Tom Harkin: restore majority rule in the Senate


Dear Robert,
When many people think of the filibuster, they think of the 1939 film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. In this classic, Senator Smith talks ceaselessly on the Senate floor to stand up for the little guy against the special interests. It's an unusual and dramatic scene.
Today, that scene has been turned upside down. Senate Republicans routinely use the filibuster to block anything and everything they dislike -- no matter how uncontroversial or critical it is -- to protect special interests at the expense of the little guy.
Thankfully, the Senate has an opportunity to fix the filibuster next week, and I -- along with Senators Jeff Merkley and Tom Udall -- plan to do it.
Defenders of this kind of obstruction like to point to the traditions of the Senate in support of their cynical actions. But our founding fathers didn't have the ability to filibuster and they explicitly rejected a supermajority requirement as antithetical to democracy.
The fact is, our founding fathers would be shocked and dismayed that the minority party, through abuse of the filibuster, essentially controls the agenda of the Senate without any burden of accountability.
And it's getting worse. In the 20 years between 1950 and 1969 there were only 20 filibusters; In the last six years, there have been more than 380!
We can fix this, but we have to act now. Next week -- on the first legislative day of the new Senate session -- we can fix the filibuster with just a simple majority vote, and my colleagues need to hear from you.
For me, filibuster reform isn’t about one party gaining an advantage. It is about the Senate operating more fairly, effectively, and democratically.
My filibuster reform proposal -- which I first introduced in 1995 when Democrats were in the minority -- reduces the number of senators needed to end an extended filibuster and allows a simple majority to pass legislation after ample debate and deliberation.
Another proposal to fix the filibuster from Senators Merkley and Udall -- which I also support -- would require Senators to actually talk to sustain a filibuster, rather than just threatening to do it.
Neither proposal represents a radical change to the Senate. What's been a radical change is Republicans' consistent abuse of the filibuster as a tool for obstruction.
But with obstructionist Republicans dead set against reform, and even some Senate Democrats reluctant to change the rules, we still face an uphill battle. That’s why I need your help right now.
Together, we can restore majority rule in the Senate. Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Tom Harkin
U.S. Senator

This Week's 🔥Topics

Donald Jr: My dad called it what it is.. Weinergate

Image
Please find a special message from one of our advertisers, Trump Make America Great Again Committee. Robert,   There are now just ten days left until Election Day. We’re fighting 24/7 to win and pulling out all the stops to make it happen…   …and we’re counting on EVERY supporter to get involved for this final stretch! It’s now or never. You and I both know the consequences of losing this election would be disastrous for our country.   Everything is on the line, from our battered economy and health care system to our national security and constitutional rights!  My father is putting in $10 million to win, and we’re working to raise another $10 million by the end of the month to fund our final ad blitz and support our Trump ground teams.   We need you on board more than ever before. Our deadline is less than 72 hours away.  Join Team Trump TODAY to help us hit our $10 Million Trump Victory Goal and put my father over the top to WIN! CONTRIBUTE $250 NOW CONTRIBUTE $
Read more

Michelle Obama: the girls and I would like to do something a little different.

Friend -- Every day, I see Barack make choices he knows will affect every American family. That's no small task for anyone -- and more proof that he's earning every last one of those gray hairs. This has been a busy week in Washington, but today happens to be Barack's 50th birthday. I'm writing to you because this year, the girls and I would like to do something a little different. I'm asking friends and supporters of this campaign to wish him a happy birthday by signing his card, and sharing why you're on this journey with us. Your names and notes will become part of a book that tells the story of this campaign -- who's building it, why we're in this thing, and what he means to us. We'll deliver a copy to Barack and send one to our campaign offices across the country. Sign the card for Barack. I've known Barack for more than 20 of his 50 years, and we've been through quite a lot together. It still amazes me that no matter how m
Read more

Col Shames: Have you ever seen this picture?

Image
Dear robert,  It's Shames here again. If you don't remember me, well that's alright, I won't take offense. I'm a member of the E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division from WWII. This is the unit better known as "The Band of Brothers," and I'm the last surviving Officer.  Have you ever seen this picture?  Well back in the day it was famous. Then General Eisenhower talking to the troops – specifically the paratroopers of The 101st Airborne Division my old outfit – boosting their morale before they went into Normandy.  Where was I? Well I should have been in the picture, but I was building a sand table? Now, I know what you're thinking – these guys are getting ready to go to war and Shames is building sand castles. Nope, a sand table is a scale model of the enemy terrain so everyone knows where to go and more importantly where NOT to go.  This sand table was seen by every officer going into Normandy. Eisenhower himself came ov
Read more

Stephanie Cutter: this is no ordinary election.

