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Subscribe to RSS“The Senate approved changes to the filibuster Thursday night, adopting modest limits on the partisan obstruction that has ground action in the chamber to a near standstill,” the L.A. Times writes. “But the deal reached between the Senate's two leaders — Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) — fell far short of sweeping reforms sought by liberal senators and their allies. Left out was the requirement that senators who want to filibuster must remain on the Senate floor, talking the whole time, as Jimmy Stewart's character famously did in Frank Capra's movie ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.’”
The Washington Post: “The Senate approved a deal Thursday that will keep the chamber’s long-standing 60-vote threshold for halting a filibuster but streamline some of the chamber’s more cumbersome procedures. Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), largely accepting the recommendations from a bipartisan team of senior senators, won broad bipartisan support for a package of reforms that will streamline operations but leave intact rules that give the minority more rights than any other legislative body in the world.”
The New York Times: “Senators will still be able to talk and talk and talk, though for not quite as long as they have grown accustomed to. Legislation will still be mired in mucky procedural delays, though there will be fewer of them to exploit. And there is a glimmer of hope that rank-and-file senators will actually be able to do what they were elected to do: shape legislation. Under new rules approved overwhelmingly by the Senate on Thursday, Democrats and Republicans agreed to take some modest steps to limit the filibuster and help break the gridlock that has rendered the modern Congress ineffective and inefficient. The measures passed in two separate votes, one 78 to 16, the other 86 to 9.”
“Congressional Democrats, led by Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, have reintroduced a bill that would ban assault weapons despite opposition in the Republican-led House and the reluctance of some Senate Democrats,” USA Today writes.
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Epic Fail on changing the filibuster rules, Harry. The Turtle exerted pressure and you, Harry, gave in! Looks like The Turtle is the Leader....Shame on you, Harry!
I thought you libs were all about compromise? Harry didn't do it for the future (something you libs don't think about when doing anything it's always knee jerk) in case the Dems lose control and are the minority down the road. It gives them then the ability to use the filibuster.
chilled, I find my self in the rare position of agreeing with talk to the hand on this. Knowing the situation in Wahington and the perpensity of stalling everything a compromise of any kind is a step in the right direction. If he handles it right Harry can work with the turtle and maybe finally get something done in the 113th Congress. Lord knows they didn't get much done in the 112th Congress.
I understand that filibuster reform would only apply to the Senate, with legislation going to the House to die nonetheless. This is not all about Reid, but rather the bigger picture.
And I understand that some Democrats are concerned about their seats in the upcoming 2014 mid-terms. Fair enough, because progressives/moderates are notorious for not getting out to vote in mid-terms. Thus, only the loud activists on the far-Right gain so much in mid-terms.
The reality is, when the Dems are in the minority, they still do not use rules like the filibuster as a cudgel the way the Teapublicans have. So would it really matter if there was a talking filibuster, or a 41 minority required to block something? If they're going to leave it for future reference, then they should plan to abuse it too?
Anywho, you get the drift of the reasoning or lack thereof. IMO, transparency should always be in place regardless of which Party is the minority. In the meantime, not only should progressives and moderates get out the vote in the mid-term, but we have got to get election reform going.
Looks like our senators voted for four more years of gridlock. How does it feel Harry for McConnell to go around bragging about how he beat you again. I guess you still get the pay for being majority leader (in name only) with no power, you ceded that to the minority leader.
What I find so funny about all these posts it that the right is trying to support the lies of the Republicans and the left is trying to support the lies of the Democrats. Until everyone on these board and other boards are willing to be just as hard on their own party as they are on the other party nothing will ever change in Washington. Washington knows that if they keep the American population arguing against each other that they will be able to get away with any and everything.
We the people are allowing ourselves to be lied to by both sides. And we try and support those lies. No one wants to step up and call everyone in Washington a liar. Which they all are.
Until we all start holding everyone in Washington accountable nothing will change. Until we all start telling the side we support to come clean nothing will change. Until we all start telling the side we support to stop playing politics with our lives nothing will change.
Call me names, try and defend your position. The sad fact is all of you know you can lie to everyone else but you cannot lie to yourself. Look at what you are supporting. Look at the big picture. Then ask yourself how long will you allow the lies from both sides the ruin the lives of all Americans.
I too am guilty of what I just wrote. However as of yesterday, before I post anything on any of these boards the first thing I do is send an email to my U.S. Senators and Representative. I don't care if they are Republican or Democrat. I want them to know how I feels about all the B/S coming out of Washington. I also send emails to the President and Vice-President. I don't use some of those sites that send emails for you. I want all of them to know that I as individual can speak for myself. I want all of them to know what I as an individual want them to do. And I plan to send them all emails daily. I want them to know I will find to time in my life to let them know daily what I think.
I don't need AARP to speak for me which I am a member. I don't need the NRA to speak for me which I am a member. I don't need NCOA to speak for me which I am a member. I don't need Oathkeepers to speak for which I am a member. And I can continue. Each and every one of you on these boards need to do the same. If Washington starts getting emails daily from the American people things will change. Coming voting time if everyone stops believing that their vote don't count and go vote things will change. Let's get rid of the electoral college. Let's let the people votes mean something.
So to everyone posting unless you are doing the same, then your comments on these boards will result in nothing changing in Washington. Your name calling and rants will not change anything. It might make you feel good but it will not change a thing.
I want both side to stop showing us how well they can twist the words of the English language to hide the facts. Put the facts out and I mean all the facts not just what supports their agenda.
I want a standalone amendment to the Constitution that make it the law that Congress and the Presidents pay is voted on by the people. They should not be able to give themselves pay raises when neither side is getting anything done. The proposal that only side not get paid is B/S. Neither the House, Senate and President gets paid if there is not budget.
Last but not least, everyone needs to understand that according to the Constitution, which a lot of posters want use to support their positions, the House is task with coming up with a budget. They must be willing to compromise with the Senate and the President in order to get one put in place. And so must the Senate and the President be will to compromise. This our way or no way is not helping the American people. Compromise is not a bad thing.
Semper Fi
Very disappointed--Reid you let me down, what is it that Democrats don't understand--GOP is untrustworthy--why leave their power intact, 4 more years of obstructionism and GOP party liners doing the same old same old. Shame on you Harry!
This is what Harry accepted! Disgusting!
Just like was quoted yesterday "it gives the senate the ability to do nothing faster".