Tom Harkin: “I had checked on this legislative day. The response that I got was what difference does it make? If we are going to…”

“I had checked on this legislative day. The response that I got was what difference does it make? If we are going to filibuster, we might as well do it on a motion to proceed as anything else. It does not make any difference. In other words, there are six hurdles. There is the motion to proceed. There is the bill, disagreement with the House, insist on amendments, appoint conferees--there are six when we get over there. The Senator from West Virginia says we take down the first rule. It still leaves five rules. Every one of those can be filibustered and we are right back in the same stew again. I believe that is why rule VIII is not used more often because it does not really make much difference.”