If the filibuster is not done away with, but reformed so that senators have to stand there for hours

[LaMouffette]

and hours and talk throughout the whole thing, nonstop, à la Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, then I hope that they also make it a crime for anyone to give that senator food or water! Also make it illegal to bring their own food and water.

Maybe then they might, just might, understand how remarkably cruel, punitive, and inhumane it was for Georgia to pass a law making it a crime to give food or water to people waiting hours on end just to vote.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. A NEW filibuster rule should say....

Stick to the issue before the Senate for a vote as to why you are against it. No bloviating tangents. No reading a phone book, a dictionary, or Dr. Seuss.

That should take up less time if all of the Senate is made to stay for the duration of the filibuster.

[brooklynite]

3. Define a "relevant" argument

[speak easy]

23. Not the phone book or Green Eggs and Ham.

IE no reading from material unrelated to the matter at hand.

[brooklynite]

24. No, you can't define what ISN'T a relevant argument...

...because I can then identify a million things that don't meet that definition. If you're going to apply this as a Senate rule, you need a precise definition.

[speak easy]

25. Green eggs and ham?

Yes you can.

[brooklynite]

26. "I will now read from 'The Cat in the Hat'".....

See what I mean?

[speak easy]

27. Or My Pet Goat.

Nonsense.

[Escurumbele]

11. I like that one, but they should also be prevented from getting water, and food.

But your idea is sound...they need to explain why they oppose it.

Isn't that what Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington did? He stayed on topic?

[WinstonSmith4740]

21. Just watched it last night.

It seemed fitting, given the times. Basically, yes he did. He either read The Constitution or talked about his bill. He yielded only for questions. It's the way it should be. Now all those crusty old bastards have to do is demand 60 votes.

I actually saw McConnell filibuster his own bill because Reid surprised him by bringing it up for a vote. Bottom line was the Dems called his bluff, and he folded. Schumer needs to take note.

https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-12-07/mitch-mcconnell-filibusters-himself-after-dems-call-bluff

[wryter2000]

2. IMHO, that part of the law was a huge mistake on their part

Allowing people to supply food and water doesn't change much, really. An hours-long line is a problem even if the voter gets aid. By adding this, they make it obvious the law has nothing to do with fair and efficient elections. It's just about creating misery for people who want to vote. Everyone is focused on this part because it's ridiculous. Even Lindsey Graham won't defend it.

Evil over-reaches again.

[Oldem]

10. Agreed. It shows just how mean-spirited and depraved they are. And it may well be

the chink in their case that allows the whole thing to be dismantled.

[Hortensis]

4. As Wryter says, that's a gift to the opposite party (us). The utility

of a talking filibuster isn't that Jimmy Stewart had to talk until he was collapsing -- big "so what?" to that.

A really big part of it is that it forced dozens of other senators to wait around for when the talking finally stopped. Because THAT's when the vote that had been delayed took place.

The side without a majority present, however many hours or days it takes, loses. There are other things that can be done with it also, for instance refusing to adjourn so that the session continues overnight instead of breaking and resuming.

Would mean far fewer uses of the filibuster, encourage more negotiation. Why invest/waste all that time when they're going to lose the vote anyway?

[ananda]

5. And no bathroom break either.

...

[rickyhall]

17. And 20 pushups

[tinymontgomery]

29. 20? Their all tough guy, they should be able to handle 50.

Linsey can show us how tough he his by putting his weapon across his knuckles
like other the make them due in boot camp. the wimp probably can’t do ten.

[rickyhall]

30. I thought 50 at first.

[BComplex]

6. Ya know, everyone's making a really big deal out of the no-water, no-help part of the bill.

That's so far down the list of the damage that the Georgia bill does. It makes it where there may never be another democrat allowed to win. THAT is the insane part of this bill. If the legislature can negate any county official and turn their electors away, they never again have to certify ANY democrat, for any position.

If Fulton County (Atlanta metro) goes 100% for Warnock in 2022, but some of the other red counties don't, all the legislature has to do is say that Fulton County's votes will not be certified, and Warnock will be out.

It's a license to steal every single office in the state. To me, the news media and everyone else is yelling "fire" over the water/food in line issue. That is easily fixed, by advertising for everyone to bring their own provisions, and/or hand them out 150' or whatever away from the door.

But throwing out votes of any county board by a republican legislature is INSURANCE against any democrat ever being elected in Georgia ever again.

That, to me, is the issue where everyone should be looking. But instead...."look over there!!! There's a HUGE problem about water (that can easily be fixed)"!!!!!!

What am I missing?

[Mr.Bill]

7. I agree totally. n/t

[Sogo]

9. You are totally correct!!

[LaMouffette]

12. You are right. That is vastly more damaging. Plus the fact that this is their plan for

every state with a Republican-controlled legislature, including my own state (Montana).

But you would think that a law allowing Republicans to throw out a county's votes is SO egregious that it would not hold up in a state's supreme court or in THE Supreme Court. Of course, that's why they've been so intent on packing the courts from top to bottom.

[RVN VET71]

13. You are correct, but . . .

the ban on water and food aid to those waiting in line serves the purpose of alerting everyone that the point of the law is cruelty and the deprivation of the right to vote. The ban on water and food plus the arrest on trumped up felony charges of Park Canon represent the human blood and sweat that the bill costs, a visceral show of racism and ignorance. That is their significance in this White Supremacist power move.

[Arazi]

28. Elie Honig, former USDA, believes the h2o issue will be what forces the courts to throw out this law

So while it's getting the most attention, it may also be so egregious that the courts will toss the law because of this.

Fingers crossed

[mitch96]

8. Also no surrogates to "stand in" for them.. nt

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

14. Nor should they be able to pee in a bucket.

[erronis]

16. Oh, I don't know. How about they have to pee in their own named bucket with the T.V. cameras on?

[rickford66]

15. And blow either hot or cold air on them.

[SunSeeker]

18. And no potty breaks, just like how voters lose their place in line if they have to pee!

[NNadir]

19. Great idea, and on the money.

[SunSeeker]

20. And an internal genital probe 24 hours beforehand, like done to women who need abortions.

Last edited Mon Mar 29, 2021, 06:33 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.prochoiceamerica.org/issue/forced-ultrasound-laws/

[IronLionZion]

22. No bathroom breaks!