tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15133926.post4482218681470668330..comments2023-10-10T06:51:06.526-04:00Comments on Ryan's Take: The US Senate: Go NuclearRyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523572927796479670noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15133926.post-90398854022466752442008-10-31T17:22:00.000-04:002008-10-31T17:22:00.000-04:00Just an FYIHere's the current hoops bills have to ...Just an FYI<BR/><BR/>Here's the current hoops bills have to go through to pass:<BR/><BR/>In the House:<BR/><BR/>The bill must be filed, with co-sponsors. It usually takes many co-sponsors to get a bill to pass. <BR/><BR/>The bill must get through committee; the vast majority of bills never do.<BR/><BR/>The bill then has to get through the entire House. <BR/><BR/>The Senate: <BR/><BR/>A bill must be filed; co-sponsored. It usually takes many co-sponsors to get a bill to gain steam. <BR/><BR/>The bill must get through committee. <BR/><BR/>Then it must get a filibuster proof majority (with the exception of the budget). <BR/><BR/>Then it must pass.<BR/><BR/>But we're not done yet! <BR/><BR/>House and Senate:<BR/><BR/>Now the two similar bills must go through and pass conference committees. This in and of itself can be a very difficult process, because there's often very different versions of these bills, with people wanting very different results. Let's assume it passes conference committee. <BR/><BR/>Now the unified bill must be passed through the House and Senate again - and these bills are often radically different than the original bills passed, so again, this is no easy process.<BR/><BR/>Now, we're *still* not done. The bill must survive the veto pen. If it does not, to pass the bill there must be a veto-proof majority (2/3rds, I believe). <BR/><BR/>And we're STILL not done. Now that the bill is law, it must pass constitutional muster. If the bill is radically far out there, it very well may not. <BR/><BR/>So under normal and even no-where-near normal circumstances, it's very hard to pass obscene bills. <BR/><BR/>Do we really need a filibuster, with all those other safety measures? NO!Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04523572927796479670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15133926.post-71540545732188887572008-10-31T17:15:00.000-04:002008-10-31T17:15:00.000-04:00nope!First off, unified government from the presid...nope!<BR/><BR/>First off, unified government from the presidency to the house to the senate is very rare, so it's not likely to happen for a very long time. <BR/><BR/>Furthermore, if it were to happen again, and the Republicans gained complete control, if they passed something supremely stupid (like repealing medicare or social security), they would be voted out en masse. Why? It would be transparent; the American people would see who made the decisions and abused the power and vote accordingly. <BR/><BR/>Finally, because of the way that the Republicans did abuse their power, I don't think we're going to see the same sort of extremist Republican majority come to power in each house and in the oval office again. There's going to be a GOP civil war and whatever emerges is going to be very different - and quite hopefully much better or a much smaller.Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04523572927796479670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15133926.post-78455878029422338532008-10-31T15:03:00.000-04:002008-10-31T15:03:00.000-04:00So, if we take back the senate and house in the fu...So, if we take back the senate and house in the future, are we going to see a post from you about how we need the filibuster back?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com