Filibuster Fight Will Determine Outcome of 109th Congress

05/16/2005

By Paul Munnis

http://www.TheRochesterDemocrat.com

This battle to end the filibuster is essential for Bush to win. He has items coming up in the Senate that he wants to see go through and if the filibuster rule is left intact then those items will not be able to pass without compromise. That is why Bush will not compromise on the matter of the filibuster itself.

These judge appointment issues are just the tip of the iceberg for the GOP.

There are bigger fish to fry for them.

Here are some of what is headed our way:

CAFTA: The Central America Agreement on Tariff’s and Trade is set up for an up or down vote. There is no intention to allow it to be debated or amended. It’s strictly “take it or leave it.” If the Democrats were to filibuster CAFTA in the Senate it would become a matter of having to “leave it.” Leaving CAFTA behind would be good for American Labor. This is not something that G.W. wants to see set aside.

Social Security has to be phased out in a couple of legislative Bills. One to gut Medicaid, one to gut Disability Benefits, one to gut Medicaid, one to raid the Social Security Trust Fund by allowing privatized accounts and debt forgiveness by the Government to the Trust Fund. If the filibuster is in place then these Bills can and will be stopped cold by Democrats.

The Patriot Act II is scheduled to be passed and it is so bad in terms of robbing citizens of their Constitutional rights that Democrats will want to stop it by using the filibuster.

Then there is a bunch of Bills to try to jam Constitutional changes through the Senate. The filibuster could stop those too.

So for Sen. Harry Reid, this is a life or death issue on the Senate floor. For Republicans and neo-cons it will decide whether the 109th Congress is a lackey for Bush and his outrageous plans or whether he is to be checkmated by the Democratic Senate.

It’s “winner take all” in a titanic battle that is shaping up for a big neo-con Spring Legislative Offensive.

On May 18th a Conference Call over the Internet is planned. The details are found in the Letters To The Editor Section of The Rochester Democrat. Please go to the DNC website, read up on the issues and then be ready to help Senator Reid in the fight of his life on that day. This one really counts folks.

http://www.TheRochesterDemocrat.com