# Schumer Urges Filibuster to Block Gorsuch Confirmation **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845 **Category:** Great Debates **Created:** [March 23, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845 "2017-03-23T16:45:20Z") **Posts on this page:** 1 **Showing post:** 551
### Author: ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone) #### Post date: [April 5, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845/551 "2017-04-05T18:00:07Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > If you want to see some full-on partisan hypocrisy, just search this board for ‘filibuster’ and look at the posts pre-2016. I’ve seen the same people flip their opinion of the filibuster in sync with whether or not their party is in the majority at that time. People on both sides of the political fence. I think it’s kind of a mixed bag. Many people have been consistent, others not so much. I say this because I actually did do this and here is what I found: May-16: > [@The Dems will sweep into power in both the House and the Senate as well as the Presidency](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dems-will-sweep-into-power-in-both-the-house-and-the-senate-as-well-as-the-presidency/754482/9): > > The Democrats will take control of the Senate. (And their first action should be to change the filibuster rules. Do it immediately while the iron is hot, or they’ll regret it later.) Mar-17: > [@Pleonast](#): > > I’d prefer the filibuster be completed removed from the Senate rules in all cases. It’s undemocratic. Pretty consistent. Nov-12: > [@Harry Reid: Filibuster Reform Will Be Pursued In The Next Congress](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/8): > > The Bush tax cuts are due to expire again. I want them expired. I want the Senate to revoke the filibuster opening day. I want a resolution restoring the tax cuts for the 98% of Americans with lowest income. Mar-17: > [@septimus](#): > > The Democrat should filibuster every thing they can. That’s not as consistent. Some were clear on the different approaches by party: > [@John Boehner vows to repeal Obamacare. Will he and the repubs succeed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-boehner-vows-to-repeal-obamacare-will-he-and-the-repubs-succeed/626602/34): > > I think it should be kept for Democrats only and repealed for Republicans. > [@The filibuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-filibuster/626633/47): > > > [@The filibuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-filibuster/626633/17): > > > > Assuming you don’t wish to enshrine “Democrats get a filibuster and Republcians don’t” into law… > > I would enact such a rule immediately if I thought we could get away with it. And so would the Republicans. Some were more prescient: > [@Senate ends the filibuster for executive and judicial nominees](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-ends-the-filibuster-for-executive-and-judicial-nominees/674458/46): > > I predict that will change if say Scalia retired and Obama got to name his replacement. > > I applaud the move, I don’t think for a minute that McConnell would hesitate to eliminate all filibusters should he gain the majority and had a Republican president, even if Reid didn’t do what he did. > [@Harry Reid: Filibuster Reform Will Be Pursued In The Next Congress](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/214): > > There is really no reason to keep the 60 vote cloture rule on anything now and it would be unrealistic to expect that limitation to hold. I expect the reservation for SCOTUS appointments and other legislation to fall by the wayside in short order. And others less prescient: > [@Whither the filibuster? Any chance of a rules change?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-filibuster-any-chance-of-a-rules-change/640292/3): > > The filibuster has such a long tradition in the Senate it’s not going anywhere. And I think these folks were all speaking favorably about eliminating the filibuster, and I can’t see any having changed their view since: > [@John Boehner vows to repeal Obamacare. Will he and the repubs succeed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-boehner-vows-to-repeal-obamacare-will-he-and-the-repubs-succeed/626602/20): > > For certain issues I would like to see the filibuster set aside. Appointments of officials such as Cabinet officials, ambassadors, and members of the judiciary. > > Give it a max of one hour per Senator. Then vote. Straight majority takes it. Voting, up or down, is a part of the job of Senator. > [@Harry Reid: Filibuster Reform Will Be Pursued In The Next Congress](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/7): > > I really hope they completely eliminate the filibuster and the even worse secret hold for appointments. I’d be happy if it were gone completely, but at least let’s get in the people we need to run jobs. > [@Harry Reid: Filibuster Reform Will Be Pursued In The Next Congress](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/43): > > The filibuster was fine as a rarely-used symbolic gesture. But now it has become a regularly-used means of obstructionism. > > Republicans don’t fight fair, and I would bet dollars to donuts that, having turned the filibuster into a standard weapon, the first time they gain control of the Senate they will change the rules to prevent the Democrats from doing the same. Why not beat them to the punch for once? > [@Harry Reid: Filibuster Reform Will Be Pursued In The Next Congress](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/291): > > I have no objection to demonstrations of dismay and even political theater, most of politics is theater, to one degree or another. But the script is already written, and it was written by the consent of the governed. > > If Obama decides to stage _Hamlet_, and the Congress has already approved, it is not the privilege of a minority in the Senate to refuse to cast an actor in the title role. * * * > [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Personally, I like the filibuster, but only if they go back to the old rules of actually having to hold the floor. That puts pressure on both sides to eventually negotiate a solution, and the filibuster should be all about negotiation and compromise. Just saying, “I object!” and thereby exercising a consequence-less veto over anything you don’t like just leads to obstructionism and gridlock. When I looked, this was actually a common sentiment. Here are folks agreeing with you: > [@Whither the filibuster? Any chance of a rules change?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-the-filibuster-any-chance-of-a-rules-change/640292/7): > > I don’t want to get rid of the filibuster, but I’d like to see it go back to the old-fashioned way- the filibustering Senators should _have_ to stay in the Senate and keep talking. Filibusters should be _physically_ exhausting- not just politically exhausting- so they’re only used when the minority feels it’s most necessary. > [@If SCOTUS gridlock continues after the election, what could a president Clinton do?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-scotus-gridlock-continues-after-the-election-what-could-a-president-clinton-do/762239/88): > > This is where backbone needs to be shown. Kill the procedural filibuster and make them actually **filibuster**. See how long it takes them to get tired of showing themselves to actively be total asses on national TV every day. > [@A modest proposal on judicial filibusters](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-modest-proposal-on-judicial-filibusters/311349/1): > > So, my modest proposal is simple: require filibustering Senators to go out there and shut the Senate down by actually filibustering. Make them experience the discomfort and fatigue. Additionally, increase pressure on supporting Senators to change positions and vote for cloture by allowing no other Senate votes to take place while a filibuster is ongoing. If a filibuster returns to being an extreme, disruptive event, it will only be used in the most “extraordinary circumstances.” > [@Time to eliminate Senate filibusters?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-eliminate-senate-filibusters/491756/4): > > I wouldn’t be opposed to removing the _procedural filibuster_, which as I understand it means “we declare we have enough votes that we’ll threaten to allow this filibuster on this subject if you don’t capitulate, but we won’t _actually_ jeopardize any of our Senators’ reputations by making them do the dirty work of _actually_, in fact, conducting a filibuster.” > [@Should Procedural Filibustering Be Abolished?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-procedural-filibustering-be-abolished/486789/7): > > IMHO, the _procedural_ filibuster should be abolished. * * * And here’s what I said: > [@Harry Reid: Filibuster Reform Will Be Pursued In The Next Congress](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/235): > > I personally think there should be an up or down vote on the nominees, and don’t really support the filibuster in any situation, … My position is unchanged. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/schumer-urges-filibuster-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation/782845)._