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Originally Posted by Riot
 How in the world can you look at that chart, which is a numeric count of the actual number, and say it belies that the number of fillibusters and cloture votes have never been worse - more numerous - than right now? |
and so has the number of motions. you can't just look at the total and say 'it's worse'. it's higher, but it's not worse-look at the previous graph. over half of motions were filibustered, while this last congress has had less than half of the total motions filibustered. so how can
less than half be worse than
more than half? it can't. the totals of both are higher than the previous, but the percentage of motions that were stalled is LOWER. how is that worse? but i like how suddenly you're throwing in 'more numerous'. i said a few posts above that it's indisputable that all three numbers are higher. nice touch.
you said it's the worst it's ever been, and that simply isn't true. of course if the number of motions increases, and it's been a huge increase, then the other number will rise in response. you're using that as a way to say it's the worst yet, but i'm saying having less than half of the measures stalled vs having more than half stalled in the past doesn't show that it's the 'worst ever' now.
and on another note. the amount of filibustering has increased suddenly since 2000, with one drop in '04, and then a rise again every congress since. does that sudden rise coincide with the new rules? formerly, it took 2/3's to vote cloture. now, it's 3/5's. so, it's
somewhat easier to vote cloture-so do the parties choose to filibuster more often as a way of saying ' see, we're fighting against____' when in fact, it's only a procedural move that most likely doesn't stop most worthwhile legislation?