If Bush could claim a mandate in 2004 with 284 Electoral College votes and a 3.5 million popular vote margin, Obama should be just fine with a 303 EC count and 3M (as of today) popular lead. Anyone remember, "I earned capital in this campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it"?
Besides, Patty already called Boehner's bluff by signaling she is quite willing to put a secret hold on any extension of the Bush Tax Giveaways to the Rich.
How is it shitty that Obama didn't take questions from a corporatized news media that has been completely, utterly, and thoroughly delegitimized?
These mendacious little assholes have been lying through their teeth for the past decade. There's not a decent reporter in the entirety of traditional media. Fuck em.
Filibuster reform is a nuclear option away. Reid just has to invoke. Majority vote. No Lieberman shit-head to piss on it. Doesn't even need the two independents. Then, once passed, it can be invoked continuously for majority.
I expect Reid to either threaten to drop the bomb to prevent filibuster attempts on key legislature or to lay down that hammer. Americans aren't going to care. Rules of cloture too obscure. Americans think of filibustering as Jimmy Stewart (which would still be allowed under nuclear option, of course).
He doesn't have to answer another question from the "media" again. He should only answer questions from actual journalists when the mood strikes him.
He should have a ton of press conferences just like that, though, keep messaging, without taking soundbite tv filler questions from the "media".
@8, all true.
The problem then is the House that just watched the Senate lose seats to the Dems. Do enough Republicans choose to solve problems or do they take a beating for two years and then make that choice?
Contrary to GOP talking points, if majority Americans supported ANY directional moves by Congress it was in the Democrats direction. Even though the GOP holds more seats, it is due to gerrymandering. Democrats got most the votes.
@19 I'll believe it in Texas when more Democrats start winning actual policy making state-wide races. It doesn't matter if it is full of our allies. Unless they are voting for us, they are part of the problem.
@ 16, the Senate needs to agree to get rid of the filibuster. I'm not so sure they want to do that because, some day, Dems are going to be the minority again.
I think they'll wait to see whether the new Senate GOP is finally going to play ball, before changing or eliminating the cloture rule.
@16, Except that the vote to change the rules by "simple majority" is itself susceptible to filibuster, thus @11 is correct that reform would require 60 votes.
I'd for once just like them to actually enforce the filibuster, rather than cave at "the threat of a filibuster." Seriously, introduce important policy and then make them actually waste American time by reading from the phone book. Let them explain why drastic economic changes are coming, but they felt it was more important to read names Quinn to Stan, you know, on principle.
Right now Patty Murray could block any extension of the Bush Tax Giveaways with a secret hold. And they would expire.
Boo ya!
I'll survive without the $5 per paycheck.
These mendacious little assholes have been lying through their teeth for the past decade. There's not a decent reporter in the entirety of traditional media. Fuck em.
I expect Reid to either threaten to drop the bomb to prevent filibuster attempts on key legislature or to lay down that hammer. Americans aren't going to care. Rules of cloture too obscure. Americans think of filibustering as Jimmy Stewart (which would still be allowed under nuclear option, of course).
He should have a ton of press conferences just like that, though, keep messaging, without taking soundbite tv filler questions from the "media".
God how stupid are you?
@11 you really don't get what a secret hold is or how the Senate works, do you? Seriously, retake Civics.
The problem then is the House that just watched the Senate lose seats to the Dems. Do enough Republicans choose to solve problems or do they take a beating for two years and then make that choice?
The "60" number is in a Senate Rule. The Senate (and House) routinely decide on their Rules by simple majority voting.
They could pick 51, or 53, or 70, or whatever the majority of Senators agree to use.
Contrary to GOP talking points, if majority Americans supported ANY directional moves by Congress it was in the Democrats direction. Even though the GOP holds more seats, it is due to gerrymandering. Democrats got most the votes.
I think they'll wait to see whether the new Senate GOP is finally going to play ball, before changing or eliminating the cloture rule.