The word "filibuster" refers to the undesirable situation in which a determined minority effectively shuts down Senate business in order to strong-arm the majority into backing down from a position which is absolutely unacceptable to the minority. This is perfectly legal under the Senate Rules, and it does serve to keep a runaway simple majority from ramming through everything it ever wanted, simply on the strength of a few-vote margin. In a Filibuster, the minority has no real hope of getting enough votes to win the question before the Senate. They are simply trying to keep the other side from winning.
Even though the pro-Alito forces have a simple majority, if they want to cut off debate, there is no way they can legally do that, because they have neither the sixty votes needed for cloture nor the two-thirds votes needed to amend the Rules. The so-called "Nuclear Option," by which the Chair would falsely announce that further debate is out of order, is a total bluff. They cannot really do it. (See http://www.loveallpeople.org/nuclearoptionisabluff.html)
And so we hope that the Senate chooses the path of Full Debate; that minds are changed; and that the nomination of Judge Alito is defeated.
Blessings to you. May God help us all. And may God bless America!
Rev. Bill McGinnis, Director
http://www.loveallpeople.org
and http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org
Even though the pro-Alito forces have a simple majority, if they want to cut off debate, there is no way they can legally do that, because they have neither the sixty votes needed for cloture nor the two-thirds votes needed to amend the Rules. The so-called "Nuclear Option," by which the Chair would falsely announce that further debate is out of order, is a total bluff. They cannot really do it. (See http://www.loveallpeople.org/nuclearoptionisabluff.html)
And so we hope that the Senate chooses the path of Full Debate; that minds are changed; and that the nomination of Judge Alito is defeated.
Blessings to you. May God help us all. And may God bless America!
http://www.loveallpeople.org
and http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org
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