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Wiz Imp

(9,618 posts)
44. SO? Let them do it. It will fail and make them look like idiots.
Wed Feb 18, 2026, 01:15 PM
Feb 18

Even the Wall Street Journal editorial page says it would be a stupid thing to do.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-hot-air-of-the-talking-filibuster-b3643289?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqd8lCdtTDZV9_drwaHxIhVHuA6y_AJjjcOMRNk9lewLHxnn6dtduhPXIPv2NeM%3D&gaa_ts=69960244&gaa_sig=6wG31k_Na8eiuq4_zp59VzxAM3I1xDj4AZRmt0l4Q_RpI9KBusQD8cusML0RhzJbDc3NXG8oJVBeB0la5kfZ0A%3D%3D

The Hot Air of the Talking Filibuster
As Washington grows ever more gridlocked, members grow ever more interested in testing the filibuster. With most Republican senators adamant that they won’t abolish the procedure outright (which is for the good), some in the activist base are instead demanding Senate leaders change it, by reviving the “talking” filibuster.

Specifically, Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (with support from conservative senators, like Utah’s Mike Lee) want Majority Leader John Thune to ditch “cloture,” the longstanding process that ends debate—and a bill’s progress, if there is not 60 votes. Democrats would instead be forced to actively talk to stall a vote on the SAVE Act, a House bill requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote and photo ID at the polls. Mr. Lee summed it up: “Return to Senate tradition. Require filibustering senators to (gasp) actually speak. Using existing Senate rules. Pass the SAVE America Act.” His X post contained (surprise, surprise) nostalgic video of Jimmy Stewart waging his one-man filibuster battle against corrupt Washington.

Talking by turns: Senate Democrats are pretty much united against the SAVE Act. So it won’t be one Jimmy Stewart “holding” the floor: it’ll be 47. Under talking-filibuster rules, Democrats get two speeches apiece—each of unlimited length—simply to oppose moving on to the bill. In a total opposition scenario, that’s 94 speeches. If each Democrat spoke for, say, eight hours at a time—each twice—that’s about 750 hours (31 days) of talking. Under traditional talking-filibuster rules, there is no way to end this torture.

Then again . . . and again: Democrats can easily take turns eating, sleeping and flying home during this marathon. Only one of them needs to be on the floor giving a speech. The GOP, by contrast, will need to maintain almost all its members on the floor at all times. At any moment, Schumer might demand a quorum call—which demand 51 senators. Schumer could also move to adjourn, which would restart the legislative day—providing Democrats a whole new round of 94 speeches. Indeed, any new question or point sparks another round of speeches. What is the left’s top priority in 2026? Blocking entirely the GOP agenda. A talking filibuster provides Democrats a pain-free, headline-friendly way of taking the Senate (and by extension the entire GOP Congress) offline for a very long period
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You also keep ignoring the fact that Republicans have the 50 votes necessary to pass the legislation by simple majority making Democratic votes completely meaningless unless there are 8 of them to brek the filibuster.

