On Thursday, Senate leaders, Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell, came to a deal on a very modest, watered-down filibuster reform package – which virtually guarantees that all legislation in the Senate, will again have to meet the 60-vote threshold over the next two years. The filibuster reform does little to put more pressure on the minority party that is filibustering – and only works to speed up the process in the Senate, and cut down on redundant filibusters.

Senator Jeff Merkley, who was leading the charge for strong filibuster reform, including forcing filibustering Senators to actually talk on the floor the entire time they wish to block a bill, expressed “disappointment” that the Senate did not, “take a bolder step to fix” the filibuster. But he did vow, “If the modest steps taken today do not end the paralysis the Senate currently suffers, many Senators are determined to revisit this debate, and explore stronger remedies.”

Unfortunately, they won’t have the opportunity to revisit this issue for another two years – when the new Senate session begins. And that’s only IF Democrats keep the majority. Yesterday, Democrats had a golden opportunity to change the rules of the Senate, and pass legislation on behalf of working people – and also put pressure on House Republicans to moderate their agenda. But, ultimately, they dropped the ball.

Democratic Senator, Tom Harkin, said it best yesterday after the failure to enact real meaningful reform. He said, with Republicans free to continue to obstruct at will, then President Obama, “might as well take a four-year vacation.”

-Thom

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Thursday's Daily Stack

Hour One: Threats to kill Obama over healthcare...
- Peter Suderman, Reason Magazine and Reason.com

Article: "Stephen Espalin Claims He Threatened To Kill Obama To Get Medical Care".

Article: "Sen. Harry Reid's filibuster deal infuriates liberal Democrats" by David Horsey.

The Big Picture
- Sam Sacks, The Big Picture producer, progressive commentator

Article: "Department of Justice Attacks Frontline As Lanny Breuer Resigns" by DSWright.

Article: "Eleven EU Nations Take on 'Financial Elite' with Robin Hood Tax" by Lauren McCauley.

Site: Governor Free Don Siegelman.

Harry Reid capitulates on filibuster reform
- Bob Edgar, Common Cause

Article: "Filibuster "Compromise" Actually a Capitulation, Common Cause Asserts" by Common Cause.

Article: "Fix the Filibuster" by Common Cause.

Article: "Petition - Fix the Filibuster" by Common Cause.

Article: "GOP Senator Pushes Gun-Running Conspiracy Theory During Benghazi Hearing" (Rand Paul) by Hayes Brown.

Article: "GOP Senator: Hillary Clinton Faked Emotional Outburst At Benghazi Hearing" by Aviva Shen.

Article: "NY Post On Hillary’s Testimony: ‘No Wonder Bill’s Afraid’" by David Taintor.

Article: "Kerry Calls GOP Senator Out For Missing Benghazi Briefing (VIDEO)" by David Taintor.

Hour Two: Are atheists an enemy of God?
- Bradlee Dean, Co-host of Sons of Liberty Radio / ordained preacher & heavy metal drummer for the band Junkyard Prophet

Article: "Enemy of God = enemy of America" by Bradlee Dean.

Letter: "Letter to Thomas Cooper" by Thomas Jefferson, February 10, 1814.

Letter: "Letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush Monticello" by Thomas Jefferson, September 23, 1800.

Article: "The Jefferson Bible" by Thomas Jefferson.

Letter: "Letter to Thomas Cooper" by Thomas Jefferson, September 10, 1814.

Letter: "Letter to Major John Cartwrigt" by Thomas Jefferson, Monticello, June 5, 1824.

Quote: "Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure (and) which insures to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments" by Charles Carroll" signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Article: "The Works of Thomas Jefferson in Twelve Volumes" by Thomas Jefferson (February 1 1799, Washington and religion).

Quote: "Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society" - George Washington.

Article: "Inscription on the Liberty Bell, Leviticus 25:10".

Event: "GATE 3" - Saturday 2/1 from 6:30 PM-11:30 PM at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, CA featuring Thom Hartmann and more!

Event: "AM950's Blue State Ball", This Saturday 7 - 11 PM at the Minneapolis Hilton.

Article: "2nd Amendment". "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Speech: "Second Inaugural Address by President Barack Obama", January 21, 2013.

Talk Radio News Segment:
- Bob Ney

Site: "Goats for the old Goat".

Article: "Filling the tree" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell Reach Filibuster Reform Deal" by Ryan Grim, Sam Stein, Sabrina Siddiqui.

Article: "Dianne Feinstein unveils assault weapons ban" by Ginger Gibson.

Article: "Kerry’s Confirmation Hearing Goes Smoothly" by Justin Duckham.

Article: "Ron Johnson steps back from comment on Hillary Clinton's emotional testimony" by Craig Gilbert.

Case: "Bush v. Gore", 2000.

Case: "Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission" (2010).

Article: "The Second Amendment was Ratified to Preserve Slavery" by Thom Hartmann.

Article: "Virginia Electoral Votes Allocation Measure Advances In State Senate" by Jim Nolan.

Article: "RNC's Priebus Proposes to Rig Electoral College so Losing Republicans Can 'Win'" by John Nichols.

Site: "National Popular Vote".

Article: "How Republicans Plan To Rig The Next Presidential Election, In Six Pictures" by Ian Millhiser.

The good: "Ireland to build 'giant' wind turbines to power UK homes" by Matt McGrath.

The bad: "U.S. Sen. Hagan Encourages Swift Action From Obama In Approving Keystone XL Pipeline".

The very, very ugly: "GOP Senator: Hillary Clinton Faked Emotional Outburst At Benghazi Hearing" by Aviva Shen.

Article: "Learning to love grains, potatoes was key to the evolution of dogs" by David Brown.

Article: "Virginia State Senate Moves Ahead on Electoral College-Rigging Bill" by David Weigel.

Article: "Some In GOP Want New Electoral College Rules" by Alan Greenblatt.

Article: "Pentagon Opens Frontlines To Women" by Justin Duckham.

Article: "Google Report Reveals Warrantless Surveillance of Users' Data" by Ryan Gallagher.

Article: "Op-Ed: UN launches investigation into drone strikes" by Ken Hanly.

Hour One: If it's Friday, it's "Brunch With Bernie"... the honorable Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is here with all the news from our nation's capitol and as always he'll be spending the hour taking your calls and answering your questions too...

Hour Two: Gate 3.0...what's the vision, who is going to be there...Thom Hartmann!
- John Raatz, Founder-GATE (along with Eckhart Tolle & Jim Carrey) (Global Alliance for Transformational Entertainment)

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We'll bring you up to date on the latest news & information from the weekend...what are the Republicans up to next?!

Plus, will the state of Virginia pass the "Gangbanger's Bill of Rights?" I'll have a discussion with Philip VanCleave, President of the Virginia Citizen's Defense League...

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