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View Full Version : The Magic Sixty Number in the Senate



mleus
01-22-2010, 11:01 AM
So we have 100 Senators. Fifty one would be a majority in any vote. Two-thirds needed to override a veto, but that rarely happens anyway.

So, a simple majority.

But then we have this filibuster rule - which, if you recall, the Republicans, confident that they would always be in the majority, were going to repeal at some point. Obviously the Democrats settled them down with discussions to the effect of, you don't expect to ALWAYS be on top, do you?

And now, with the Democrats in the clear lead, still - no way to get anything done, health care or appointment of a major federal official, without that magic sixty number.

Example:
2 Key Senators Oppose Second Term for Bernanke - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/23/business/economy/23fed.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1264190470-6qDVDJ1FE7oOMqcmx+SIlQ)
The opposition of Senators Barbara Boxer and Russell D. Feingold will make it a struggle to come up with the 60 votes necessary to confirm Ben S. Bernanke as chairman of the Fed.

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