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The GOP has 53 members and (D)s/(I)s have 47 BumRushDaShow Feb 17 #1
Fetterman - pro, Murkowski - no BaronChocula Feb 17 #8
Am hoping it is DOA in the Senate BumRushDaShow Feb 18 #14
Fetterman has not said he supports it. Wiz Imp Feb 18 #20
Jesus Christ, when so many Democrats are against this, Fetterman should NOT even bluestarone Feb 18 #34
Filibusters can be initiated by a simple email to the clerk stating the intention to filibuster Fiendish Thingy Feb 17 #2
"This will be the ultimate test of Schumer's leadership." OldBaldy1701E Feb 17 #3
What if. after the midterms, the Senate is split 51 D/49R onenote Feb 17 #5
Tell me, what legislation is going to be passed with the filibuster intact? Fiendish Thingy Feb 17 #7
So you'd hand control over the Senate back to the repubs onenote Feb 18 #9
It would be Fetterman handing control to the republicans Fiendish Thingy Feb 18 #10
Here is a tracker/scorer for how progressive/conservative our members of Congress are BumRushDaShow Feb 18 #16
Fetterman might be a lot of things, but showboater isn't one of them Deminpenn Feb 18 #19
"Fetterman might be a lot of things, but showboater isn't one of them" BumRushDaShow Feb 18 #30
Fetterman has dressed like that for years Deminpenn Feb 18 #40
Oh I know BumRushDaShow Feb 18 #42
Casey has said he was not retiring and thus has not ruled out running again. Wiz Imp Feb 18 #47
Oh I know like Sherrod Brown BumRushDaShow Feb 18 #49
I was very surprised he lost to McCormick, tbh Deminpenn Feb 19 #54
Casey and Brown got caught up in a "wave" election BumRushDaShow Feb 19 #55
Seen the video and posted same several times Deminpenn Feb 19 #53
Thanks Fiendish Thingy Feb 18 #22
Thanks. Wiz Imp Feb 18 #24
Agree!!! nm mikewv Feb 18 #27
That is because Fetterman made himself into a "media sensation" BumRushDaShow Feb 18 #31
I believe for tie-breaking it matters how Fetterman votes, not what party he's a member of? Ilikepurple Feb 18 #11
For deciding who is the majority leader, it matters a lot. onenote Feb 18 #43
Fetterman would never caucus with Republicans Wiz Imp Feb 18 #46
If he was ousted from the Democratic caucus and stripped of committee positions onenote Feb 18 #50
If the SAVE Act passed the Senate, it would mean at least 8 Democrats voted for it. Wiz Imp Feb 18 #21
Unless, as threatened, they change the rules in the filibuster. Nt Fiendish Thingy Feb 18 #23
If they change the rules eliminating the filibuster, then ZERO Democratic votes are needed to Wiz Imp Feb 18 #25
Unless more republicans than Murkowski vote No. nt Fiendish Thingy Feb 18 #26
The title of the Post and the article it refers to is "Trump's election bill tops 50 Senate votes" Wiz Imp Feb 18 #28
You apparently missed this: Wiz Imp Feb 18 #29
They aren't talking about eliminating it, but changing the rules Fiendish Thingy Feb 18 #41
SO? Let them do it. It will fail and make them look like idiots. Wiz Imp Feb 18 #44
best of luck to them Fiendish Thingy Feb 18 #48
If it is 51/49, Removing Fetterman by any means does not make Vance a tie breaker karynnj Feb 18 #33
"Shapiro would call for a special election. So, he would remain at 50/49 for months. " BumRushDaShow Feb 18 #36
Thanks for the correction. karynnj Feb 18 #37
No problem - I remember that whole period when Heinz had the plane/helicopter accident BumRushDaShow Feb 18 #39
Not talking about removing him from the Senate--talking about removing him from the Democratic caucus onenote Feb 18 #51
Oh, you are correct. Pushing him out of the caucus is beyond stupid karynnj Feb 18 #52
There is ZERO chance of it passing. Wiz Imp Feb 17 #4
I recall election night 2016 . . . AverageOldGuy Feb 17 #6
This isn't the same situation Karma13612 Feb 18 #12
Ridiculous comparison Wiz Imp Feb 18 #18
Lots of good info here, but not a ZERO (all capitals?) chance of passing. Ilikepurple Feb 18 #13
Behind-the-scenes no_hypocrisy Feb 18 #15
I hope Democratic think tanks are working on ways to help people get legitimate IDs if needed. karynnj Feb 18 #35
People who move? College students missing their birth certificate? Hispanics with multiple last names? lostnfound Feb 18 #45
I was not saying that it would easy to create a workable process, karynnj Feb 19 #57
Those are good, constructive ideas. In NC, though, the GOP just grabbed election processes for themselves... lostnfound Friday #58
Republicans...destroying our democracy one pillar at a time. travelingthrulife Feb 18 #17
So none of these apparently uneducated Senators knows that this is an illegal poll tax? travelingthrulife Feb 18 #32
"So none of these apparently uneducated Senators knows that this is an illegal poll tax?" BumRushDaShow Feb 18 #38
Nor would their wives be exempt if this were to pass. ProudMNDemocrat Feb 19 #56
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