[WUlcN1Rz]

MSNBC: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news...-are-addressed

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced this morning that Republicans will block any legislation from coming to the Senate floor until two key economic issues are addressed: funding the government (the “continuing resolution” which must pass to prevent a government shutdown) and the extension of the Bush-era tax cuts.

McConnell said that members of his caucus are united in the pledge to use procedural votes to prevent any other non-economic issues -- including the new START treaty, the DREAM Act, or the defense authorization bill that contains a potential repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy – from coming to the floor for debate.

[SweetCaroline]

This is news? Haven't they been using this same tactic for the past four years, forcing a 60-vote super majority instead of a 51-vote simple majority? This is just a continuation of the party of no filibustering tactics by the same Senate Republicans.

Remember when filibusters were a relatively rare procedure in the Senate and the legislative branch of government actually, well, worked?