Cloture is defined as:
"The only procedure by which the Senate can vote to place a time limit on consideration of a bill or other matter, and thereby overcome a filibuster.
Under the cloture rule (Rule XXII), the Senate may limit consideration of a pending matter to 30 additional hours, but only by vote of three-fifths of the full Senate, normally 60 votes."
On March 8, 1917, in a specially called session of the 65th Congress, the Senate agreed to a rule that essentially preserved its tradition of unlimited debate.
The rule required a two-thirds majority to end debate and permitted each member to speak for an additional hour after that before voting on final passage.
Over the next 46 years, the Senate managed to invoke cloture on only five occasions.
Long known for its emphasis on lengthy deliberation, the Senate in most circumstances allows its Members to debate issues for as long as they want.
Further, the Senate has few ways either to limit the duration of debates or to bring filibusters
(extended “talkathons”) to an end.
For instance, a Senator may offer a non-debatable motion to table (or kill) an amendment or he or she might ask unanimous consent to restrict debate on pending matters.
The Senate has one formal rule — Cloture — for imposing limits on the further consideration of an issue.
As can be seen in the chart, Cloture has been used sparingly by the Senate until this administration.
The Senate has traditionally felt that spirited debate was essential to the representative government process, and that its ability to insure prudent, just, legislation was enhanced by careful consideration.
However, Harry Reid has found new use for Cloture.
He's using it to silence opposition, eliminate disagreement, and muzzle dissenting opinion.
In short, it's become his favorite tool for enforcing his dictatorship, even against members of his own party.
He's using it to cram legislation down the throats of legislators regardless of party, and his constituents.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
Hopefully, people will remember this picture come re-election time for His Highness Harry, and it will translate to hundreds of thousands of votes to park his ass in Searchlight instead of Washington, bringing cloture to his reign of terror.
Forcible ways make not an end of evil, but leave hatred and malice behind them. --- Thomas Browne
All legislative experiments in the way of making forcible distribution of the wealth produced in any country have failed. --- Leland Stanford
