Who thinks a supermajority is a good thing?

I agree with the first two posters I've read so far. Supermajority isn't helping the Democrats at all or they'd have the health care reform bill passed by now. I'm a liberal in some ways but am upset at how abortion is one of the barriers in the way. And this is the problem with some of the Obama haters, they don't see how he is not as liberal as many think he is. Liberals are mad at him and conservatives hate him. Thus, within this so called supermajority are the conservatives versus the liberals who are tearing the party apart.

I do really think it is a good thing in the long term. Both parties have complained about it when they have had power, but not absolute power, and have talked about changing it, but no one has yet. I was really wondering what was going to happen when republicans wanted to change the laws in 2005, but they never fully were able to do it. Taskr, both parties have told their voters what they wanted, and claimed a "mandate" in doing so. Don't you remember when republicans controlled the entire government and then spent every dime they could find, and when they ran out of money, they just borrowed some from China. The vast majority of republicans didn't want that, but they didn't say anything about it because they voted for them. I am sure that the republicans want democrats to have a super majority, but you have to remember that what comes around goes around, and politics runs in cycles, if you change the rules to help you today, it will hurt you tomorrow.

Absolutely NOT. I am so angry at having what Obama and his administration is forcing on to us against our will. This not democracy! This administration has given a whole new meaning to being a democrat. IMO they are autocratic administration! List of autocratic leaders is pretty huge. Most of the dictators like Hitler, Stalin, Saddam Hussein and kings ruled with complete and unquestioned powers. Some of them were good and some were tyrannical and the power of tyranny came from their unlimited autocratic power. Should we now add Barack Hussein Obama to the list?

Yes... if Conservativeshad a super-majority in order to prevent any foolishness such as ramming through an unconstitutional healthcare bill, or the government takeover of business, or things like TARP or the bailouts... or any other thing that the Constitution does not allow... then that would be a good thing. Government would be very small and limited in it's scope... and the people would not be afraid of what rights the government will try to trample next. If the Constitution were followed as written, America would not be in the condition we now have. This country was built on the belief in God and the desire to be free from tyranny. Conservatives cling to that belief while the Liberals cling to Marx and communism, and think that the people need to be regulated and controlled by the government.

I think the term "supermajority" is a misnomer, at least in regards to what the Democrats in the Senate. The Democrats aren't a party where in someone says sit, they all sit and when someone says walks, they all walk! They don't tow the party line because there's no party line to tow, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it makes it easy for them to be attacked at a time like this. You know we disagree on this and I hope we can RESPECTFULLY disagree but I'm equally "disgusted" by the actions of the Republicans. Every effort was made from the beginning to make health care reform a bipartisan effort but when there are high profile Republicans as early as last summer stating the intentions to "break" the President and predicting his "Waterloo", it was clear that wasn't going to happen. They refused to even discuss a public option but now they're complaining that the bills that have been passed are nothing but give-aways to the insurance companies - the very companies they were defending a few months ago. The simple fact is they don't want and they never have wanted health care reform, they're determined to have it fail so they can use that against the Democrats. Tax cuts, tort reform and allowing insurance to be sold across state lines is ALL they'll even hear of and that's not going to solve any problems. Sorry, I didn't want to get off-topic and go into a long post about health care when the topic is the supermajority. If the GOP had a supermajority, it would be a GREAT thing for them because they'd simply ram anything they wanted through unanimously. For the Democrats it was totally worthless, quite frankly. In my opinion, it shouldn't be necessary. The filibuster should be abolished once and for all. I'd never say the losing party, whichever one it is, shouldn't have a voice, but don't elections mean anything? Annie

The Democrats have trouble agreeing amongst themselves on anything (this is, in part, related to HOW they got that super majority)--this means that they can never really do anything with that super majority, because there is always going to be a few that disagree with the issue at hand. There is a reasonable argument that Republicans are more united--which is true to some degree--though the question is why. To be fair, I have heard the hoots (on other boards I was on at the time) the other way that "Democrats shouldn't have a voice" when Republicans only had a simple majority, so go figure. I also think it's impossible to say what most voters do or do not want from a special election in the state of Massachusetts. Doesn't that say more about what the state of Massachusetts wants? Anyway, that being said, I don't think a super majority is good. It sets up an expectation that just isn't there. Both sides are not showing much comprise here. Though health care is the current debate--there were bills earlier in the year that were sought to include Republicans, with elements to appease them, and they STILL voted against them. Both sides are being petty, but is this because of the super majority? I'm not so sure....

A supermajority quickly becomes something like a dictatorship, so no, it's never good. I'm an Independent voter, but I lean toward Republican thought much more than the Democrats. I don' think it's good for either party to have absolute control; how could it be? The USA is supposed to have a government of balances and checks and that just won't happen if either party or philosophy has absolute control.

Regardless of the party, I do not think a super majority is a good thing. I think having a balance of power (haha wouldnt that be nice) is important to ensure moderation. The less Congress can do, the better. I would like to see the Congress only working maybe a month a year. When they have time to do stupid stuff like declaring holidays, apologizing (yeah they need a resolution to apologize, why not send flowers?) I was going to site specific stupid bills but there are so many to go through.

Super majoirities on either side is bad. Why? They become power hungry. It goes to their heads and they don't have to work together to get anything done. They can bassically ram through anything they want without listening to the other side or even the american public. Of course the actual members of congress love it when their side has super majority. But it is NOT good the american people.

No, having a supermajority is a bad thing. A very bad thing for reasons. The right questions will not be asked by the people who are in the position to ask them. Those who have opinions that may lead to something better may be shut out by those who have those own agenda. One political party have a balance that skews towards them will lead to nothing but trouble. Both parties have their flaws and their strengths, so there needs to be something that balances them out. Having an overwhelming majority will not do this. In fact, it will hurt a lot in the long run.

I am kind of put off by the idea of either party having a supermajority. The democrats have demonstrated their irresponsibility when unchecked. However with the republican party being in its current state I would definitely not like to see them gain a supermajority either. Maybe this is why so few take the time to vote??