Senator Joe Lieberman told right-wing radio host Glen Beck that he fears America will not survive if the Democrats get a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.
Two important news items for Senator Lieberman:
- If America has survived the Civil War, the Great Depression, two World Wars, a terrorist attack, and the presidency of his dear friend George W. Bush, then it will certainly "survive" a progressive majority in the Senate.
- Don't be so sure that the filibuster will protect you and your close Republican friends. Remember, that with a majority of 55-44 in the Senate, your buddy Trent Lott threatened the use of the Nuclear Option.
Remember the Nuclear Option, Joe?
Here's Lieberman and Beck:
BECK: But do you agree that Senator Hatch said to me that if we don’t at least have the firewall of the filibuster in the Senate that in many ways America will not survive?
LIEBERMAN: Well, I hope it’s not like that, but I fear.
[snip]
LIEBERMAN: And I think the filibuster is the key. You know, it gets a bad name, but it was really put there, a 60-vote requirement, to, as somebody said to me when I first came to the Senate, stop the passions of a moment among the people of America from sweeping across the Congress, the House, through the Senate, to a like-minded President and having us do things that will change America for a long time. So the filibuster is one of the important protections we have.
Here's the Nuclear Option:
The Nuclear Option is used in response to a filibuster or other dilatory tactic. A senator makes a point of order calling for an immediate vote on the measure before the body, outlining what circumstances allow for this. The presiding officer of the Senate, usually the vice president of the United States or the president pro tempore, makes a parliamentary ruling upholding the senator's point of order. The Constitution is cited at this point, since otherwise the presiding officer is bound by precedent. A supporter of the filibuster may challenge the ruling by asking, "Is the decision of the Chair to stand as the judgment of the Senate?" This is referred to as "appealing from the Chair." An opponent of the filibuster will then move to table the appeal. As tabling is non-debatable, a vote is held immediately. A simple majority decides the issue. If the presiding officer's ruling is upheld, the Senate will then hold a vote on the substantive measure under consideration. Thus a simple majority is able to cut off debate. The filibuster or dilatory tactic would thereafter be barred by the new precedent.
Now I'm not saying that the newly elected Senate should use the nuclear option. I'm not even saying they should threaten to use the nuclear option. I'm not even sure that a procedural move like this would succeed in the Senate except under the most dramatic of circumstances.
What I'm saying is this: The Republicans used or threatened to use, every tactic or trick, legal, illegal, or otherwise, to retain their hold on power, even when they operating in direct opposition to the will of the American people.
They want to be very, very careful about getting too excited about the power to filibuster. We have not forgotten.
Democrats are not going to have a dirty little K-Street project. President Obama (wow, it feels good to write that!!!) will not burden legislation with signing statements or abuse his privileges as the executive to undermine our rights or the Constitutional system of checks and balances. Every Democrat in the Congress knows that s/he has to run again in just two short years. Democrats will not abuse their power the way Republicans did.
But they introduced a number of very powerful tools that the majority can wield, and they should be very afraid that Democrats might pick up those tools and figure out how to use them.
Speak very softly, Joe.