By Kellyn Brown, 7-28-10
Senate Democrats have, so far, failed to round up enough votes to pass “filibuster reform,” and Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester are two reasons why.
Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate have been pushing to lower the threshold to cutoff a filibuster from 60 to 55, or even lower, but it appears the plan is dead in the water.
According The Hill, five Democratic senators, including Tester, oppose the change:
“I think the bigger problem is getting people to work together,” (Tester) said. “It’s been 60 for a long, long time. I think we need to look to ourselves more than changing the rules.”
Four others are dragging their feet,
including Baucus.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said he needed to think about it. Earlier this year, he warned that a change would need to be reviewed carefully.
A filibuster allows the minority party in the Senate to
debate legislation endlessly – effectively stopping it – unless 60 senators in the 100-member chamber vote to bring it to a close. Democrats, of course, control 59 Senate seats and could benefit if filibuster rules were changed. But it doesn’t look like that is going to happen anytime soon.
[End of article]
