Franken, Klobuchar offer filibuster fixes

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.

When was the last time a campaign TV spot left you numb?

Democrat Tom Udall is running for U.S. Senate in New Mexico and his campaign has produced a television ad that can only be described as time-stopping. In it, Army Sergeant Erik Schei, who was shot in the head by…

Voters venting to Reps following bailout vote

A day after watching the U.S. House of Representatives kill a $700 billion financial package as the stock market dropped more than 700 points, voters continued to vent their rage toward Washington.

But fewer of them did than in the days preceding the vote, and more of them encouraged lawmakers to support the package—or simply to do something.