Republican Senators Come Out Ahead in The Filibuster "Compromise"

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Senate OKs modest restrictions on filibusters

WASHINGTON — The tradition-laden Senate voted Thursday to modestly curb filibusters, using a bipartisan consensus rare in today's hyper-partisan climate to make it a bit harder but not impossible for outnumbered senators to sink bills and nominations.

The rules changes would reduce yet not eliminate the number of times opponents — usually minority-party Republicans these days — can use filibusters, procedural tactics which can derail legislation and which can be stopped only by the votes of 60 of the 100 senators.

In return, the majority party — Democrats today — would have to allow two minority amendments on bills, a response to Republican complaints that Democrats often prevent them from offering any amendments at all. The new procedures also would limit the time spent debating some bills and nominations, allowing some to be completed in hours that could otherwise take a day or more.

The changes were broken into two pieces and approved by votes of 78-16 and 86-9. In both roll calls, Republican opponents were joined by Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who usually sides with Democrats. Many of the GOP "no" votes came from tea party-backed senators like Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; and Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

The pact leaves the Senate's minority party with far more power than it has in the House, where rules let a united majority party easily muscle through its priorities. It also falls short of changes Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., had been threatening to ram through using the 55 votes Democrats have, a technique nicknamed the "nuclear option" because it is considered likely to produce harsh GOP retaliation that could grind work to a virtual halt.

"I'm glad cooler heads have prevailed here once again, and those who were clamoring for the nuclear option, most of whom have never served a day of their lives in the minority, didn't prevail," said McConnell, who worked out the agreement with Reid. He added that Republicans felt rules changes were not needed, merely a willingness by both parties to allow "vigorous debate and a robust amendment process."

Reid said the changes would increase Senate efficiency while protecting lawmakers in the minority party, warning that he would consider future changes if Thursday's package didn't do enough.

The rules also don't go nearly as far as restrictions championed by a group of newer Democratic senators, such as requiring filibustering senators to physically debate on the Senate floor, as portrayed by the actor Jimmy Stewart in the classic 1939 film, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Such filibusters have been rare for decades.

Democrats said this week that they lacked the votes to force that proposal through the Senate.

As part of the agreement, filibusters could be avoided when the Senate tries beginning debate on legislation. In return, the majority leader would have to allow each party to offer at least two amendments — addressing a major complaint of Republicans that their amendments are often shut out.

In addition, once the Senate votes to limit debate on certain nominations — district court judges and administration posts below Cabinet level — the debate would be limited to two hours, far below the 30 hours now allowed. The proposal was aimed at speeding the time spent on such nominations.

In addition, instead of three separate opportunities for opponents of a bill to wage filibusters to block a Senate vote allowing the chamber to try writing compromise legislation with the House, there would only be one such filibuster allowed.

According to the Senate Historian's Office, there were 73 "cloture" votes to end filibusters in the two-year Congress that ended earlier this month. There were 91 such votes in the Congress that served in the two previous years, and 112 in the two-year Congress before that. Republicans were the Senate minority party in each of those Congresses.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20130124/US.Senate.Filibuster.Fight/

Poor Harry!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Poor Harry!

I think Harry and his caucus realize that they're not going to have the majority forever. What may have benefited them now would come back to haunt them later. Besides, it's worked well for them to be able to blame Mitch and his crew for the standstill.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I think Harry and his caucus realize that they're not going to have the majority forever. What may have benefited them now would come back to haunt them later. Besides, it's worked well for them to be able to blame Mitch and his crew for the standstill.

Harry lost two of the things he has been using to block any legislation from the House being considered in the Senate. The first was avoiding passing a budget, so the House could not force a conference with the Senate, or force the Senate to bring any joint legislation to a simple majority vote without amendment under reconciliation rules. Second, he can no longer "fill the tree" and prevent any Republican amendments from being considered. Harry is all but feckless, unless he can convince the rest of his conference he needs to restore martial rule in the Senate.

[Darnell 8,478]

More Fillibusters ! More Dave n Busters !

no, wait, sorry, I just need a burger..

More FiliBusters !!! Yay !!! Bring It !