Oh, there was lots of pontificating from the left side of the aisle (see here, here, and here for starters) about the importance of consultation in the selecting of judges. And Democrats used the filibuster very well on other issues, as well.
I'm not a fan of the filibuster as it is currently practiced. I've always said that if one side or the other wants to filibuster, then do it the proper way: read the phone book. But such physical display is unseemly these days, so it isn't done.
I'm not in favor of the "nuclear" or "Constitutional" option, either. That is, I don't think the filibuster should be done away with. It is the only brake the minority party has in the legislative process in either House of Congress. Without it, the minority party might as well not bother showing up for votes. Or we could look a lot like Congress looked during Reconstruction.
Well, evidently Cenk Uygur agrees with me that the filibuster should be a real filibuster.
They could read the telephone book for all I care. I just want to embarrass them. Make them get up there and physically block a vote about what we should do in Iraq. Have them in front of the cameras telling the American people why we wouldn't shouldn't vote on the most important issue in the country.
They want a filibuster? Give them one. Let them make jackasses of themselves.
Somehow, I doubt Uygur was as enthusiastic about making Senators drone on for hours on end when it would have been Democrats doing it. But maybe I'm not giving the guy enough credit.
A voice on the other side: the minority Republicans have every bit as much right to filibuster as the minority Democrats did, and if the Senate gets tied up in knots, it's entirely because the Democratic party leadership isn't doing its job in terms of reaching out to the minority and including them in agenda and bill development.
ReplyDeleteDemocrats have no more right to be free of the filibuster than the Republicans did.
I hated when Democrats filibustered judicial nominees and as much as I personally wanted them strong-armed into allowing the votes, I now can see why the filibuster is an important utility in the legislative process. It's absolutely the only way a minority party has any influence over legislation whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteI know some people would say my epiphany is convenient or hypocritical, I would just say I've had my eyes opened. After watching the early part of this Congressional session, I would argue for keeping the filibuster regardless of which party is the minority. There truly does need to be some way for the minority party to play a part in the process.
Yes, absolutely. The minority should be involved in the decision-making process, and the filibuster is the only real way to ensure that.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying I like what the Republicans choose to do with it, any more than you liked what the Democrats did. :) But it's a required institutional safety valve.
I only hope the guys on my side don't forget it. :)
And I hope people on my side of the argument recognize how short-sighted it was to talk about abolishing the filibuster. :)
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