Threatened Filibuster On Vote On Gun Regulation Should Lead To Filibuster Reform In Response

The threatened filibuster of having a vote on gun regulations, in the wake of the Sandy Hook Massacre, should be enough to lead to filibuster reform in response!

Five Tea Party affiliated Senators should be ashamed of themselves for not allowing a vote at the least, since the likelihood of major reform is highly unlikely. But in honor of the 20 dead children and six educators at Sandy Hook, plus the victims in the Aurora, Colorado movie theater and other tragedies, why not let a vote take place? How obscene and heartless can these five Senators be?

The five Senators who should be roundly vilified and condemned are :

James Inhofe of Oklahoma
Mike Lee of Utah
Rand Paul of Kentucky
Ted Cruz of Texas
Marco Rubio of Florida.

The latter three have Presidential ambitions, but if the GOP were to nominate Paul, Cruz, or Rubio after not allowing a vote by a threatened filibuster on the gun issue, then they are most certainly dooming themselves for the long term future, as a party being led by heartless lunatics of the far right!

Majority Leader Harry Reid is threatening filibuster reform, which is a simple majority of the Senate, if the extreme right wing stands in the way of a vote on background checks for gun purchases, supported by 90 percent of the nation and 80 percent of Republicans in recent polls. And John McCain has protested the idea of a filibuster, and even Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania seems ready to promote some kind of gun regulation reform.

The GOP cannot allow its fringe members to destroy the party’s future, which is what the threatened filibuster would do!

35 comments on “Threatened Filibuster On Vote On Gun Regulation Should Lead To Filibuster Reform In Response

  1. Great idea April 8, 2013 1:29 pm

    Good. That will make it easier to close the Department of Education once the Republicans are in power.

  2. Ronald April 8, 2013 1:43 pm

    Closing the Department of Education will only insure that Religious Right influences, already evident in Texas, will spread nationwide, and promote a nation learning propaganda and religious dogma, and privatization of education for profit, instead of promoting independent thinking.

  3. Engineer Of Knowledge April 8, 2013 2:07 pm

    Hello Professor,
    Here is my projected prediction based on Karl Rove’s own words and actions. The Republicans are abandoning in droves this Ultra- Conservative and Extreme element. Once again, this aspect has cost the Party too many elections.

    The first cold slap of reality to these extreme members, and all who parrot the same mindlessness, will be their own Republican Party during the Primaries where the campaign coffers are gearing up to purge them from office under the Republican banner.

    Now should these Ultra-Conservatives make it through that gauntlet, then there will be the 2014 General Election where the majority electorate has had enough of this stupidity. There will be a continuation of purging at this point too.

    Bottom line, it will always be a matter of time. Their time is finite!

  4. Dave Martin April 8, 2013 2:10 pm

    Yes in honor of the slain lets make law abiding citizens criminals,make it harder for the poor to defend themselves.Where are the progressives defending their rights now? Ofcourse there is that small matter of the constitution, you know that speed bump in the way the.progressives.

  5. Engineer Of Knowledge April 8, 2013 2:20 pm

    I do have to ask Professor, in the line of thought of coherent “Logical Argumentation”, how did we get from the subject of “Threatened Filibuster on Vote on Gun Regulation” onto “Department of Education?”

    Do some not understand the rules of English 101, Critical Thinking / Logical Argumentation? Ether they have not had this basic English or choose not to employ it. What a sad statement ether way.

  6. Great idea April 8, 2013 2:24 pm

    Professor writes: “Closing the Department of Education will only insure that Religious Right influences, already evident in Texas, will spread nationwide, and promote a nation learning propaganda and religious dogma, and privatization of education for profit, instead of promoting independent thinking.”

    Right, and eliminating the filibuster, which you’re supporting, would make getting rid of the Department of Education easier.

