Harry Reid: There Will Be Fillibuster Reform in Next 36 Hours

     He made that comment yesterday, so it will come in considerably less than 36 hours now. There's been some consternation that Reid is too anxious to get a deal with Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, and that he was making a mistake in closing the door on the "nuclear option"-passing the filibuster reform with only a simply 51 vote simple majority, rather than 67.

   However, yesterday Reid decided not to adjourn the Senate yesterday, but rather leave it in recess. Technically, it's still the first day in the Senate-that started on January 4.

   He has announced his intention to indeed, do the nuclear option if he can't get a deal with McConnell-who still claims the only problem with the Senate is that Democrats won't let Republicans offer enough amendments; however, in truth, amendments can be just another delaying tactic.

    So the message is now clear: if McConnell fails to agree then Dems will do it with a simple majority.

     "The Democratic majority leader has vowed to weaken the filibuster but is deferring action while he continues weeks-long negotiations with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) over a resolution. He’s keeping his options open to change the rules with a 51-vote majority if a deal is not reached."

     Again there has been some concern that Reid was letting it get too watered down:

    "Last week Reid charted out a middle path that would involve shifting some of the burden from a majority seeking to conduct Senate business to a minority seeking to obstruct. Currently the onus is on a majority to maintain a 51-vote quorum while seeking to advance legislation and nominees; Reid’s approach would require a filibustering minority to keep a critical mass of 41 senators in a chamber while stalling."

    "As Reid weighs his options, champions of filibuster reform are wary that Republicans will agree to any meaningful changes. And the leading Senate champion of reform is pushing Reid to ditch his hopes of bipartisanship and move forward with the constitutional option."

   “Leader Reid has left open two paths to rules changes,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) said in a statement late Tuesday. “While I’ve always thought that improving how the Senate works should be an area ripe for bipartisan agreement, it is clear at this point that the constitutional option would produce the strongest package and make the Senate more functional.”

 

     http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/01/reid-mcconnell-filibuster-ultimatim.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

  
     Regarding the talking filibuster itself, there are conflicting narratives. Many-like Greg Sargent and Jon Bernstein-have argued that it really wouldn't be that big of a deal and that many GOPers would relish the chance to preen on tv giving a talking filibuster. I'm not sure I buy that-it would seem to cramp their style a little. It's like the number of ticket fines would be higher if the cop who wrote it didn't have to appear in court himself. Or so it seems to me.

   Others do think it would have an impact, perhaps a very major one-some think it would go too far to making the Senate more like the House where the majority totally rules. . Time will tell, how it works. You can't always tease out all effects prior, and no doubt unintended consequences are a fact of life. However, it's good to see Reid holding McConnell's feet to the fire.

   Actually, come to think of it, the House Majority hasn't ruled very much since November 6.