They could pull off a traditional filibuster and talk their heads off if they have the political balls to do it.

a la Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

@FlemGem: I agree completely. There actually are principled conservatives on webDiplomacy.

Rand Paul rules.

This is awesome. I hope it raises the attention this issue deserves.

Bravo for standing against his own party, and pulling off a *true* filibuster instead of the lame, "Oh, we call filibuster" and cancelling a vote.

Sadly, when he loses his voice, that piece of shit Reid will just call the vote anyway, because there are no principles left in Washington (well, Rand being the exception)

Tomorrow's headline, "Rand Paul killed in Drone Strike..." <sigh...>

I wonder if another Senator could pick up for Paul when he can't go on anymore. Senator Cruz sure seemed enchanted by Rand's performance today.

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.

"1. (a) When a Senator desires to speak, he shall rise and address the Presiding Officer, and shall not proceed until he is recognized, and the Presiding Officer shall recognize the Senator who shall first address him. No Senator shall interrupt another Senator in debate without his consent, and to obtain such consent he shall first address the Presiding Officer, and no Senator shall speak more than twice upon any one question in debate on the same legislative day without leave of the Senate, which shall be determined without debate."

It sounds to me like he could, in fact, pass off to another.

I don't generally like Rand Paul, nor the practice of blocking nominations. This opposition, however, is actually about something. So yeah... I don't hate this.

Ah, but they can invoke cloture, rule 22. Never mind.

@Invictus: They are. Seven senators are rotating.

Earlier, Paul was reading Alice in Wonderland, now he is reading about Pearl Harbor

@semck, yes, as long as he has the floor, he can speak, or hand the floor off to another, and they can not be interrupted. They could do this forever...and in fact, they should just keep it up until the next election and shut the whole f*ing town down!

Now THAT would be awesome: A 2 year (-5 months wasted so far) Federal Guvmnt shutdown!

YES! Send that response to Rand Paul's email.

The dreamer dreams the dream that can't be dreamt...

We are dreaming it now.

Besides, its not a bad idea. After all, why should a Radical Muslim be in charge of our efforts to contain Radical Muslims?

There are no radical Muslim's in Washington....sorry, Charlie...there are some happy tuna though. (No...not Pelosi! That's some bad old smelly tuna there...)

Correct, krellin, except that if he ever leaves, then they lose the floor, even if he handed the floor to them. So if he leaves, then cloture can be invoked.

John Brennon is a Radical, and he is a Muslim. Hence, a Radical Muslim.

I guess this will go on till Rand Paul has to poop, then.

I wonder if there's an explicit Senate rule against... well, never mind.

No, he will yield to John Cornyn or Marco Rubio, so one of them can ask a REALLY long question, and that question, as I presume, will continue without end until the Senator in question who is the Senator that is filibustering, and is also the same senator who left the Senate chamber to use the Restroom outside that chamber, returns to answer the question which he missed while he left the room to use the restroom outside of the Senate Chamber. Then Senator Rubio/Cornyn will have to repeat the question which they asked during that time, so that...

You can't leave the chamber and keep the floor, Sbyvl (and thus, whoever is asking you a question would also lose the floor, since they have it by your leave, and you no longer have it to give).

Can he yield the floor to another Senator, and then get it back, without losing it to Harry Reid?

Yes, he can, "for a question," and the question (as you suggest) can be almost arbitrarily long, but he has to stay there.

John Brennon is a Radical, and he is a Muslim. Hence, a Radical Muslim.

Bahh.. yes, I know he is openly Muslim. I was not aware that we were at war with a religion...

so....somebody is gonna have to drape Rand Paul in a robe and give him a "drop box"...

Bring a port-a-potty to the floor? :-)