Why Do Democrats Fear A Filibuster?
by Tom Rinaldo, Sun Jul 15, 2007 at 05:26:49 PM EDT
Repeatedly, Republicans in the U.S. Senate have shown both their willingness and their ability to muster the 40+ plus votes needed to sustain a filibuster by denying a motion for cloture. As a result several crucial Democratic legislative initiatives, which if polls are to be believed all had strong public support, have expired with a whimper not a bang. And each time the Democratic Senate leadership turns to the public with a collective shrug and says; "We tried but they won't let us", while public dissatisfaction with a Democratic Congress continues to grow. It must be frustrating for them. Is it their fault that the American people haven't elected enough Democratic Senators yet to bring legislation to a vote when Republicans refuse to limit debate? No, it's their fault for refusing to make Republicans either put up, or shut up.






