Posted by
Billy on Monday, December 14, 2009 12:46:42 PM
As Senate Democrats continued their quest Thursday to round up 60 votes for a
sweeping health care bill, a frustrated Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, suggested
someday lowering the vote threshold.
Senate rules require 60 votes to end a filibuster, which currently means
Democrats need the support of all members of their caucus if Republicans are
united in opposition. Harkin hinted that he might revive a years-old proposal of
his to eliminate the ability of senators to filibuster indefinitely, something
that would mean legislation could be passed with a simple majority vote.
Harkin said the filibuster rules allow a single senator to exert enormous
influence, and a couple of senators within the Democratic caucus have taken a
“my way or the highway position” on health care — an apparent reference to Sen.
Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from
Connecticut.
Harkin called that an abuse and said many senators, himself included, must
come to terms with disappointments over the health care bill.
(Sorry Sen. Harkin you can't change the rules during the game. Did you also not like the rules when the other party was in the majority. If you didn't why didn't you speak up then? Read more on this story Harkin upset at health bill
wrangling.)