Tag: Quinnipiac University

The Story: Democratic nominee Amy McGrath is still considered the underdog, but not a prohibitive long-shot, in her campaign to defeat US Senator (and Majority...

Gary Rose, a professor of politics at Sacred Heart University, sees a danger in weakening filibuster and cloture rules that historically provided a brake on the legislative process that allows the minority party an opportunity to be heard. “The whole purpose of the filibuster was to prevent a stampede.” The Senate voted largely along party lines to reduce, from 30 hours to 2 hours, the time allowed for debate when cloture is invoked on most presidential nominees. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sought the change to speed the confirmation process complaining that Democrats were abusing the rule to deny President Donald Trump his nominees. Elliot Mincberg, a senior fellow at People for the American Way, points out that senators have changed their mind on nominees during the 30-hour debate time that Republicans voted to eliminate. “You are seeing now with this repeated (erosion of rules) no desire to adjudicate or debate.” Senate’s Rule 22, which was adopted in 1917, required a two-thirds majority vote to invoke cloture — setting a time limit on further debate on the issue before the Senate. Initially, there were 100 hours of debate allowed — enough time for each senator to have an hour of time to speak. In 1975, the Senate changed the rule to reduce from 66 votes to 60 votes the majority needed to invoke cloture and in 1985 it reduced from 100 hours to 30 hours the post-cloture debate time. “In the face of a threatened filibuster, for example, the majority leader may decide not to call a bill up for floor consideration or may defer calling it up if there are other, equally important bills the Senate can consider and pass with less delay. Similarly, the prospect of a filibuster can persuade a bill’s proponents to accept changes in the bill that they do not support but that are necessary to prevent an actual filibuster,” CRS writes. When Senate Republicans returned to the majority with President Donald Trump in office, they changed the rule to require a simple majority for Supreme Court nominees — allowing for Neil M. Gorsuch’s confirmation.

Ron DeSantis: Florida’s new governor gave the Legislature a Friday deadline to pass a bill that allowed smokable medical marijuana, and wouldn’t you know it, both chambers somehow agreed to do it in time. The winning streak continues for DeSantis and the public is noticing. That places the 40-year-old governor above most of his peers across the country and makes him the most popular in Florida in 10 years. Fueling his popularity, according to the poll? His support for popular bipartisan issues like pardoning the Groveland Four and smokable medical marijuana. Loser Port Richey: Okay, okay, we just picked the mayor of this tiny Pasco County city as a loser last month. But c’mon. We couldn’t resist returning to the well. After Dale Massad, who was then Port Richey’s mayor, was arrested last month and charged with practicing medicine without a license and attempted murder, he was replaced by Terrence Rowe — who then gets arrested last week for allegedly conspiring with Massad to intimidate a Port Richey police officer. But the City Council plans to consult with its attorney to decide what’s next.

John Lahey, the recently retired president of Quinnipiac University, saw an opportunity in capturing political beliefs of residents across the Northeast and the country as he came to the school. It had just 12 stations when he was hired and he didn’t envision its current status. They now poll in 10 states, New York City and nationally. It’s consistent, but gradual growth,” said Schwartz. Mario Cuomo, quite quickly. “I knew coming to Quinnipiac the significance, and the use the university could use a poll for, to get media coverage, and get exposure with political leaders at a very high level,” said Lahey. “I very much knew the value of the poll, and so I was not surprised at all how successful we were.” The university now does little advertising as the poll suffices, Lahey said. “It keeps the brand out there.” Lahey said he believed the poll has affected national politics. “We’ve been really on top of the news, so if there’s a big issue ... we’re out there with high-quality polling data,” said Schwartz. “I have seen politicians over the years turn on a dime after they saw the Quinnipiac poll on some issue,” said Lahey.

New polls from Quinnipiac University show that 39% approve of Trump’s immigration policies while 49% believe the President is racist, versus 47% who believe he isn’t racist. » Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc About: MSNBC is the premier destination for in-depth…