So, has the 'filibuster everything and kill the government' tactic been successful?

[Kablooie]

The MSM seems to think so.
There are predictions everywhere of GOP wins and regaining the reins of Congress once again.

If this becomes true it will validate the 'filibuster everything' tactic so it will become standard procedure for the GOP.
One senator can prevent anything from passing on a whim without any reflection on him/herself at all.

Everyone talks about how ineffective the Democrats have been, but the system is skewed strongly in the minority's favor.
The majority must have a super majority or they are, in essence, the minority. One lone objecting senator can be the majority.

I'll bet that if the GOP takes over the house or senate, that you won't see Democrats filibustering everything because they know it will reflect badly on them.
But the GOP takes pride in doing so and we shall soon see if the public agrees with them.

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. Absent the last 8 years of Bush, with us in the minority, I might have fallen for that bullshit

However, now that I know the majority party can ram through whatever the fuck they want each and every time, what remains is for us to recognize that the Democratic leadership are failing us and that they need to quit hanging their hats on the canard that the minority party controls everything and a super majority is needed to defeat them.

[rufus dog]

5. You are discounting the Media

If the Dems did absolutely nothing but stop the majority party during Bush how do you think the media would have reported and reacted.

If the Democrats threw down an 18 page budget with no numbers do you seriously believe that the 18 pages would not have been in Wolfie's, Andrea's, on and on, hands every time a Democrat was interviewed? Have you every heard a Republican strongly called out on the BS practices?

[FormerDittoHead]

8. Don't forget Bush got pretty much everything when Dems controlled the houses as well.

At the very least we should have had a whole series of congressional hearings / investigations upon how we were LIED into a war.

Lip service, then silence.

Otherwise if George asked for it, he got it.

As I wrote in another message here, it's not a lot of red meat to offer the people back home.

We won because people wanted CHANGE. How will people vote in November?

[Cronus Protagonist]

11. Yeah, and when we controlled both houses we get REPUBLICAN laws

The whole situation is FUCKED.

[Bragi]

2. Yeah, I think it's working for them

Shit, the whole idea of needing a "super-majority" to pass a Bill only became a problem after Obama was elected. Before that, there were always enough right-wing dems who would vote so as to pass most GOP legislation, so it was never a big issue. Yes?

I now expect "kill the government" be the new Congressional SOP for the right-wing minority.

[Kablooie]

3. So how do they ram things through if the GOP declares 'filibuster' ?

[Skink]

4. When did they filibuster?

[FormerDittoHead]

6. "But the GOP takes pride in doing so.." BECAUSE THEY HAVE 'PRINCIPLES'!

I know they don't have principles, but my point is that they *CAN* SAY that to the people who normally vote for them (and for those precious undecideds).

Compare that to the Democrats. Right off the top of my head: the public option. What happened to "principles"???

Not much red meat to feed the people back at home.

"YOU LIE!" <-- You see? He FIGHTS for what he believes in.

Obama gives away the candy store to every Senator who wants something, they have to go to reconciliation, and STILL no public option.

People like a winner. People want to elect people who can get STUFF DONE in Washington. I know, a lot of stuff HAS been done - DO THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT?

Perception is reality, and Democrats aren't controlling perception very well.

[Better Believe It]

7. What filibusters? The "pretend phantom" kind that Senator Reid permits Republicans to conduct?

If the Republicans win control of the Senate in 2010 or 2012 they won't let the Democrats conduct "phantom" procedural filibusters against important legislation they want passed.

They intend to play hardball.

[AnArmyVeteran]

12. Reid is either stupid, inept or is making deals with the republicans.

Reid is so damned inept he doesn't even FORCE republicans to actually filibuster. If Reid just hears a republican say the word filibuster he begins trembling in total fear and then cowardly runs away letting bills die. Reid isn't a damned leader. I had no idea someone that incompetent could become the leader of the senate. Reid could have forced the senate to stay in session over the 4th of July recess to pass the unemployment bill but he cowardly gave in to the republicans. And Reid could force the senate to stay in session during the August recess but the inept coward won't do that either. I am damned sick of so many cowards in leadership positions in the democratic party.

Democrats need to go for the republicans' throats or give up their positions in government. But the way they keep cowardly retreating the voters will do that for them. It looks like they don't give a damn about the people who worked their asses off to get them elected or even about our country.

I've never seen a more inept congress in my lifetime. If Reid had 1/1000th the leadership skills of LBJ he wouldn't take crap from anyone. But he doesn't even have that much leadership ability. I think we would get better representation and better leaders if we had lotteries instead of elections.

[JVS]

9. That's not quite the tactic. The tactic is filibuster while negotiating, turn the bill into shit,..

send a few votes over, and then make light of how the democratic caucus was united completely behind really bad legislation.

[FBI_Un_Sub]

10. Not yet

But it has knocked Obama's approval rating way down.

[Spazito]

13. Really?

He was at 50 pts in Dec 09 and he is at 50 pt in July 10...damn, that is one hell of a drop.....or not.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

14. Predictions of electoral orgasms for the GOP may be slightly premature

The votes haven't been counted (or cast yet) and, thanks to Gibbs' remarks the other day, the Republicans may end up overplaying their hand. It'd definitely be pretty depressing if people (i.e. so-called "independents") decide to vote GOP because they think that that will force Democrats and Republicans to work together for the common good to "get things done" in Washington. :facepalm: :rofl:
However, at least based on polling data, it would definitely seem that some people are buying into the Republican propaganda that Democrats are somehow shoving massive big-government spending deficit-busting programs down the throats of the American people, circumventing normal congressional operating procedures, and, despite all of President Obama's paeans to "bipartisanship" and attempts to negotiate with the Republicans- in good faith I might add- that he and the Democrats really aren't trying to seek Republican input/votes on legislation, nominees, etc.
I just about died when I read those comments about Cantor talking about winning big in November- forcing President Obama to work with them. :rofl: It's going to be super grid-iron gridlock in Congress next January if they re-take one or both Houses of Congress. Any super-draconian Republican "bad" legislation will almost certainly die by Obama's veto pen if it ever even gets to President Obama's desk but none but the most bland, inoffensive, and inconsequential legislation initiated by President Obama and the Democrats will make it through Congress to get to President Obama. That will mean, of course, that nothing of any consequence will get done but, hey, we had eight years of Bushco Republicans doing nothing for most people but, hey, at least they'll be a "check" on Komrade Obama's socialist ambitions, right????!!! :eyes: :sarcasm: :banghead:
But the fact that nothing gets done for the average working (or unemployed) stiff wont' matter to the GOP and probably not to even to anybody stupid enough to vote to give them back any real power in November. The GOP will, however, get what they really want, which is, namely, to be able to FINALLY start trying to dig up dirt on President Obama just like they did with President Clinton until they find some kind of albatross to hang around his neck- though, you'd think that Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck, et. al should've been able to come up with SOMETHING on President Obama by now- I mean, other than the fact that he's a Socialist, Fascist, Racist, Terrorist, Christian Muslim..........................:eyes: