Posted on 01/22/2013 2:41:23 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Reid to Senate Republicans: Filibuster deal in 36 hours or face nuclear option By Alexander Bolton - 01/22/13 03:29 PM ET
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is giving Republican colleagues 36 hours to agree to a deal on filibuster reform or he will move forward with the nuclear option.
“I hope in the next 24, 36 hours we can get something we agree on. If not, we’re going to move forward on what I think needs to be done,” Reid told reporters.
Reid’s trump card in negotiations with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) is the threat he will change Senate rules with a simple majority vote, a tactic known as the nuclear option. This maneuver would allow Reid to change the Senate rules with a simple majority vote, something that has never been done, according to parliamentary experts.
Critics call it the nuclear option but proponents, such as Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) say it is more accurate to describe it as the “Constitutional option” because the Constitution empowers each chamber to set its own rules.
Reid predicted the Democratic caucus would support him in reforming the Senate’s filibuster rule unilaterally.
If he did so, he would likely implement a relatively modest change, such as eliminating the filibuster on motions to proceed to new business.
Reid said talks with McConnell are not close to a resolution.
“We’re making progress. Not done yet, we got a long way to go,” he told reporters while walking into the Senate chamber.
A senator briefed on the talks said it appears McConnell will have trouble rounding up enough Republican votes to support any deal he forges with Reid. Changing the rules under regular order requires 67 votes. Reforming Senate procedures through a standing order would need 60 votes.
A Democratic aide said McConnell could have difficulty mustering 12 Republicans to vote to change the standing rules under regular order.
We'll see if he can get away with it.
RIGHT.
You know....I was listening to Rush or Beck today... hard to say I had a lot of clients to see today...
but somewhere in there somebody was discussing the “give up” to the democrats and just sitting back and letting them own the whole damn thing...
they wont’ negotiate, they won’t compromise...right?
there’s a bunch of low information voters that need to ‘wake-up’
And ya’ know ...there is the old saying...
“Give’em enough rope to hang themselves.”
It is an option I really haven’t thought about much.
I agree.
It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity.
It is when we all play safe that fatality will lead us to our doom.
It is the "dark shade of courage" alone that will allow their spells to be broken.
Someone please explain the “nuclear option.” Does this simply mean breaking the rules to make new rules?
Don’t worry the Republicans will do what Harry says.
At the start of every new Congress, it's SOP for the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader to meet and negotiate the Rules of Procedure that will govern that particular Congress.
There is an assumption that such negotitations will take place in an atmosphere of good faith and mutual respect.
However, if one of these parties is Harry Reid, the assumption ceases to be valid.
That's illegal?
... except on a measure or motion to amend the Senate rules, in which case the necessary affirmative vote shall be two-thirds of the Senators present and voting ...
I'd like to see him pull the trigger on the cloture rule, which has been abused mightily for about a decade.
Reid's plan differs from the GOP plan of about eight years ago, in two respects. The GOP plan was to limit modification to the cloture process to those instances where the issue was a judicial nominee; and the GOP mechanism was to get a ruling from the chair on that narrow (judicial nominee) point, allowing a simple majority to overcome the minority veto commonly referred to as "filibuster" (using the rules to delay decision).
Reid may be planning to get a ruling from the chair that allows simple majority rewrite of the rules at every start of a Congress, each two years. Who knows, the fellow is a few bricks shy of a full load, and lies like a rug.
Let them do it. They will regret it.
my thoughts exactly, would not be tragic if DC gets nuked
let him try it. it will be fought in court. never before, no precedent, ignoring existing senate rules.
imagine obama, democrat leadership, libtard press, if republicans were attempting the exact same thing.
you know they’d be calling for republican senators’ heads. that repubs weretaking over the governent.
but when socialist democrat libtards do it, no concern , no peep out of the press.
We can hope, can't we?
Nope. It was only threatened to be used for Judicial appointments that the Progressives refused to consider. Nothing else was on the table.
imagine obama, democrat leadership, libtard press, if republicans were attempting the exact same thing.
If the Senate rats do this, they will blame the GOP because they are not being bipartisan or whatever. Then their presstitutes will happily carry the meme to the American people.
Any change of the rules by majority will set the precedent.
Reid has 30 or 40 members who really want this, newer members and members who came up through the House, or are deeply indebted to special interest groups- or to Obama’s machine.
He’s got about a dozen who don’t want to lose the power the present system gives individuals or don’t want to tarnish their ‘moderate’ ‘bipartisan’ patina.
I don’t think he can do it, or can afford to. Though it would give him more power personally.
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