Petition Senate For A True Talking Filibuster

Here we go again....

(TPM)  ~ GOP Blockade Sells Even Old-School Dems On Nuking Filibuster

From young newbies to the old guards, Democratic senators are clamoring for filibuster reform, and insist that a mass Republican blockade of three judges to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals may be the final straw before going nuclear. "It would mean they've totally gone back on what they said when there was a Republican president," Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the longest-serving member of the chamber, told TPM. "It would be such a reversal that I think there'd be overwhelming pressure to change the rules."

........"I support a rules change whether or not the Republicans filibuster these two nominees," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), told TPM. "Ultimately, I support the Merkley-Udall proposal to move to a true talking filibuster. I just think -- listen, we risk being Charlie Brown to their Lucy. I mean, they continue to put the ball in front of us and pull it out as soon as we go to kick it. So at some point, we need to realize that they are not going to play fair on nominees."  Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Tom Udall (D-NM) also revived calls for filibuster reform this week.

That -- along with enormous pressure from outside liberal advocates -- is what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will be facing if Republicans follow through and deny President Barack Obama's three top judicial nominees an up-or-down vote. Reid flirted with scrapping the filibuster for judges earlier this week, after Republicans filibustered Millett. He filed cloture Thursday on Pillard, the next nominee, setting up a procedural vote Tuesday. One factor working against filibuster reform is the calendar.

And from the inbox ~ Tom Udall writes: "Senate filibuster battle resumes over Obama nominees"

The United States Senate is often called the world’s greatest deliberative body -- too bad it doesn’t function that way much anymore.

A president needs his team to effectively run the country. Yet, time after time, obstructionists in the Senate have blocked President Obama’s qualified nominees by abusing the filibuster.

There have been more filibusters in the Senate in the past 7 years than there were in the sixty years between 1920 and 1980. And just last week, obstructionists again refused to confirm nominees.

We cannot allow extremists to continue blocking even our most basic responsibilities in the Senate. If we’re really going to get Washington working for middle class families here in New Mexico and across the country, we need real filibuster reform.

Tell the Republican obstructionists in Congress to stop playing procedural games and get to work. Sign the petition and call for real filibuster reform today.

 ~*~