Comments on: A Hold on Democracy http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/02/a_hold_on_democ.html The Law, the Universe, and Everything Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:22:46 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: shg http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/02/a_hold_on_democ.html/comment-page-1#comment-50177 shg Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:35:48 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2008/02/a-hold-on-democracy.html#comment-50177 Another great post. Frank, you keep producing some of the best work in the blogosphere. Always interesting and thoughtful. Thank you. Another great post. Frank, you keep producing some of the best work in the blogosphere. Always interesting and thoughtful. Thank you.

]]> By: Paul Gowder http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/02/a_hold_on_democ.html/comment-page-1#comment-50176 Paul Gowder Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:42:51 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2008/02/a-hold-on-democracy.html#comment-50176 That article says that overcoming a hold requires a supermajority. Is that right? According to <a href="http://lugar.senate.gov/services/pdf_crs/How_Measures_Are_Brought_to_the_Senate_Floor.pdf" rel="nofollow">this document</a> (a Congressional Research Service guide on how bills get to the floor, distributed by Lugar's office), a hold is an informal practice (not codified in any Senate rule) where a Senator notifies the majority leader that s/he'll object to the traditional method of getting a bill to the floor, viz., unanimous consent. However, the alternative to unanimous consent is a motion to proceed, which requires a simple majority. Of course, that motion can be fillibustered... but does a hold usually signal a fillibuster? And surely Harry Reid can get 60 votes for this? That article says that overcoming a hold requires a supermajority. Is that right? According to this document (a Congressional Research Service guide on how bills get to the floor, distributed by Lugar’s office), a hold is an informal practice (not codified in any Senate rule) where a Senator notifies the majority leader that s/he’ll object to the traditional method of getting a bill to the floor, viz., unanimous consent.

However, the alternative to unanimous consent is a motion to proceed, which requires a simple majority. Of course, that motion can be fillibustered… but does a hold usually signal a fillibuster? And surely Harry Reid can get 60 votes for this?

]]> By: Maryland Conservatarian http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/02/a_hold_on_democ.html/comment-page-1#comment-50175 Maryland Conservatarian Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:38:40 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2008/02/a-hold-on-democracy.html#comment-50175 thanks for the links - the more I read of Tom Coburn, the more I like him. thanks for the links – the more I read of Tom Coburn, the more I like him.

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