My words.

(Notice how we never say 'his or her' pick.)