Rachel Maddow Rips Harry Reid For Filibuster Reform

[Purveyor]

Rachel Maddow railed against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) on her MSNBC show for the filibuster reform he passed with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday.

Liberal senators were let down by Reid and McConnell's reform as it fell short from the reform they called for. According to The Huffington Post's Ryan Grim, Sam Stein and Sabrina Siddiqui:

The deal will address the filibuster on the motion to proceed by changing the amount of debate time that would follow a cloture vote from 30 hours to four, speeding up Senate business and allowing more legislation to reach the floor. But the deal still requires Democrats to muster 60 votes to invoke cloture on that motion, despite Reid's earlier suggestion that he would bar a filibuster on that motion entirely.

Maddow was unenthused with Reid. She replayed comments he made about the specific changes needed for filibuster reform, contrasted with Thursday's deal.

More with segment video:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/25/rachel-maddow-harry-reid-filibuster-reform_n_2549826.html

[tularetom]

1. Have Sen. Merkley and Udall commented on this "compromise' yet?

I'd be curious to know if they were o-tay with it.

[PoliticAverse]

2. Yes...

Udall's statement: http://www.tomudall.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1190

Merkley statement: http://www.merkley.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=B6337C90-FD34-42DA-889C-7B3CCF5C2B55

[BlueCaliDem]

26. They both sound very disappointed.

Being that they're both close to the fire, so to speak, it must be a really bad deal.

Reid needs to be replaced. He must face his voters in 2016 (I believe it's when he'll be up for re-election) and a real pragmatic progressive should take his place.

The old fogies and their staunch, rusted ways, need to be replaced by younger senators like Udall and Merkley. Maybe, just maybe, the American people will win a law that benefits them, not corporations, for a change.

[Ninga]

3. In fact, every Democrat voted yea, the nay votes were by Bernie Sanders and the GOP.

In fact, it was a vote on a "simple" resolution, which is not enforceable by any law. Reid claimed he didn't have the votes to challange the 60 vote super majority required to pass laws. But I have not been able to find a comprehensive list of which Dem senators were jelly fish.




http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00002

[kardonb]

12. fact

Harry needs to be replaced by a woman with balls and more backbone to tell the repugs to go to hell .

[DallasNE]

20. The List Included The Likes Of

Boxer, Feinstein, Reed, Levin, etc. It wasn't the Blue Dogs like Landreu, Pryor, McCaskill, etc. I just wish Biden would have put in some phone calls, especially to Boxer and Reed, since only two more votes were needed.

[totodeinhere]

23. Yes that's the thing. He may not have had the votes but he should have worked harder to get the

votes. Isn't whipping his caucus into line part of his job?

[DallasNE]

24. He Is A New LIst

Merkley identified Reid as the key person in the talks, and he urged activists to target members of Reid’s leadership team ahead of their meetings next week, according to people on the call. He also characterized Democratic Sens. Max Baucus (Mont.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Joe Manchin (West. Va.) and Mark Pryor (Ark.) as wrestling with his proposal, sources say.

The earlier list said there were 7 and this list has 6. I saw Reed and Levin on the earlier list and I did misspeak on Pryor. I don't consider Baucus a true Blue Dog meaning Manchin is new to this list. Leahy is the other disappointment but I couldn't recall his name from memory.

We may not know the exact list of Democrats not willing to go along with the talking filibuster and it could have been in a constant state of flux.

[Ninga]

4. I find that people's eyes glaze over when trying to grasp what happened.

Rachel's piece is very good. But the biggest question in my mind is what did Reid mean when he said he didn't have the votes. The resolution voted on yesterday, was the only one. Reid must have had one on one's, or gathered all Dems together in one room and did a whip count?

[bemildred]

5. Reid was stalling in the hopes we would not notice when he caved. nt

[CranialRectaLoopback]

13. Exactly

It seems letting the "first" day of the new Congress last for three days was no problem, though. How God-like, Senator. Bravo.

[russspeakeasy]

14. Nailed it.

[BlueCaliDem]

28. Reid was running out the clock

to ultimately vote the way he and other RepubliDems wanted: no change to their precious filibuster rule, and to ensure ZERO progressive legislation is passed into law. They have hamstrung the President and hope to make him a lame duck for the rest of his four years.

I don't recall them hemming and hawing when they had to pass legislation to bail out the banks! Did they filibuster? Hell no. Or how about the IWR? Not a single filibuster. Or when it came to defense appropriation bills? Not a whimper.

It appears the filibuster is only used when it comes to legislation that would help us little people who can't afford to wine and dine and bribe Senators on both sides of the aisles. They used it to significantly water down health care reform. They used it to ensure no progressive judges would be confirmed. They used it to stop any BK reform during the height of the mortgage meltdown that ensured Americans would be homeless and CEOs were paid their bonuses by the end of the year.

There's a pattern there, and it's ugly. Term limits will never happen because they'd have to vote on that, and no one will say that these good-for-nothing corporate lackeys would do a single thing to hurt their cushiony positions.

Jeezus. I'm so infuriated I could

[bemildred]

29. Yes, he cut a deal with his buddy Mitch.

We all out here in citizen land will just have to wait to find out what, if anything, he got for letting Mitch "win" one.

[ChiciB1]

6. I CANNOT Put Into Words How Betrayed I Feel!

I really can't! As a Boomer I keep seeing more & more jaw dropping actions, EVEN by Democrats!!

Or are they Democrats??? I have to just stop following this stuff, I'm developing an ulcer. This just takes the cake!!

Can ANYONE give me a good reason not to walk away & say a POX on both Parties?? Now more gerrymandering to take over The Senate & who is going to stand up for WE THE PEOPLE??

