If you really want to blame somebody for the state of the Senate...

Take a look at Joey Lieberman...

I would bet a large sum of money that one of the conditions the Joe extracted to vote with the dem to organize the Senate was too set those goofy ass rules before they took the floor on the very first day...

We need to pick-up at three or maybe five seats and then Reid can tell Joe to kiss his ass...

can tell anyone that. Even then, can't rely on all of 'em all the time.

My disappointment as been mostly with the House.

We may just pick up those three to five seats we need!

Wouldn't that be just too damn much???

:evilgrin:

Please?

beat back clouture, then the law or resoultion would not come to the floor so that people would be on record...

I know that is what Joey extracted from the democratic leadership...

There are two ways that a senate bill can end up requiring 60 votes to be passed. The first, and typical way, is if the bill is filibustered -- it takes 60 votes to get cloture to bring the bill to a vote (at which time only a simple majority is needed). There is nothing new about this, but the repubs are pushing cloture votes more often than has been the case historically. Cloture votes are recorded

The second, less typical way, is for there to be an agreement that the bill itself will require 60 votes to be enacted. This is done in order to avoided cloture votes. It still requires a recorded vote.

I don't believe that this latter procedure has been used that often -- although maybe more than previously. But in most instances, its just a simple majority, but you need to prevail on cloture.

That is the agreement...

A bill that is being debated has gotten to the floor. But if its being filibustered, it get get a vote on passage unless there are votes for cloture. As mentioned, many many bills are the subject of on the record cloture votes these days, so I'm assuming that's not what you are referring to. A few bills, by agreement, require 60 votes for passage, so there is no cloture vote, but there is an on the record vote on the merits. I'm not sure what bills aren't getting to the floor and what new rules you think are causing this.