  7. Juan Domingo Peron April 8, 2013 3:13 pm

    Nothing that happened in Newtown had anything to do with background checks. No background-check law will ever prevent someone like the mother of Sandy Hook gunman Adam Lanza from buying guns unless the parents of children with autism-like symptoms are to be banned from owning firearms. It is true that 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks. Who can be against background checks? Why even the National Rifle Association wants states to keep more complete records of who is prohibited from purchasing guns.
    But it gets complicated quickly when you try to control almost every transfer of a gun. Senator Chuck Schumer’s current version of the bill would forbid a “temporary transfer” to a friend for target shooting if the range is not “owned or occupied by a duly incorporated organization organized for conservation purposes or to foster proficiency in firearms.” Got it?
    The president’s push for new gun laws looks, at this juncture, like a complete fizzle. He has failed to sway red-state Democrats and failed to maintain the heightened public support for new gun-control laws. The most concrete effect of his advocacy has been, if the anecdotal evidence is to be believed, to stoke increased gun purchases on fear that the government wants to ban guns. He set out to lead a great crusade for gun control and ended up the best friend the gun industry ever had.

  8. Ronald April 8, 2013 4:23 pm

    Engineer of Knowledge, I totally agree with you, as “Great Idea” is obviously unable to stick to the subject at hand, indicating an educational problem, but this person wants to make for privatized, religious education foisted on everyone by Tea Party type mentality.

  9. Maggie April 8, 2013 5:18 pm

    Engineer I love your insightful, intelligent posts and especially your subtle
    Pokes at some of our lunatic righties! You’re priceless and an extremely welcome and fun addition to this blog.
    I have the same question you do… How come these righties can’t seem to stay on point?
    Maybe SRWAD? Severe Right Wing Attention Disorder.

    Did you love our weather today? As I recall we live quite close.., you just a little north of me.

  10. Great idea April 8, 2013 5:21 pm

    Engineer, the link between the topics of gun control and the department of education is filibuster reform. If you eliminate the filibuster to make gun control easier to pass, you’re also making it easier to abolish the department of education. You can’t do one without the other.

  11. Princess Leia April 8, 2013 6:32 pm

    In my opinion, the average law abiding citizens do not need military style machine guns to defend themselves. A simple handgun will do.

    Same goes for hunting. A simple rifle will do. You don’t need a high-tech gun to shoot a deer.

  12. Princess Leia April 8, 2013 7:39 pm

    From what I remember about the news reports, that monster’s mother was one of these survivalists. In my opinion, these survivalists are paranoid.

    As has been stated before, the Second Amendment is NOT about protection from a tyrannical government. The gun extremists distort history when they perpetuate this lie.

  13. Maggie April 8, 2013 7:46 pm

    Engineer, Princess, Professor…, does it seem to you that 2 of people commenting are standing in a parallel universe? Wheww! Trying to follow their train of thought is rather nuts.
    As for the filibuster… I don’t care what the issue is. Allowing a handful of thugs to keep the Senate from doing the job they are elected and paid to do should be grounds for immediate termination. The American people are not stupid. What the Rethuglicans are doing is ugly obstruction. They don’t want to vote on the gun issue because they are cowards! In addition they don’t want the President to win any vote despite the majority opinion of Americans on this issue.
    Is this what the founding fathers wanted for the country? ….a few in the minority ruling the whole country?

  14. Juan Domingo Peron April 8, 2013 8:16 pm

    Longest filibuster list.
    1. Sen. Strom Thurmond (Democrat-S.C.) (1957): 24 hours, 18 minutes

    2. D’Amato (Republican – NY ) (1986): 23:30

    3. Sen. Wayne Morse (I-Ore.) (1953): 22:26

    4. Sen. Robert La Follette (R-Wis.) (1908): 18:23

    5. Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.) (1981): 16:12

    6. Long (D-La) (1935): 15:30

    7. D’Amato (R- NY.) (1992): 15:14

    8. Byrd (D-W.Va.) (1964): 14:13

    9. Paul (R – Kentucky) (2013): 12:52

    4 Democrats, 3 Republicans and 1 Independent. Democrats win.

  15. dave martin April 8, 2013 8:27 pm

    The American people are not that dumb? They elected a community organizer and third rate senator to a second term as president, yeah they are that dumb.

  16. Princess Leia April 8, 2013 9:03 pm

    Very much agree about the parallel universe Maggie.

