I just can't understand why Harry Reid is so terrified of the Republicans threatening a filibuster. It reminds me of the scene in Bazing Saddles where the new black sherriff puts a gun to his own head and threatens to pull the trigger. I think that it would be damn entertaining to watch the Republican Party blow it's own brains out on C-span. While unemployment soars, while the DOW tanks, while the banks won't lend a dime, we could watch the Republicans read phone books on the Senate floor in order to block President Obama's stymulus bill. Hell yeh, that would be a real party. We could get some office pools going to see how long they could keep it up. Who could go the longest? Who would be the first to drop. McCain? Cornyn? Mitchell? Reid could keep the Senate in session 24/7 until we have a winner. Hell yeh. Get the beer and popcorn ready. Let's party!
Procedural Filibuster
In current practice, Senate Rule 22 permits 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that they are filibustering, thereby preventing the Senate from moving on to other business until the motion is withdrawn or enough votes are gathered for cloture.
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.
We don't need no stinking cloture. Let's have a real filibuster. Hell yeh!
Let's look at the starting lineup for the Republican Crimson Tide.
Team Captains
Republican Leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky.)
Republican Whip, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Arizona)
Republican Conference Chair, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee)
Republican Policy Committee Chairman, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nevada)
Republican Conference Vice Chair, John Thune (R-South Dakota)
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman, John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Quarterback
Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona)
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Sen.Larry Craig (R-Idaho) suspended for unsportmanlike conduct, replaced by:
Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
Running Backs
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania)
Sen. Orin Hatch (R-Utah)
Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina)
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas)
Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tennessee)
Safeties
Sen. Richard Burr (R-North Carolina)
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi)
Offensive Line
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming)
Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah)
Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Indiana)
Sen. David Vitter (R-Louisiana)
Center
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi)
Defensive Line
Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky)
Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio)
Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Alabama)
Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Florida)
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas)
Kicker
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
Linebackers
Sen. Cristopher Bond (R-Missouri)
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama)
Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Nebraska)
Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia)
Punters
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)
Special Teams
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma)
Sen. Kay Hutchison (R-Texas)
Sen. Gregg Judd (R-New Hamphsire)
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
Sen. Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming)
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina)
Punt Return
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma)
Bench
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota)
Waterboy
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Connecticut)
Now Harry, this is the crew you're so afraid of? They don't look that tuff to me. I'm confident that you and the Senate Dems can outlast them. Read that novel you've always wanted to read. Catch up on some zzzzz's. If they were so foolish enough to try a real filibuster, they better have the paramedics standing by with stretchers handy, they're gonna need 'em. You must not be much of a poker player. You're bluffed way too easily. And they ARE bluffing Harry. So grow a pair and CALL THEM. Just do it one time and I guarantee you that'll be the last time they threaten to filibuster. We're only a couple of votes short for cloture. Just call their bluff one time and we'll get our 60 votes for cloture from then on. Trust me. And while we're at it let's shitcan Senate Rule 22. Hell yeh!