Monday, February 7, 2011

LETTER: Senate needs to stay on track - The Lufkin Daily News: Letters

For a number of years under both Presidents Bush, President Clinton and now President Obama, we have had trouble with the Senate’s management of business because of the way the filibuster has been used. The filibuster is not in the Constitution, but is a rule that has been established by the Senate, but it is how this rule is being used that has caused problems in the aforementioned administrations. There is a bill (sponsored by Sen. Tom Udall and 25 additional senators) that will be coming to the floor soon that will not abolish the filibuster, but will require the senator who is doing the filibuster to actually stay on the floor and speak in debate.

Also in the bill is that a filibuster is not permitted to prevent debate. That is why these senators are there to debate, decide and then vote. It will bring it back to the filibuster’s beginning as it was in Jimmy Stewart’s “Mr. Smith goes to Washington” and as it was supposed to be when it was adopted.

We need to get the Senate back on track of doing the business of the nation, and correcting the mishandling of the filibuster as it has been in four major administrations. So please contact our senators to support the Udall bill that will bring the changes to the handling of the filibuster that will correct this.

Source: http://lufkindailynews.com

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