RUSHER: Calculating the outcome

Rusher writes: "Since a two-thirds vote of the Senate is needed to end a filibuster, the Democrats will need 67 votes. The Republicans can keep a filibuster going if they have only 34." Not entirely correct! The Senate has a rule for imposing limits on the further consideration of many issues. It is Rule XXII, the cloture rule. It became a Senate rule in 1917 and has been amended several times since then. Following the submission of a cloture petition (signed by 16 Senators), the presiding officer of the Senate is required to order a quorum call which can be waived by unanimous consent. Then, in accordance with Rule XXII, the following question is put to the membership: “Is it the sense of the Senate that debate shall be brought to a close?” If three-fifths of the entire Senate membership (60 of 100) votes in favor, cloture is invoked and procedures set in motion that will eventually end the debate and bring the debated/filibustered question (such as a bill, amendment, or motion) to a vote. It should be noted in this regard that procedures to end debate on a measure or motion to amend Senate rules requires approval by two-thirds of the Senators present and voting. There are other technical details that apply to invoking cloture, but the point here is Rule XXII.

So, maybe we can read tea leaves; I can't. But, what we all ought to be reading, and reading right now, is Obama's birth certificate! How is Obama going to win the election when the truth about his ineligibility is finally and fully recognized? That he is NOT a natural born citizen of the United States? He will precipitate a Constitutional crisis and then a nearly bloodless coup. James Carville has already set the stage, predicting the riots. We thought 9/11 was bad. Obama is the finish. He's the sum of all fears, the dirty bomb.

If the BHO wins and Democrats gain enough members in the Senate to retain their majority without Lieberman, I would bet this is what will occur in February 2009: BHO will announce a "national crisis" during what amounts to a fireside chat. Shortly thereafter, Reid will gin up that to pass critical legislation, deal with the emergency, and avoid partisan infighting Reid will either have the rules suspended or just outright change them to only needing 51 votes for closure. Nothing the Republicans will be able to do to counter (the much discussed "nuclear" option). The media will trumpet the change as some type of salvation of America, etc. (Think "modernizing the arcane rules of the Senate". Then two years before another election. Free reign to enact all sorts of 'emergency' legislation, most of which has already been written. The list is almost endless. Ban drilling, ban oil shale, carbon cap-and-trade, taxes, taxes, and more taxes to but name a few. After two years, the elections won't make much difference since the fairness doctrine will be enacted, revised definition of hate crimes and hate speech, regulation of the Internet including what's posted (see hate speech). And don't forget this little provision in Article 3, Section 2 of the Constitution: "In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Congress shall make." This was used in the EESA (that Paulson bailout act) to avoid certain court challenges. One can easily imagine the Democrats would use it in order have all cylinders firing before the 2010 mid-terms. Oh, and through in a few laws about fund raising and voter registration and amnesty and even (jokingly) making ACORN responsible for overseeing all Federal elections. And do you really think conservatives will employ the tactics of community organizers ala Alinsky? If they do the nuclear option in the Senate, virtually anything is possible.

Anything Bill Rusher writes needs to be thoughtfully considered by anyone who cherishes our Constitutional Republic. Bill's commentary spoke loudly and clearly to me: If the Republicans can keep a working minority in the US Senate, the door is left open to preserve the Constitution and the Republic from the law-making Federal judges that will surely be nominated by President Obama. While I pray America will not have to experience four years of President Obama, I agree with Bill that the state of the economy has delivered the election to Obama. It is not enough to anguish over this regrettable situation. Electing a workable Republican minority in the US Senate must now be the goal of concerned Americans. Thanks again for sharing your wisdom with us, Bill.