memeorandum: The New Filibuster — Kevin Drum raises an important point … (Myglesias/Matthew Yglesias)

4:15 PM ET, February 15, 2009

Top Items:

TIME TO REFORM THE FILIBUSTER.... One of the striking aspects of the political process on the Hill is how quickly everyone has adapted to a once-rare tactic becoming routine. Senate filibusters used to be exceedingly rare — a dramatic challenge only to be used under extraordinary circumstances.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Newshoggers.com and The Impolitic

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:

The New Filibuster — Kevin Drum raises an important point, namely that “The filibuster was never intended to become a routine requirement that all legislation needs 60% of the vote in the Senate to pass.” — Indeed, the filibuster was never intended at all.

Discussion: Washington Monthly and American Power

Tim Shipman / Telegraph:

Barack Obama sends bust of Winston Churchill on its way back to Britain — Barack Obama has sent Sir Winston Churchill packing and pulse rates soaring among anxious British diplomats. — A bust of the former prime minister once voted the greatest Briton in history, which was loaned …

Discussion: Jules Crittenden, Fausta's Blog, NewsBusters.org, TigerHawk, Riehl World View, Theo Spark and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

Michelle Malkin:

Taxpayer revolt: Porkulus protest in Seattle, Obama to sign theft act in Denver — There should be one of these in every town in America. What are you doing? Liberty Belle announces a taxpayer protest against the porkulus tomorrow in Seattle: … If you can get a real pig roast going, all the better!

Discussion: Slapstick Politics, Riehl World View and The Politico

Mark Silva / The Swamp:

Obama's Denver signing; ‘Good as any’ — President Barack Obama will fly to Denver, the place where he accepted the Democratic Party's nomination last summer, to sign the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” into law on Tuesday. — It's “as good” a place “as any” …

Discussion: The Politico

Glenn Thrush / The Politico:
The 7 stimulus lessons for the Dems

Discussion: Associated Press, The Caucus, Political Punch and Cold Fury

Michael Isikoff / Newsweek:

A Torture Report Could Spell Big Trouble For Bush Lawyers — From the magazine issue dated Feb 23, 2009 — An internal Justice Department report on the conduct of senior lawyers who approved waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics is causing anxiety among former Bush administration officials.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Raw Story, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, theheretik.us and Left in the West

Emptywheel: The Push to Publish the OPR Report

Satyam Khanna / Think Progress:

Gingrich's obstructionism becomes role model for House GOP.» — In 1993, former Speaker Newt Gingrich notoriously whipped the House GOP into opposing President Clinton's major initiatives, ranging from the budget to health care reform. The New York Times reports that Gingrich …

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias, Washington Monthly and Balloon Juice

Congress Matters:

From the files — by David Waldman aka Kagro X — What files? The insane pack-rat files, of course. — I have with me a hard copy of a collection of Republican quotes predicting doom and disaster in the wake of the 1993 Clinton economic stimulus plan, and much of the rhetoric is eerily similar to today's.

Discussion: The Mahablog

S.D. Liddick / The Huffington Post:

Open Letter to a Craven Reporter in Iraq — I'm an independent reporter in Iraq, on assignment for a U.S. magazine (as well as a Huffingtonpost.com blogger). I've just come off a three-week civilian tour of Anbar Province, living with sheiks and Iraqi civilians, trying to get a feel …

Discussion: Dean's World, Maggie's Farm and Jules Crittenden

John O'Connor / Associated Press:

Burris confirms request for Blagojevich donation — SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Raising fresh questions about his appointment to Congress, Sen. Roland Burris admitted in a document released Saturday that former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother asked him for campaign fundraising help before the governor named Burris as Illinois' junior senator.

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, Washington Monthly, MyDD, Daily Kos and New York Times

Natasha Korecki / The Blago Blog:
Here's what Burris said. Was he forthcoming?

Discussion: Swampland, Power Line, Commentary, Lynn Sweet and RedState

Chicago Tribune:
Burris' testimony before an Illinois House impeachment panel

Discussion: Emptywheel, Los Angeles Times, Lynn Sweet and PoliticalBase.com Blog

Peter Slevin / Washington Post:
Burris Discloses Fundraising Requests

Discussion: The Hill's Blog Briefing Room and NewsBusters.org

Associated Press:

WHAT'S THE RUSH? — ‘URGENT’ $TIMULUS ON HOLD FOR BAM'S WEEKEND OFF — After pushing Congress for weeks to hurry up and pass the massive $787 billion stimulus bill, President Obama promptly took off for a three-day holiday getaway. — Obama arrived at his home in Chicago on Friday …

Discussion: Betsy's Page, Scared Monkeys, American Thinker, Sister Toldjah, Ace of Spades HQ, Riehl World View and Don Surber

James Fallows / The Atlantic Online:

Why Americans Hate the Media — In the late 1980s public-television stations aired a talking-heads series called Ethics in America. For each show more than a dozen prominent citizens sat around a horseshoe-shaped table and tried to answer troubling ethical questions posed by a moderator.

Discussion: Matthew Yglesias

Jennifer Parker / George's Bottom Line:

Graham on Bipartisanship: 'The Country's Screwed' — Sen. Graham Open to ‘Nationalizing the Banks’ — Gregg Withdrawal Embarrasses White House — Obama's $2-3-Trillion Political Gamble — Stimulus Agreement: $789.5-Billion Price Tag — Report Card on Obama's First Presidential News Conference

Discussion: Washington Monthly, TPMDC and RBO

Nelson D. Schwartz / New York Times:

Rise in Jobless Poses Threat to Stability Worldwide — PARIS — From lawyers in Paris to factory workers in China and bodyguards in Colombia, the ranks of the jobless are swelling rapidly across the globe. — Worldwide job losses from the recession that started in the United States …

Discussion: On Deadline, Matthew Yglesias and Corrente