Florida lawmaker wants filibuster reform

A Florida congressmember is trying to do something about the U.S. Senate’s imaginary filibuster system that routinely requires a supermajority of 60 votes to pass legislation (“Harry Reid’s Big Secret,” RN&R, Nov. 25). U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, a Florida Democrat, has posted an online petition/letter to Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid at StopSenateStalling.com. The letter has a list of major measures that passed the Senate during the Bush administration by simple majority vote and asks, regarding health care changes, “Why should launching wars and cutting taxes for the rich require only 51 votes while saving lives requires 60?”

A previous online petition seeking changes in the filibuster attracted a whopping total of three signatures. The Grayson petition to Reid has 11,177 signatures at this writing.