  17. Ronald April 8, 2013 9:06 pm

    Juan, you copied the list of filibusters from one of my entries, so it could be called plagiarism LOL!

    And Dave, you are saying that America was dumb to elect Obama, well then, how about how dumb they were to elect Bush II—oh wait, they didn’t, but it was FIXED by the Supreme Court, as we would not have been that dumb to elect a President who was really lacking in any good qualities, a poor shadow of his distinguished dad!

    You just have a problem with an intelligent, articulate African American in the White House, who did work to help the poor, instead of the wealthy. That says a lot about your values and mindset, sorry to say!

  18. dave martin April 8, 2013 9:14 pm

    And Mr. progressive has a problem with erroneous supposition about multible posters.

  19. Ronald April 8, 2013 9:24 pm

    Dave, not sure what you mean, but I have not prevented you from saying what you wish!

  20. Great idea April 8, 2013 9:47 pm

    “You just have a problem with an intelligent, articulate African American in the White House”

    Being a freaking PhD, I would expect from you a better argument than the one from the Ackerman School of Thought: Just call them racists!

    The state of education today is an embarrassment, where having a PhD means nothing.

  21. Ronald April 8, 2013 10:04 pm

    Do you have any idea, Great Idea, of the obstacle course for a Ph. D? I wonder how educated you are, since you act as an expert on education. I earned my doctorate, and it took a long time, and very few people ever accomplish that. And we have great success stories with attorneys, doctors, and many other professional people who had a great education. And you wish to deny that Obama is intelligent and articulate, and will claim that Bush II or Reagan was brighter? Give me a break, as you demonstrate your total ignorance of reality!

  22. Maggie April 9, 2013 8:07 pm

    To Great Idea:
    Great Idea….. If I had a dime for every I have read a right winger, uneducated Bozo who comes on a Liberal blog and nastily criticizes someone with advanced degrees, I would be rich!!
    It clearly demonstrates YOU have likely never been to college, certainly have never done the work to EARN an advanced degree.
    And before you jump on me for being an elitist… understand I do not disrespect ANYONE who has not attended college wether it was their choice, or simply life issues that prevented it. I do not feel I am better nor does Dr. Feinman.
    But I do say until YOU HAVE DONE THE WORK AND SPENT THE YEARS, and money it takes to earn first a Bachelor’s Degree, 4 years, then a Master’s Degree, another 2 years, then another 2 to 3 years with a year to write a dissertation to earn a PhD…. Then YOU DON’T HAVE A CLUE about what you’re talking about when demeaning someone who has!!
    Do those if us who have put in the work , sacrifice and commitment of 8 to 10 years to advance our education and earn these degrees feel pride in the accomplishment? YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT WE DO!!
    Your adolescent tirade clearly demonstrates you are very nasty and resentful about education….and anyone who has it.
    oh yes…. That’s pretty much the right wing view isn’t it?
    You encourage and celebrate ignorance. To you anyone who is educated beyond high school is some how evil or has some nefariousness intent indicates STUPID is alive and well among right wing nut jobs.

  23. Juan Domingo Peron April 9, 2013 8:35 pm

    “Some of the biggest cases of mistaken identity are among intellectuals who have trouble remembering that they are not God.”

  24. Juan Domingo Peron April 9, 2013 8:43 pm

    “Virtually no idea is too ridiculous to be accepted, even by very intelligent and highly educated people, if it provides a way for them to feel special and important. Some confuse that feeling with idealism.” ― Thomas Sowell

  25. Maggie April 9, 2013 9:25 pm

    Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes of both.
    Thomas Jefferson
    The highest result of education is tolerance.
    Helen Keller
    Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
    Nelson Mandela
    ————————–
    “Texas GOP rejects ‘critical thinking’ skills. Really.”
    http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/texas-gop-rejects-critical-thinking-skills-really/2012/07/08/gJQAHNpFXW_blog.html
    “In the you-can’t-make-up-this-stuff department, here’s what the Republican Party of Texas wrote into its 2012 platform as part of the section on education:
    “Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.
    Yes, you read that right. The party opposes the teaching of “higher order thinking skills” because it believes the purpose is to challenge a student’s “fixed beliefs” and undermine “parental authority.”
    It opposes, among other things, early childhood education, sex education, and multicultural education, but supports “school subjects with emphasis on the Judeo-Christian principles upon which America was founded.”
    *****See above web cite to read the whole article

  26. Dave martin April 9, 2013 9:52 pm

    Seems Maggie holds a great deal of hate for anyone disagreeing with Ronald. hmmm.

