Political Question

[James Riley]

I tried researching this but I was confused. Maybe one of you can answer these questions:

For the House and then for the Senate: Let's say a vote is strictly party lines:

1. How much power do the Democrats have left to stop anything?
2. Can they still filibuster?
3. Can a filibuster be broken by Republicans somehow?
4. What is the “nuclear option”?
5. Did the Democrats in one or both of the chambers create a method to screw Republicans under Obama which can now be used against them by Republicans? If so, has it ever been used?

Thanks for any education you might throw my way.

 

[406LIFE]

I don't know why I am daring to answer this, but...

1. Realistically, none. With the "nuclear option" in the Senate, the Republicans can do just about anything they want.
2. Depends on issue and the desire of the Senate Majority Leader. But, basically no. This is why they have not done so on any cabinet picks yet. They are waiting for the SCOTUS pick.
3. Yes, by invoking the regulation that brings the vote required to break a filibuster from 60 down to 51, they can break it with a 52 seat majority.
4. Nuclear option is the rewriting of rules sometime past that lowers the required vote from 60 to 51 to break a filibuster, depending on the issues.
5. Yes, and yes. I don't have the energy to pursue the specific examples. This was actually began under Democratic rule.

 

[LuketheDog]

The democrats are in a 'came back to bite you in the ass' situation. They got greedy for a few years, and the republicans took notes...

 

[LopeHunter]

Sen. Harry Reid changed decades of Senate tradition when he decided advancing Senate business was more important than the Senate's tradition. The Senate was always more of a Country Club or High Rollers club where knowing everyone was multi-millionaires (or soon become that) resulted in polite behavior. The House of Representatives was more apt to turn its back on traditions and rougher around the edges.

Here is what Sen. Reid did:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/21/harry-reid-nuclear-senate/3662445/

 

[James Riley]

Well, I'm still somewhat confused but I think I got the gist of it. "The" Republicans or "some" Republicans are the only thing that stands between us and the Republicans doing whatever they want. If I were a Democrat, I'd pack my bags and go home. Remember what happened from 2003 through 2007; that'll teach us.

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to explain this procedural stuff to me. It's about as much fun as common law property. Or math. Guess I'm right brained.

 

[Tkaldahl2000]

At least math has rules that are consistent, and it is useful, unlike most politicians.

 

[onpoint]

At least math has rules that are consistent, and it is useful, unlike most politicians.

Huh, you mean like this real simple formula:
For every one passed get rid of two?

 

[Tkaldahl2000]

Huh, you mean like this real simple formula:
For every one passed get rid of two?

That sounds like something a politician would come up with. Division is the only thing many of them are good at. They sure as hell can't add (unless it is to the deficit that used to be so bad) and don't realize that reducing revenue and increasing spending will not reduce the national debt. Letting the rich keep more of their own money may create jobs, but the people that are doing them won't be in the US, and they won't pay taxes here.