[Adamanta]

IIRC, the Republicans haven't fillibustered any of Bush's judicial nominees so I don't see the contradiction.

[avarberickibe]

A filibuster is a filibuster. The Republicans filibustered the senate debate on Iraq thus blocking all debate from officially occuring.

Many of the people who voted to filibuster that motion are the very same people who claimed filibusters where anti-Democratic and immoral.

[ANCETPYNCTEXT]

I imagine neither party really wants to change the rules since eventually they'll find themselves in the minority.

[picinaRefadia]

WTF is a filibuster?

[Vegeinvalge]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
I didn't see any move to break out the cots and force the Republicans to hold the floor indefinately. What does "breaking the cots" mean?

Is it about breaking the chairs so that the speaker has to stand during his entire speech?

[fissasste]

"break out the cots" that is, to bring them out.

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/break+out

[Berta]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Real filibusters can go on for days, and representatives can't leave the chamber when they're taking place, so they would have to sleep on cots in the chamber. Sucks if you have to pee

[agiopwer]

They're suggesting, I believe, that the Dems call the Republicans' bluff and actually force them to do a real filibuster, not just threaten to do one. If the Majority leader doesn't allow any further business onto the agenda until the current matter is resolved, he/she can force them to eventually vote on it, unless they *actually* filibuster (ie, speak for 24 hours in a row etc.)
[q="wiki"]
In current practice, Senate Rule 22 permits procedural filibusters, in which actual continuous floor speeches are not required, although the Senate Majority Leader may require an actual traditional filibuster if he or she so chooses. This threat of a filibuster can be just as powerful as an actual filibuster.[/q]
-From the wiki article linked above.

They wouldn't be able to keep up the speeches forever, so the odds are if the Dems were willing to fight it they'd eventually have to put it to a vote [like the civil rights act...]

[Seerseraxlils]

mr smith goes to washington. 23 hours.

[enteltcheft]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Sucks if you have to pee Well, you can cede the floor for a few minutes to a colleague, who would cede it back to you when you came back. It's kind of like taking watch somewhat.

[actifadepette]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Oerdin pwnd again. DinoDoc still living in his fantasy world? It's nice to see somethings never change.

[buIf6yoW]

Reread post #15. I have no intentions of explaining yet again to you.

[WhileKelf]

You, of all people, complain about people not making themselves clear and acting childish. DinoDoc, you define childish unclarity.

[bloriMal]

How is this closing off debate, when cloture is the real mechanism to close off debate?