Filibuster Question

[Chasstev365]

If the Senate Democrats decide not to Filibuster Neil Gourch, could Al Franken go it alone, a la Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?

[DetlefK]

1. Theoretically, Yes.

The norm has become that a filibuster happens by declaring a filibuster. You don't actually need 40 votes to kick-start a filibuster.

The only time you actually need those 40 votes is when the vote is held whether to end your filibuster.

[nocalflea]

2. Genius idea

Would love to see "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them " & "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations" read into the congressional record .

Imagine what future historians would make of that.

[Chasstev365]

3. Yep: block Goursch and roast Republicans at the same time!

[nocalflea]

4. A troll for the ages.

Like the way you think !

[PoliticAverse]

5. Any single Senator can invoke the filibuster (you no longer have to Do a Mr. Smith style standing

talking filibuster, merely invoking the filibuster is enough) and as long as there isn't 60 votes to end it (or
the party in charge invokes the nuclear option with 51 votes) the filibuster continues.

[beachbum bob]

6. nothing prevents a senator, and would require a cloture vote to get 60votes...to move on

so majority of democrats would have support the no vote to keep a filibuster running

[onenote]

7. the short answer: No, he can't.

The longer answer:
When you say the Senate Democrats "decide not to filibuster" Gorsuch, what you are saying in effect is that the Senate Democrats don't vote against cloture and, as a result, there are at least 60 votes to end debate and move to an up/down vote on confirmation. If that's the case, then debate will end whether or not one or more Senators want it to continue. In other words, if the Senate Democrats don't oppose cloture (i.e., don't "filibuster&quot , then Franken can't hold the floor.