Klobuchar launches filibuster reform effort

[a kennedy]

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is a part of a movement in the Senate to reform the use of the filibuster, and together with Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York she’s circulating a petition urging changes to the Senate rules.

Until the 1970s, breaking a filibuster required 67 votes, and currently it takes 60 votes to break a filibuster. Senate Democrats want that threshold lowered, possibly as low as 51 votes (Democrats currently have the majority with 53 members). They also want changes to the way senators can filibuster by ending the silent objection which allows the stoppage of legislation to be anonymous.

The Klobuchar petition says:

The current rules in the United States Senate make it far too easy to obstruct. Any senator can halt progress on important bills by threatening to filibuster without explanation.

If a senator wants to block a bill with a filibuster, he or she should stand on the floor of the Senate and make the case to the American people.

This is the month to change the filibuster rules. Please stand with Senators Klobuchar and Gillibrand in asking their Senate colleagues to reform the filibuster now.

http://minnesotaindependent.com/75872/klobuchar-launches-filibuster-reform-effort

[Angry Dragon]

1. A little bit late amy

[kickysnana]

2. +1

[dflprincess]

3. But hardly surprising

this would make it so much easier for the Blue Dogs/DLC/New Democrats/Pragmatists (whatever they call themselves) to work in a bipartisan way with the buddies on the other side of the aisle.

[Spike from MN]

4. Yep. Like way late.

But it was great to see her stand up and support Bernie Sanders' in his filibuster last month and...oh wait...