  27. Ronald April 9, 2013 9:53 pm

    Maggie, you are on a roll, LOL, with your defense of the sacrifices and efforts and “blood and tears” that a person goes through for a doctorate in any field–for me, including seven years of classroom time, two years of research and travel to archives for my dissertation (which was published as a book by Johns Hopkins University Press and which title is listed on the “About” page of this blog ), followed by writing and revision of the dissertation for four years including teaching classes part time, a total of 13 years from beginning college to finishing the doctorate at age 30. I am very proud of my education, my book, my book reviews, and my blog, and 40 years of college teaching, both introductory courses and advanced courses in history and political science, and know not just anyone can accomplish these goals, as it takes real dedication! Thanks again, Maggie! 🙂

  28. Juan Domingo Peron April 9, 2013 9:55 pm

    Does anyone know what Outcome Based Education is? Because it seems they are opposed to this OBE. Because the other programs HOT , critical thinking is just a relabeling of OBE. As for critical thinking, aren’t we all suppose to teach that in school? See both sides of any issue? The article seems pretty simplistic and doesn’t explain what OBE is.

  29. Juan Domingo Peron April 9, 2013 9:59 pm

    Ron: You seem to be the perfect person for a question I have regarding political scientists. Do you know which political scientist correctly predicted the downfall of the Soviet Union and communism worldwide? Because I have read plenty who predicted the disappearance of capitalism and even the US, but I always found it difficult to find the opposite, and I would really like to know. Can you help me on this?

  30. Ronald April 9, 2013 10:07 pm

    It depends on how you define a political scientist, but Zbigniew Brzezinski wrote to that effect in the 1950s before he was a well known professor, still a graduate student, and of course, became famous later as National Security Adviser to President Jimmy Carter–a President who is too often trashed by many, when he actually accomplished quite a positive record, tainted by the Iran Hostage Crisis and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

  31. Maggie April 10, 2013 2:20 pm

    LOL!!! Dave it’s more like total disdain for you right wingers who come on a Progressive blog for The sole purpose to insult every one of us Liberals/Progressives, our President and everyone else who disagrees with your ideology. All of us know how you feel….we only have to turn on Fox for 10 minutes to hear that.
    Evan though I abhor everything the current Republican T party stands for, I don’t go trolling right wing blogs just so I can sneer and insult them. That would be a waste of my time.
    I might read them but thenlaugh but then go on to more interesting things.
    I do respect Dr. Feinman and have enjoyed his depth of knowledge of political history and how he often compares history with current events.
    But the moment a Progressive educator states his own opinion on his blog, you obnoxious rightwingers pop up to spew your hate and poison and denigrate all of us, not just your host. You and Juan especially get a perverse joy out of insulting educators who are Liberal. I’ve seen it all over the net.
    If you loathe us as your evidently do, why even waste your time on us? You have to recognize you will never change our minds, right? If you do then I rest ny case….. you’re here for the reason stated above.

  32. Juan Domingo Peron April 10, 2013 2:49 pm

    Thanks Ron, I will try to read , if I can find it, what Brzezinski wrote in the 50’s.

  33. Juan Domingo Peron April 10, 2013 2:50 pm

    I just discovered, thanks to the enlightened mind of Maggie,that if you disagree with Ron, you are insulting him. Truly amazing.

  34. Dave Martin April 10, 2013 6:21 pm

    Yes a little protective she is, hmmm. Anyway I have no desire to join a love fest of like minded bloggers, sort of incestuous, it is more entertaining reading the other sides views, as displeasing as this is for Maggie when reading a desenting reply.

  35. Princess Leia April 10, 2013 6:41 pm

    Same way with me Maggie. I don’t troll on right-wing blogs either.

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