Friend -- If we've learned anything from the Republican primaries, it's that this is no ordinary election. The GOP candidates are spending a huge amount of time attacking President Obama -- no surprise. But instead of basing their attacks on our differences of opinion, they've chosen to run on claims about his record that just aren't true. Mitt Romney says that, despite 23 consecutive months of job growth under the President's watch, he's made the recession "worse." Rick Santorum says that the Affordable Care Act, which was based in part on Republican proposals and provides millions of Americans with access to affordable, private health insurance, is a government takeover of health care. They're not acting alone: With the newfound power of outside groups, these lies can be instantly amplified with millions of dollars in special-interest ad spending. If the other guys are going to run a campaign based on misrepresenting the President's r
Read more

Heidi: give Catherine the resources she needs to win

Image
Robert – There’s no two ways about it:  We cannot take back the Senate unless we win in Nevada this year. And do we ever need to win! The do-nothing GOP Senate majority won’t do a lick of work,  and special interests and billionaire donors are pouring millions into defeating Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada to keep it that way. Catherine is facing a flood of wealthy special-interest spending against her, just like I did in 2012.  You remember how we won:  This grassroots team came through for me, and I’m personally asking you to step up again now. We need to help Catherine raise $10,000 before her end-of-month deadline at midnight tonight to fight back against every special-interest attack.  Our chances of taking back the Senate come down to what we do right now – will you give today? If you've saved payment info with ActBlue Express, your donation will be automatically split evenly between Catherine Cortez Masto and Heidi Heitkamp: Click to donate $5. Clic
Read more

Jill: Moving Forward with a bigger party and bigger plans.

Image
Dear Friend, This is what democracy looks like! As the recount comes to a close, I want to thank you - over 10,000 volunteers and more than 161,000 donors - who made this extraordinary, historic campaign possible. We affirmed the power of the American people to demand a voting system we can trust, that is accurate, secure and just, and free from modern-day Jim Crow in our elections. We pushed forward in three states, defiant in the face of political blockades, bureaucratic hurdles and financial intimidation. By revealing serious problems in our voting systems – out-of-date laws and recount procedures, politicized courts, machine failure and vulnerability, and flagrant racial inequities - these recounts were a resounding success. Our efforts have shined a light on the urgent need for reforms to our electoral system, and to the recounts that are supposed to safeguard that system.We look forward to continuing our work together to make those reforms a reality. Ending our histo
Read more

Black Conservatives: a powerful strategy.

Image
Dear Fellow Conservative, This year's mid-term elections were phenomenal. After a year of hard-fought campaigns, conservatives finally took back the U.S. Senate! But it's not time to take it easy yet. We still have one more battle left to fight. The Black Conservatives Fund is going all-out in the Louisiana runoff election. Republican  Bill Cassidy   MUST  win this U.S. Senate seat. Our ability to stop Barack Obama's radical nominees and the rest of his economy-killing agenda depends on it! Please make a special last-minute contribution of $15, $25, $35, $50, $100, $250, or more right now. We need to raise $50,000 for this historic, boots-on-the-ground, door-to-door campaign. And we need to do it as quickly as possible. The mid-terms' amazing results show that going door-to-door and talking to voters personally wins elections. So, we are targeting a unique set of persuadable black voters in the critical city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We plan to
Read more

Jennifer Petty: We have to fight back

Image
Dear robert l., We walked into this year with high hopes that Congress would finally get something done. But this is almost like an abusive relationship. The Republicans in Congress will say and do anything to tear us all down. Please give $5 to stop the Republicans in Congress. The neoconservatives in the Senate have declared Chuck Hagel, President Obama's nominee for defense secretary, enemy number 1. They have drawn out the process to confirm him and have gone to great lengths to demand the president withdraw his name. They want us all to forget that a majority of the Senate stated they would vote yes to confirm Mr. Hagel's nomination. Please give $5 to stop the Republicans in Congress. And when we thought it couldn’t get worse, the Republicans in Congress are moving the country dangerously close to the “sequester” deadline of  March 1st  without working out a deal with the White House. If sequester happens, there will be $85 billion in across-the-board cuts in discre
Read more

protecting our House Majority DEPENDS on protecting Cheri Bustos.

Image
    Robert, we don’t have much time. 3 days to be exact. Republicans have made it their mission to defeat Cheri Bustos. Luckily, top Democrats stepped up to 3X-MATCH all donations to save her campaign. But tonight is Cheri Bustos’ FINAL deadline before the election and she still needs  $3,815 by midnight  to win her race. So I am personally asking you to rush $5 or more (3X-MATCHED) to protect Cheri and our House Majority >> Chip in $5 (worth $15) right now >> Chip in $25 (worth $75) right now >> Chip in a custom amount >> Robert, I need Cheri in Congress. She is a strong leader and a fierce ally who will never stop fighting to: Ensure  affordable health care Defend  women’s rights Protect  Social Security, Medicare,  and everything else Republicans are trying to destroy. That’s why Republicans are spending over one million dollars to help her far-right opponent steal her seat. The truth is, protecting our House Majority DEPENDS on protecting Cheri Bustos. So Ro
Read more