Objecting to FISA

Here's KagroX on the coming Dodd filibuster:

[D]epending on how hard Dodd wants to drive this thing, he can make a real problem for Reid's schedule (and everyone else's, which might not make him any friends). Right now, some 28 hours or so of debate are still pending on the motion to proceed, and only then will the bill get to the floor. If Dodd objects to any unanimous consent agreement to shorten that time, that means that even if we go around the clock, we'll be debating the motion and not the bill until tomorrow evening.

At that point, or at whatever point we end debate on the motion, the plan is to have the bill come to the floor, with the Judiciary committee substitute (with no telecom amnesty in it) pending first for debate and a vote. That amendment will require several hours of debate, at least. That could put us as late as the early morning hours of Wednesday, if Dodd wants to go there.

And only then, if that substitute is not adopted, would the actual Dodd filibuster have to begin.

Even if Reid files for cloture immediately, Senate rules require two days for the cloture motion to "lay over," meaning that if Dodd and any allies can hold the floor the whole time, there might not be any further progress on the bill until late Thursday or early morning Friday, at which point the business pending would be a cloture vote on Dodd's filibuster.

And once that's dispensed with, there are still numerous other amendments that require consideration. And we're already into Friday, if Dodd pushes the limits.

Looming in the background here, of course, is the Senate's desire to adjourn for the Christmas holiday, and indeed to close the first session of the 110th Congress, even as other critical pieces of legislation wait for action. At some point, Harry Reid may well have to consider whether it's worth waiting Dodd and his allies out to get this bill passed, instead of suspending work on it and taking up the other things waiting in the wings. After all, the current FISA law doesn't sunset until February, so they do have some breathing room, even if they're convinced just letting the law expire won't do.

So this could go on for some time yet, and there will be real pressures for Reid to consider giving up.

For those who learn visually, I recommend this flowchart.