Maybe tomorrow I will feel better, but each day that goes by I seem not to see much HOPE all over again. I used that HOPE for the 1st time in many years after the election, guess I was premature. Now I'm wondering if I can even wish anymore!!

THIS SUCKS!!!

[JEB]

11. Weak appeasers

don't want to lose their excuse for doing the bidding of their corporate funders (masters). President Obama's wonderful speech means next to nothing now. His modest agenda just ran into another wall. Wall Street wants the Social Security funds. Oil companies want unbridled development. Drug companies want to keep raking in the big bucks.

[Dustlawyer]

16. Ditto!

I have channeled my frustration into trying to get at least the DU membership into calling for COMPLETE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM (CCFR)! Nothing will change appreciably until we regain our Representative Democracy. To do that will take a massive uprising beyond the numbers that the OWS groups had. Maybe I am tilting at windmills, if I am, so be it! I will not stop and so should you! Please join me in calling for CCFR!

[dreamnightwind]

27. This is the best response

CCFR is the only hope, put all of the effort there.

[Dustlawyer]

35. Thank you! I wish the other folks here at DU would understand that most of their

complaints are caused by unfair influence by corporate lobbyist.

[trueblue2007]

31. me too chiciB 1. i go further. I HATE HARRY REID

I AM SO SORRY TO SAY THIS.

I FEEL HE DID WHAT "HE" WANTED AND DIDN'T DO RIGHT FOR PRESIDENT AND THE COUNTRY.

HOW COULD HE LIE!!

[BlueManFan]

7. Calling These Repugnant Senators (Democrat & Republican Alike) Pussies Is So Unfair To Cats

so how about spineless, status quo whores????? With apolgies to those honorable men and women who ply their wares in the world's oldest entrepreneurial medium.

[adieu]

8. Rachel wasn't pulling any punches on Reid

And he's a former boxer. She let him have it with both hands. And I agree 100% with her. He said time and again that it would not be business as usual. That there has to be filibuster change. Then all he did is actually made filibuster even easier.

[BlueCaliDem]

30. And to ensure Progressives don't get all pissed off at him, Reid

made sure both Boxer and Feinstein didn't vote for the change in the filibuster, either. It's Kabuki theater at its worst.

[adieu]

33. Norman Goldman

on his radio show yesterday explained how the old guard senators look out for each other (even across the aisle) more than they look out for the country. The younger group, like Warren and Merkey (sp?) from Oregon are the ones really demanding filibuster reform and haven't kowtowed to the old guards, or haven't learned to kowtow to them.

[lark]

9. With Dems like harry (he doesn't deserve any capitals today)

who needs Repugs? Spineless Dems make me sick!! So glad I didn't donate to DSCC and will never do so again as long as Reid is there.

This is why the country doesn't move forward, Dems just want to be liked and repugs are sharks for their ideas. God how I wish Dems cared more about the country and less about appeasing the rich and their water carriers.

[grantcart]

10. Reid may have some cards up his sleeves and there may be some agreement that

means legislation will get voted on but

I am bitterly disappointed that we didn't get more filibuster reform.

It is an undemocratic principle that is not constitutional, not historically significant and has been abused by the recent minority leadership beyond all rational limits.

[Ian Iam]

15. What reform?

Dreadfully sorry, but I don't see it.

[Demeter]

17. But This Is CLASSIC Harry Reid!

Nobody should have been surprised by this.

[Filibuster Harry]

18. Very very disappointed. What the hell was working for the election for?? And to make sure the Rs

didn't take control of the senate?? Now the agenda will be obstructed. Maybe the minor changes will help.
All I know is Rachel was spot on. If you are going to filibuster bills then at least the talking filibuster makes you waste your time doing it as opposed to the silent one. As far as the votes are concerned I don't think
he had the votes to get the talking filibuster unless that is an excuse and harry was worried about the Rs
nuclear option threat.
Either way he and his fellow dems (although not most of them) caved. This country needs the talking filibuster. And needs work to be done. Time for the fellow dems to remove harry. He is not going to bring up the assault weapon ban for fear of the NRA because 1) he will not vote for it and 2) if he brings it to a vote and it passes the NRA will blame him. HARRY MUST BE REPLACED AS SENATE LEADER AND NOW!!!

[mulsh]

19. She ripped with out providing any actual details about the filibuster deal.

I'm a big fan of Rachel's but she failed woefully to provide any significant info aside from her opinion of Mr. Reid's spine. She's a very smart person with an equally smart and resourceful research staff and assistants. Its what makes her show usually so good and informative. Last night I got the impression she merely wanted us viewers to agree with her with out providing any information about this issue.
I found the info posted to the Huffington Post while she was ranting. I would have appreciated a but more than ' Reid is weak'. Perhaps she'll provide some actual details on tonight's show.

[Cha]

34. Really? just a knee jerk reaction? I hate those. nm

[Lifelong Protester]

21. Is Senator Reid's role model Neville Chamberlain?

I wrote to the Senator (email) last night and expressed my disappointment in his filibuster decision. I guess we can hope he has some cards up his sleeve, but I doubt it.

I also told him I hoped he was primaried and replaced by a progressive DEM.

[GarH]

22. Reid is a spineless mouse

Cave-in is his middle name.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

25. Disappointed

We need things to get done in the Senate and while I'm not in favor of doing away with the filibuster entirely, the Republicans' abuse of it has been horrific. Sort of interesting given how much they howled about the Dems using the filibuster back in 2005- and Dems were mostly just blocking extremist judicial nominations, not grinding everyday business to a screeching halt. Nowadays, it's a wonder that it doesn't take 60 Senators to allow for a bathroom break!

[Bill USA]

32. recommended!