Filibuster Debating

There's a lot of interesting discussion going on about the filibuster in the blogosphere right now. David Frum has some interesting points here, here, and here. One of Josh Marshall's correspondents (a journalist with decades of experience covering the Hill) over at TPM makes this interesting observation:

I really believe that the change in the Senate rules in 1975 which made cloture 60 votes instead of 67 has made the Senate more partisan.

Why? Because it is much easier to get to 60 without serious compromise than to get to 67. Therefore, Democrats can pick off one or two GOP'ers right now and get cloture.

Remember, lots of stuff went through the Senate with a 67-vote cloture rule between 1919 and 1975. Medicare, Civil Rights in the 60's and all kinds of stuff before that.
Were there a lot of bills blocked? Absolutely.