NO! - Our Judicial System is dysfunctional, and eliminating the filibuster won't force the Senate to do the Will of The People.
46%
YES! - A super-majority shouldn't be required to simply begin debate for routine legislation. This is a good start.
54%

Comments

dianhow 13 years 47 weeks ago

Lobbyists Wall ST Greed Ignorance are ruining our gov't / country We must rise up in mass and fight back . Corp Money - bought and paid for judges - Wall St banks run our economy. Wall St Banks are even bigger and more powerful than before 2008 Bush Paulosn depression / TARP scam on taxpayers : .

R.A. Stewart's picture
R.A. Stewart 13 years 47 weeks ago

The question as framed is difficult to answer. I certainly agree that "A super-majority shouldn't be required to simply begin debate for routine legislation." But on the other hand the first alternative is true too: our judicial system is at least somewhat dysfunctional, rotting from the head as they say, and eliminating the filibuster *wouldn't* force the Senate to do the will of the people--not certainly, anyway. But I have to say "wouldn't" rather than "won't" because (as I commented elsewhere) this right-wing Supreme Court majority will never do anything to thwart Republican rule.

Not until the Republicans regain a majority in the Senate will the current rule by filibuster be overturned; but when that time comes, the change will be made so fast our heads will spin.

arky12's picture
arky12 13 years 47 weeks ago

It should be a no brainer, but then we're dealing with a 5/4 partisan Court right now. What's the sense of having a majority in either the House or Senate if the minority actually rules? Never made sense to me and I doubt it made sense to our founders.

Thom's Blog Is On the Move

Hello All

Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.

Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.

From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"With the ever-growing influence of corporate CEOs and their right-wing allies in all aspects of American life, Hartmann’s work is more relevant than ever. Throughout his career, Hartmann has spoken compellingly about the value of people-centered democracy and the challenges that millions of ordinary Americans face today as a result of a dogma dedicated to putting profit above all else. This collection is a rousing call for Americans to work together and put people first again."
Richard Trumka, President, AFL-CIO
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"Through compelling personal stories, Hartmann presents a dramatic and deeply disturbing picture of humans as a profoundly troubled species. Hope lies in his inspiring vision of our enormous unrealized potential and his description of the path to its realization."
David Korten, author of Agenda for a New Economy, The Great Turning, and When Corporations Rule the World
From Cracking the Code:
"No one communicates more thoughtfully or effectively on the radio airwaves than Thom Hartmann. He gets inside the arguments and helps people to think them through—to understand how to respond when they’re talking about public issues with coworkers, neighbors, and friends. This book explores some of the key perspectives behind his approach, teaching us not just how to find the facts, but to talk about what they mean in a way that people will hear."
to understand how to respond when they’re talking about public issues with coworkers, neighbors, and friends. This book explores some of the key perspectives behind his approach, teaching us not just how to find the facts, but to talk about what they mean in a way that people will hear."