Reid caves on filibuster reform

[mgcgulfcoast]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/01/24/harry-reid-explains-why-he-killed-filibuster-reform/

i dont get it at all. i was trying to figure out WHAT REID DID AGREE TO and it appears even more complicated than what we have now. all these guys in the senate, democrats and republicans are all good buddys in their little private club. we had a chance to make the senate work, and reid crapped on us.

[samrock]

1. I never had a doubt he would..

Money/power protect their own

[mgcgulfcoast]

4. yep

they are all a bunch of fat cats living the good life.

[forestpath]

11. +1

[elleng]

2. WTF!!!!

[Angry Dragon]

3. +597

[otohara]

5. Back to Gridlock And Failure

WTG Dems

[mgcgulfcoast]

6. yep

nothing will get done.

[hedda_foil]

7. I tried to believe that Harry would allow filibuster reform to proceed.

I really hate feeling both terribly disappointed and totally unsurprised again. Does he actually believe for a moment that McYertle won't use the same rationale to totally shut out the Dems the instant they have even the smallest majority again?

[rhett o rick]

8. Dont blame Sen Reid. He was elected to lead the Democrats. He represents them. Apparently

the Democrats as a party didnt want to fix the log jam.

On edit: Your title should be, "Democrats Cave on Filibuster Reform"

[davidpdx]

9. I'm not defending Reid

But it sounds like he didn't have the votes. Too many senators were sitting on the sidelines saying "let's see what happens".

We should start calling them the Ant-filibuster 7.

[Purveyor]

12. Then he should have still put it to vote and failed that way so we would have 'names'. eom

[davidpdx]

19. I agree

He's covering for them so they won't have to decide. I know people aren't going to like it, but I will bring this up when any of these seven are up for reelection

[rhett o rick]

10. There are 53 Democrats and 2 Independents.

Last edited Fri Jan 25, 2013, 10:23 AM - Edit history (1)

So that means 5 Democrats/Independents were willing to vote with the REpublicans to keep the status quo. Shameful.

Edited to correct numbers of Dems in the Senate.

[mgcgulfcoast]

16. i think the senate is 55-45 right now.

[rhett o rick]

17. I stand corrected. nm

Last edited Fri Jan 25, 2013, 10:25 AM - Edit history (1)

Edited to remove bum dope. My error.

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. Are you joking right now?

You might have missed that whole thing where Scott brown ran against Martha Coakley for Kennedy's seat, and then Scott Brown won, and then Elizabeth Warren ran against him in the 2012 election, and Elizabeth Warren won the seat?

[rhett o rick]

20. Sorry I got all confused whose seat was whose. nm

[bigwillq]

13. Is this really a surprise?

Reid needs to step down as Leader.

[Blue Idaho]

14. Spineless Weasels

They do not deserve the responsibility and power they have been given. They use their office strictly for paycheck protection - their paycheck protection.

[Third Doctor]

15. How many of these that would not support this

are blue dog dems in red states? I think we should take one page out of the teabagger book and start primaries for people that don't stand up for what they just ran on. We can kiss a lot of we just fought for goodbye.

[Hippo_Tron]

21. The problem is that these people love their power

And the way that the rules are set up now, individual Senators have a tremendous amount of power. So much so that the institution has become completely dysfunctional.

I think that the rule that you need 41 votes to sustain a filibuster rather than 60 to stop one was a good start, even if you don't need to talk endlessly. I'm also 100% fine with McConnell's demands that the minority be allowed to offer germane amendments on the floor.

But you shouldn't be able to indefinitely be able to thwart majority rule without at least putting some skin in the game. Furthermore, you shouldn't be able to filibuster nominees for agency directors or boards for the sole purpose of trying to make sure that that agency or board is legally unable to function.

[bemildred]

23. +1. nt

[Cha]

22. Senator Sanders said he only had 47 Votes.. So how is that CAVING?

"Caving" is way over used. It would be accurate if there were some facts behind it.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251280680

And, no Reid didn't crap on you.

[stultusporcos]

24. The less mentally stable of the GOP in the Senate will take pride in obstruction

and how much they can do it, the GOP base would rather see that nothing gets done.

In thier own words they want to punsih the takers for voting for Obama.

The more the GOP Obstructs the more the base loves them.

We are not dealing with rational beings.