PARTY OF NINE BECOMES PARTY OF NO
Nine Current Dem Senators Voted To End The Filibuster In 1995, But Now Focus
On Obstruction
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Dem "Party Of Nine" Voted To End All Filibusters In 1995:

In 1995, Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) And Eight Other Democrats Now
Serving In The Senate (Bingaman, Boxer, Feingold, Harkin, Kennedy, Kerry,
Lautenberg, And Sarbanes) Supported Ending All Filibusters. In 1995, the only Senators
on record supporting the end of the filibuster were all Democrats, nine of
whom are still serving in the Senate. (Karen Hosler, "Senators Vote 76-19 To
Maintain Filibuster," The [Baltimore] Sun, 1/6/95; S.Res. 14, CQ Vote #1: Motion
Agreed To 76-19: R 53-0; D 23-19, 1/5/95, Bingaman, Boxer, Feingold, Harkin,
Kennedy, Kerry, Lautenberg, Lieberman, and Sarbanes Voted Nay)

The Harkin-Lieberman Proposal Would Have Amended The Senate Rules To Allow A
Simple Majority To Overcome "Any" Filibuster, Legislative Or Executive. (Karen
Hosler, "Senators Vote 76-19 To Maintain Filibuster," The [Baltimore] Sun,
1/6/95; S. Amdt. 1, Motion To Table Agreed To 1/5/95)

"Party Of Nine" Past Rhetoric Doesn't Match Current "Party Of No"
Obstructionist Message:

"Party Of Nine" Ted Kennedy (D-MA): "Senators Who Feel Strongly About The
Issue Of Fairness Should Vote For Cloture, Even If They Intend To Vote Against
The Nomination Itself. It Is Wrong To Filibuster This Nomination, And The
Senators Who Believe In Fairness Will Not Let A Minority Of The Senate Deny [The
Nominee] His Vote By The Entire Senate." (Sen. Ted Kennedy, Congressional Record,
6/21/95, p. S8806)

"Party Of No" Kennedy: Will "Continue To Resist Any Neanderthal That Is
Nominated By This President" For The Federal Judiciary. (Helen Dewar, "Senate
Filibuster Ends With Talk Of Next Stage In Fight," The Washington Post, 11/15/03)

"Party Of Nine" Barbara Boxer (D-CA): "According To The U.S. Constitution,
The President Nominates, And The Senate Shall Provide Advice And Consent. It Is
Not The Role Of The Senate To Obstruct The Process And Prevent Numbers Of
Highly Qualified Nominees From Even Being Given The Opportunity For A Vote On The
Senate Floor." (Sen. Barbara Boxer, Congressional Record, 5/14/97, p. S4420)

"Party Of No" Boxer: "So We're Saying We Think You Ought To Get Nine Votes
Over The 51 Required. That Isn't Too Much To Ask For Such A Super Important
Position. There Ought To Be A Super Vote. Don't You Think So?" (Sen. Barbara
Boxer, Remarks At MoveOn.org Rally, Washington, D.C., 3/16/05; Byron York, "Right
On, MoveOn!," National Review, 3/17/05)

"Party Of Nine" Joe Lieberman (D-CT): "For Too Long, We Have Accepted The
Premise That The Filibuster Rule Is Immune. Yet, Mr. President, There Is No
Constitutional Basis For It." (Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Congressional Record, p.
S36, 1/4/95)

a.. "Party Of No" Lieberman: Explained That His 1995 Proposal Stemmed From
His Concern That Minority Of Senators Were Hindering The Majority's Will. "I
was just concerned that the system was being used at that point by a minority to
frustrate legislative accomplishment. It was contributing to legislative
gridlock ... [Now] it seems to me that the much more serious threat to our
government ... is partisan polarization." (Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Press Conference,
Washington, D.C, 4/20/05)

"Party Of Nine" Tom Harkin (D-IA): Urged "[T]he Republican Leadership To Take
The Steps Necessary To Allow The Full Senate To Vote Up Or Down On These
Important Nominations." (Sen. Tom Harkin, Congressional Record, p. S8339, 9/11/00)

a.. "Party Of No" Harkin: Harkin Spokeswoman Said Eliminating Executive
Filibusters "Sets A Dangerous Precedent." (Jane Norman, "Grassley: Filibuster Rule
Needs," The Des Moines Register, 3/2/05)

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