Reid Should Reform Filibuster Rules

Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, has so abused the filibuster system in the U.S. Senate, that reform of it has become necessary.  We don't know what the exact statistics are, but McConnell uses the filibuster as a matter of course when he doesn't like the least little thing, when historically it was saved for the most crucially important or controversial matters, and thus it has been used during McConnell's leadership extravagantly more than ever in Senate history.  To top it off, they don't even have to filibuster with old-fashioned speechmaking for long hours like they used to, all they have to do is make some kind of motion, and it's in place.  It's all too convenient and not in accordance with true democracy since it's being abused, now.

Senator Harry Reid, the Democratic Majority Leader, should put a stop to McConnell's cynical games and implement the old-fashioned rules wherein a filibustering senator would have to speak and hold the floor with the possible help of his senatorial allies, if any.  Also, the 60 vote threshold to break a filibuster is too high, and that should be reduced to 55 or 55% of the quorum.  Some people say that the filibuster should be abolished altogether, but we like the idea that some of the worst legislation in Congress can be slowed down or stopped by the minority, just not to the point that it becomes automatic, wherein the minority effectively has as much power as the majority.  Reform not abolishment of the filibuster would be the proper course of action.

[revised on 2/10/2013]

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