# Do nothing Senate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 4, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819 "2014-08-04T21:04:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/1 "2014-08-04T21:04:34Z")
Republicans have continued to make the claim that they have 352+ Bills in the Senate that Harry Reid has been BLOCKING. I have tried searching for where someone has refuted those claims to no avail. If there are that many Bills waiting for Senate consideration, shouldn’t we be talking about the Do-nothing-Senate instead of the Do-Nothing-Congress? Lay the blame where it resides. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/2 "2014-08-04T21:18:52Z")
Since when has the senate not been part of congress? ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/3 "2014-08-04T21:24:59Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Since when has the senate not been part of congress? Senate is part of Congress of course but we can be specific and say Do-Nothing-Senate instead of tarnishing all of Congress if one part of Congress (The House) is writing Bills that the Senate sits on. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/4 "2014-08-04T21:40:49Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > Republicans have continued to make the claim that they have 352+ Bills in the Senate that Harry Reid has been BLOCKING. I have tried searching for where someone has refuted those claims to no avail. > > If there are that many Bills waiting for Senate consideration, shouldn’t we be talking about the Do-nothing-Senate instead of the Do-Nothing-Congress? > > Lay the blame where it resides. If 351 of the House bills are to repeal the ACA, I’m not sure that’s the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/5 "2014-08-04T22:08:08Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > If 351 of the House bills are to repeal the ACA, I’m not sure that’s the same thing. Obviously they’re not. Here’s what I’m referring to… [http://tinyurl.com/q9cbsos](http://tinyurl.com/q9cbsos) ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/6 "2014-08-04T22:22:04Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > If 351 of the House bills are to repeal the ACA, I’m not sure that’s the same thing. Only about 50 or 51 of them are, at last count. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/7 "2014-08-05T00:31:51Z")
How many Senate bills has the House refused to take up? For that matter, how many House bills has the House refused to take up because of the Hastert “Rule”? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/8 "2014-08-05T00:36:10Z")
Without a list of these bills, it’s difficult to evaluate the OP’s claims. The burden of proof is on the person making the allegation. That said, if these bills involve one of Paul Ryan’s budgets or something which is clearly nonviable in a Democratic led senate, then having a vote on them is pointless. A more interesting allegation might involve a bill that _could_ gain majority support in the Senate. That said, recall that the so-called Hastert rule in the House (often observed in the breach) says that bills won’t come up for a vote unless they have a full majority of the Republican caucus. At any rate, the key instances of Republican obstructionism involve cases where majority leader Mitch McConnell [fillibusters his own damn bill](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/mcconnell-filibusters-his-own-bill-to-lift-debt-ceiling?ref=fpa) when he finds that it actually _could_ pass the senate. Show me something like that on an important measure like raising the debt ceiling. A vote for McConnell is a vote for obstructionism, gridlock and insider politics. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/9 "2014-08-05T01:27:52Z")
It should be easier in both chambers for the minority to force votes on bills that they believe have majority support. It’s a simple rule change, but make it easier to file discharge petitions, maybe set the bar at only 40% of the House or Senate. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/10 "2014-08-05T02:11:21Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > It should be easier in both chambers for the minority to force votes on bills that they believe have majority support. It’s a simple rule change, but make it easier to file discharge petitions, maybe set the bar at only 40% of the House or Senate. You willing to pair that with the elimination of the filibuster in ALL instances of advise and consent. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/11 "2014-08-05T02:19:09Z")
In advise and consent, yes, that should always be straight majority vote. On laws, I don’t favor the current filibuster. I do think that votes on bills should be easy to delay by a determined minority, but there should be no way to kill a bill with a filibuster unless the majority just doesn’t feel like waiting the minority out. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/12 "2014-08-05T04:19:48Z")
The underlying principle is that the government should be a institution that forges deals between different sectors of society. Compromise isn’t a bad word: it’s a good word. I concede that certain matters are beyond compromise such as minority rights (very much including the first amendment) and to some extent issues like abortion. But the budget? That’s where transparency and compromise should prevail. ETA: One factor that should be kept in mind is that many state legislatures spend their time passing bills that act as wedge issues against the opposing side. That’s another path to gridlock. The majority has good reason to squash the minority. The minority has good reason to force difficult votes on the majority. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Sinaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaptics)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/13 "2014-08-05T05:13:06Z")
I found this list: [http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/83057-290-bills](http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/83057-290-bills) Now that we have a huge list, is there anything in particular the op would like to discuss? ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/14 "2014-08-05T07:04:41Z")
