Filibuster fight put off as reform negotiations continue

[Tx4obama]

Last edited Sat Jan 5, 2013, 01:18 AM - Edit history (1)

3 minutes ago

Filibuster fight put off as reform negotiations continue

Washington (CNN) – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has put off for another day a potentially ugly fight over filibuster reform, a Democratic leadership aide said Wednesday.

The issue was set to come to a head Thursday when Reid was considering forcing a major change of Senate rules – over the objections of Republicans - that would have made it harder for GOP senators to filibuster beginning debate on measures they oppose or want to amend.

Reid had threatened to use a parliamentary tactic, available only on the first day of a new congressional session, to change Senate rules with just 51 votes when a supermajority of 67 is typically required. Republicans fiercely oppose the tactic they call the "nuclear option" and said it would lead to a meltdown of comity in the chamber.

But with negotiations now underway between Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell over a possible compromise, Reid has decided to hold off forcing the change, at least temporarily. An aide explained Reid will use a technical parliamentary procedure that will keep the first legislative day open indefinitely as talks continue. That way if the talks fail, he would preserve the right to make the change with just 51 votes.

-snip-

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/02/filibuster-fight-put-off-as-reform-negotiations-continue/

Edited to add..

UPDATE

January 4, 2013

The Senate is now in recess until January 21st,
so nothing will be happening for the next two weeks

http://democrats.senate.gov/2013/1/

[PoliticAverse]

1. A meltdown of comedy ?!.... n/t

[veganlush]

2. no

Comity

[PoliticAverse]

3. Oh I think the Senate has more comedy than comity... n/t

[Lasher]

4. Looks like Reid is caving in on filibuster reform.

I don't know why he needed to negotiate with Senator Yertle about it in the first place. I guess the next two years will be pretty much like the last two in the Senate.

[PoliticAverse]

6. Especially after that deal he made with him last year. n/t

[backscatter712]

11. He's keeping his gun cocked.

We may get a compromise, but I doubt Reid's in the mood to walk away with nothing.

[Lasher]

12. Maybe I've become too skeptical.

Maybe I haven't.

[musiclawyer]

5. Face palm

How fucking stupid is this. Reid is allowing negotiations with people democrats need not negotiate with AND he invites a GOP lawsuit to gum things up

Do you think republicans would give a Rats ass about what democrats think if the tables were turned? Do this tomorrow Harry or else you fuck up POTUS second term in one fell swoop

[FailureToCommunicate]

7. Wimp out? Or 3-D chess? Or ??

I'm getting whiplash

[Silent3]

8. What "comity", where?

51 votes NOW for real filibuster reform. Just fucking do it now and do it right. Any "reform" that could get 67 votes isn't worth passing.

[avebury]

9. Reid is stupid if he doesn't deal with the filibuster

rule today. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

Edit to add: Sometimes the Democrats can truly be their own worst enemies.

[Filibuster Harry]

10. When Mitch the R needed VP Biden to dance with and not Harry then I thought for sure that

Harry would have changed the rules. What gives here?? The Rs are already threatening a gov't shutdown over
the debt ceiling; what is nice about that?? C'mon Harry grow some balls!!!

[stultusporcos]

13. Reid needs to stop F-ing around and use the Nuclear Option Now

if the roles were reversed the GOP would have done it already with no debate.

[dsc]

14. the other reason for the delay is to make sure he has 51 votes

some of the older Senators (Leahy, Levin) for example are not sold on the changes yet.