Keith talks to Rep. Alan Grayson about his effort to get Harry Reid to change the filibuster rule changed from 60 to 55 in order to stop obstructionist Republicans from blocking reform.
The Hill has more--Rep. Grayson: Change Senate rules to require 55 for cloture:
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fl.) is now urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to propose a revision to the Senate's cloture rules so that only 55 votes, instead of 60, would be required to end floor debate.
His effort -- spearheaded with the help of an online campaign at StopSenateStalling.com -- takes special aim at the healthcare debate, which Grayson said has fallen victim to countless overused and unfair filibuster threats over the past few months.
"Why should launching wars and cutting taxes for the rich require only 50 votes while saving lives requires 60?" asked Grayson, who listed a series of important bills that passed with fewer than 60 votes.
"Join me in calling for an end to this unfair system," he added. "Tell Majority Leader Reid to modify the rules of the Senate to require only 55 votes to invoke cloture instead of 60. Fill out the form below to sign the petition today!"
So far, Grayson's campaign has netted about 7,000 signatures, though a cursory glance at the names on the list yields a few duplicates.
From Rep. Grayson's site Stop Senate Stalling!:
Why should launching wars and cutting taxes for the rich require only 50 votes while saving lives requires 60?
Join me in calling for an end to this unfair system. Tell Majority Leader Reid to modify the rules of the Senate to require only 55 votes to invoke cloture instead of 60. Fill out the form below to sign the petition today!