> [@Sinaptics](#): > > I found this list: > > [http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/83057-290-bills](http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/83057-290-bills) > > Now that we have a huge list, is there anything in particular the op would like to discuss? Scrolling through the list - and picking out titles that look interesting… \*\*223. H.R. 2868, Chemical and Water Security Act \*\*, so this bill, while it hasn’t been passed is redundant / moot > [@](#): > > On July 28, 2010, two Senate committees discussed bills to regulate the security of chemical and water treatment facilities. In a morning mark-up session, the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee approved an amended House bill that would reauthorize the existing CFATS program for three years. In the afternoon, the Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing to consider proposed security measures for water treatment facilities. The morning vote brought an apparent shift in momentum away from the approach taken by the House in the fall of 2009, as the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee unanimously adopted an amendment that would replace the House’s comprehensive chemical and water facility security program with a simple extension of the current, narrower CFATS program limited to chemical facilities. The amendment, which has not been published, reportedly would eliminate the controversial provisions authorizing government mandates of IST which were the primary focus of attention in the House. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/15 "2014-08-05T07:29:17Z")
> [@Sinaptics](#): > > I found this list: > > [http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/83057-290-bills](http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/83057-290-bills) > > Now that we have a huge list, is there anything in particular the op would like to discuss? So is your point that even when the House is controlled by Democrats, the Senate, also controlled by Democrats, still ignores huge swaths of their submissions? (I find it kind of curious that the article is datelined 02/23/10 but the headline reads “(as of 8/23/10)”, with no indication of the article having been updated – is The Hill in a TARDIS or something?) ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/16 "2014-08-05T07:43:38Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > So is your point that even when the House is controlled by Democrats, the Senate, also controlled by Democrats, still ignores huge swaths of their submissions? > > (I find it kind of curious that the article is datelined 02/23/10 but the headline reads “(as of 8/23/10)”, with no indication of the article having been updated – is The Hill in a TARDIS or something?) My point is that the list, if that is what they are using to count, is a bit disingenuous. Why would you vote on a measure that has already been covered by something else? The point also is - the list, while looking damning is actually pretty meaningless unless you do a couple of things a) poll the acts 1 by 1 and see why they haven’t been brought to vote b) compare it to previous sessions of congress to see if it is out of line c) look at the provisions of each act to see if it is “sensible” law or not (I understand that acts that don’t have support typically aren’t brought to the floor for a vote - I would assume that also includes acts that the republicans promise to filibuster) ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/17 "2014-08-05T07:54:27Z")
Here’s a case in point - the [DISCLOSE act](http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.5175:)- yet something that the [Republicans vowed to veto](http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/07/12/senate-to-vote-on-disclose-act-monday-mcconnell-pledges-filibuster). Is there any surprise then that no further action was taken? And then you have this > [@](#): > > Senate Republicans are vowing to block all legislative business until Democrats hold votes on bills to extend the Bush-era tax cuts and keep the government funded through the new year. > > In a letter signed by all 42 Republicans, Republicans warn they will filibuster any attempt to bring forward any bill besides those two measures. That could further complicate Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s desire to complete a laundry list of other bills in the final weeks of the 111th Congress. > > Citing the nation’s high unemployment rate and the desire to “focus on creating an environment for private-sector job growth” Republicans are telling Reid “that we will not agree to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to any legislative item until the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers. > > “With little time left in this Congressional session, legislative scheduling should be focused on these critical priorities,” the letter said. “While there are other items that might ultimately be worthy of the Senate’s attention, we cannot agree to prioritize any matters above the critical issues of funding the government and preventing a job-killing tax hike.” But some people are trying to blame the Democrats for being a do nothing Senate? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/18 "2014-08-05T09:50:07Z")
Little factoids presented by TV stations nobody’s heard of, quoting a Republican with no context, are _worthless_. Even reading them is silly. Anyone unclear about which side is responsible for 99% of the legislative gridlock is confused and misinformed. I don’t know if the list posted is from 2010 or 2014, but one of the bills is to exempt guns from property considered in bankruptcy. I don’t want to hijack the thread, but to me – and perhaps many Democrats – it seems a silly priority to ensure bakruptees get to keep all their guns. It’s very likely this whole Bill is just political propping: _“See y’all? Dem god-hatin’ Kenyans jus’ wanna fin’ anudder excuse to steal y’all’s guns!”_ ---
**Author:** ![Sinaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Sinaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaptics)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/19 "2014-08-05T11:25:10Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Scrolling through the list - and picking out titles that look interesting… > > \*\*223. H.R. 2868, Chemical and Water Security Act \*\*, so this bill, while it hasn’t been passed is redundant / moot According to HuffPost, this one passed the senate in 2011 with zero republican votes. [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-savage/chemical-plant-security-b\_b\_367674.html](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-savage/chemical-plant-security-b_b_367674.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sinaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Sinaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaptics)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819/20 "2014-08-05T11:31:16Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > So is your point that even when the House is controlled by Democrats, the Senate, also controlled by Democrats, still ignores huge swaths of their submissions? > > (I find it kind of curious that the article is datelined 02/23/10 but the headline reads “(as of 8/23/10)”, with no indication of the article having been updated – is The Hill in a TARDIS or something?) Not sure. Only huge list of bills waiting on the senate that I could find in the admittedly few minutes I spend searching. You’d think with the amount that talking point gets thrown around it would be easy to find. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-nothing-senate/694819.md?page=2)