Hey, Democrats, let's stop using that goofball "filibuster" excuse for not getting legislation through the Senate. Look at the Republicans -- they shat all over the known world and NEVER had more than 55 votes in the last 50 years. Actually, that goes back to 1933 -- no more than 55 votes EVER for the Republicans, and NEVER enough to cut off a filibuster.
From the 58th Congress (1903-1905) to the 94th Congress (1975-1977), there have been only six Congresses in which one party has held enough seats in the Senate to enforce cloture, that is, to limit debate and defeat a filibuster:
- the 60th Congress (1907-1909)
- the 73rd, 74th, 75th, 76th, and 77th Congresses, running from 1933 to 1943: and
- the 89th Congress (1965-1967)
Cloture in those times required a two-thirds vote, that is 67 of 100, or 64 of 96 (in the years before Alaska and Hawaii were admitted).
In 1975, cloture could be invoked with only 3/5ths. Senate rule changes could limit the filibuster, but these changes themselves could be filibustered, and that would require a 2/3 supermajority to effect. With the lower threshold in effect since 1975, there have been a few more Congresses where a party had sufficient votes to invoke cloture.
- The 94th and 95th Congresses (1975 to 1979); and
- The 111th Congress (the present ship of fools).
Significantly, not since the 89th Congress has any majority party had a 2/3 supermajority necessary to force changes to Senate rules over a filibuster.
In ALL cases except the 60th Congress (over 100 years ago), it was the Democratic party that held the supermajority.
In other words,
- Not since 1909 has the Republican party EVER held sufficient votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster.
- Since 1933, the Republican party has NEVER held more than 55 votes in the Senate.
So, please, Democrats, stop blaming the "filibuster" (which it's not, by the way) for the failure to ram through the Senate the legislation which the Democrats were elected to enact. In fact, rarely has any party ever had the votes to do so, yet government, or misgovernment, still occurred. Be ruthless, cut deals, make the Republicans howl -- but stop diddling around, take some risks, and govern!