Minnesota Independent

Franken, Klobuchar offer filibuster fixes

By Andy Birkey | 01.06.11 | 2:28 pm

Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken are offering their own ideas to fix the filibuster, a Senate procedure that often results in gridlock in the upper chamber. Klobuchar is a cosponsor of a comprehensive filibuster reform bill introduced by Democratic Sens. Tom Udall of New Mexico, Tom Harkin of Iowa and Jeff Merkley of Oregon. The trio said that since 2006, “there have been more filibusters than the total between 1920 and 1980.” Franken is offering a change to the filibuster process as well: Instead of taking 60 votes to break a filibuster, he wants 41 votes to maintain a filibuster.

Klobuchar launches filibuster reform effort

By Andy Birkey | 01.04.11 | 12:39 pm

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is a part of a movement in the Senate to reform the use of the filibuster, and together with Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York she’s circulating a petition urging changes to the Senate rules.

Franken, Klobuchar back unemployment extension/tax-cut compromise

By Andy Birkey | 12.14.10 | 10:00 am

Supporters of President Obama’s tax cut compromise with GOP Senate leadership defeated a threatened filibuster by mostly liberal Democrats through the use of cloture Monday evening. Minnesota Democratic Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar were among those voting for cloture. The bill could see an up or down vote as soon as today. Klobuchar said she voted to advance the bill because of the middle-class tax cuts contained in it. Franken said he supports the measure reluctantly, citing an extension of unemployment benefits as a key reason for his support.

Franken, Klobuchar vote for middle-class tax cuts, yet bill dies in Senate

By Andy Birkey | 12.06.10 | 8:30 am

The U.S. Senate rejected two bills aimed at extending the Bush tax cuts for the middle class on Saturday after Republicans filibustered and Democrats couldn’t get the votes to break it. Minnesota Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar were among those voting to end the filibuster and allow a vote on the tax cuts. An extension of the middle class tax cuts now appears dead in Congress.

Franken criticizes GOP ‘perversion of the filibuster’

By Andy Birkey | 03.16.10 | 4:18 pm

Sen. Al Franken took to the Senate floor Tuesday to criticize GOP use of the filibuster to slow down the work of the Senate, noting that at times Republicans will filibuster something only to later vote unanimously for it.

Franken, Coleman sing in tune on ‘Magic Number 60′

By Chris Steller | 07.01.09 | 3:17 pm

It wasn’t quite “Love Potion No. 9,” but Norm Coleman and Al Franken were singing in unison on the “Magic Number 60″ during their press events yesterday.

Reid: We’ll break filibuster with Franken

By Chris Steller | 05.14.09 | 9:12 am

Al Franken will break the first Republican filibuster of an Obama nominee. That was the vow of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid before GOP senators blocked President Obama’s nomination of David Hayes as deputy Secretary of the Interior. “If…

Specter switches, making 60 Democrats in Senate — with Franken

By Chris Steller | 04.28.09 | 11:19 am

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter announced today that he is switching from the Republican to the Democratic Party. That means Minnesota’s empty U.S. Senate seat could become the Democrats’ sixtieth — the number needed to break a Republican filibuster. Specter’s move increases the pressure enormously on Minnesota officials in a position to control the outcome of the disputed Senate election between Norm Coleman and Al Franken.

Recount quote roundup: All nits have been picked, says chief justice and canvass board member

By Chris Steller | 01.05.09 | 10:31 am

Here are three quotes from the last 24 hours on the Minnesota recount between Al Franken and former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman:
“Everything’s been looked at and looked at carefully,” is how Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and State Canvassing Board…