'Talking filibuster' a good idea. Plus: Trump talks vaccines & Meghan. Biden says 85% love his dog.
By Gary Abernathy
Requiring a ‘talking filibuster’ is a good idea
I actually find myself in agreement with President Biden, who said this week that the Senate filibuster should require people to actually stand and talk.
“I don’t think that you have to eliminate the filibuster. You have to do what it used to be when I first got to the Senate back in the old days,” Biden told ABC. “You had to stand up and command the floor, you had to keep talking . . . so you’ve got to work for the filibuster.”
The most famous example of the talking filibuster is the fictional movie, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” starring Jimmy Stewart.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) recently suggested the same thing. It makes sense to me. Preventing a simple majority vote from carrying the day is an important tool to keep the majority from always stomping on the minority, but it should require some effort. Otherwise, endless stalemates are the order of the day. Don’t ever eliminate the filibuster, but returning to rules that require a party to command the floor with someone talking at all times makes sense. Go for it.
Trump weighs in on vaccines and Meghan. Of course.
Heeding calls from medical professionals, former President Donald Trump is urging people to get a covid-19 vaccine.
USA Today reports that Trump told Fox News, "I would recommend it, and I would recommend it to a lot of people that don't want to get it."
Trump also said, “I am not a fan of Meghan,” because, you know, he wanted us to know, and that’s how his mind works.
Seriously, I guess he was asked about Meghan Markle, or Duchess Meghan, or whatever is proper, and he “scoffed at the news reports that she may be thinking of running for president.” Actually, that seems like the right reaction.
Biden: 85 percent of people love my dog
President Biden said Wednesday that 85 percent of the people at the White House love his dog. That’s a pretty odd and specific number, I thought when I read it.
One of Biden’s dogs, named Major, apparently nipped someone and is getting a little refresher training.
The Washington Post reports this morning, “’Major was a rescue pup. Major did not bite someone and penetrate the skin,’ Biden told ABC News. ‘The dog’s being trained now — our trainer at home in Delaware.’”
Then, Biden said, “But he’s a sweet dog. Eighty-five percent of people there love him.”
Eighty-five percent? Most people, trying to make a point that the overwhelming majority of people approve of something, will say something like, “Ninety-nine percent of people there love him.” Or they might say “90 percent.” But to use “85 percent” makes me chuckle, like he’s not really too confident how beloved Major really is by the good folks at the White House. Eighty-five percent means 15 out of 100 people clearly don’t like Major.
Hey, I’m a dog lover, so good luck, Major.
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