Posted on 01/28/2011 7:08:34 AM PST by re_tail20
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-N.V.) relinquished his plans to drastically change the rules of the Senate in order to pass his liberal agenda with a smaller majority. Reid’s effort to kill the filibuster, which is the minority’s right to effect legislation, went down in flames in the final rules changes on Thursday.
“In the short term, this is a victory for conservatives. As part of the current minority party in the Senate, their rights will be preserved. In addition, extreme mechanisms that had been proposed to advance new rules and limit filibusters came to nothing in the end,” said Marty Gold, a former Senate leadership aide who is now an attorney at Covington and Burling.
The rules voted on the floor were less important than the gentleman’s agreements made between Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Both agreed to never try again to use the nuclear option, which is to change the rules of the Senate with only 51 votes, instead of the established 67 vote margin. McConnell and Reid also agreed to use the filibuster and amendment tree procedural maneuvers less often in the future.
“What we need most in the Senate is a change in behavior in addition to this change in rules. We need to preserve the Senate as a forum for minority rights. We need to preserve the 60-vote requirement for major votes. That will force consensus. That will cause us to work together,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) on Thursday.
Alexander negotiated the bipartisan deal with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) at the behest of McConnell and Reid.
(Excerpt) Read more at humanevents.com ...
We need to preserve the Senate as a forum for minority rights.
Oh please.
Wonder whatever happened to states rights? Oh, now I remember.
I’m sorry - “Harry Reid” and “gentlemen’s agreement” just don’t fit in the same thought process.
Call me a cynic..
Colonel, USAFR
How did that douchebag McCain and the remaining members of his “gang of fourteen” vote?
Tortoise head Mitch needs replacing.
I could never attempt a “gentleman’s agreement” with the likes of Harry Reid as the thought of having to shake his hand gives me the creeps BIG TIME!
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