Final Filibuster Reform Deal Largely Based on John McCain and Carl Levin's Proposals

[Purveyor]

We now have a comprehensive look at the filibuster reform package accepted by Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid. It'll be schlepped to Democrats at an early afternoon meeting. And yes, it functionally ends the campaign for the "talking filibuster," and for putting the burden of filibusters on the minority to get 41 no votes, instead of on the majority to get 60 ayes.

--CLIP

Here's what made it from the Merkley-Udall proposal:

...

The next bit is complicated, so I'll just quote Stein/Grim.

The two leaders also agreed that they will make some changes in how the Senate carries out filibusters under the existing rules, reminiscent of the handshake agreement last term, which quickly fell apart. First, senators who wish to object or threaten a filibuster must actually come to the floor to do so. And second, the two leaders will make sure that debate time post-cloture is actually used in debate. If senators seeking to slow down business simply put in quorum calls to delay action, the Senate will go live, force votes to produce a quorum, and otherwise work to make sure senators actually show up and debate.

But the onus of the filibuster remains with the majority. Senators will remain able to place holds, and the holds will have to be broken with 60 votes -- for this Congress, those will be bipartisan votes.

MORE...

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/01/24/final_filibuster_reform_deal_largely_based_on_john_mccain_and_carl_levin.html

[Third Doctor]

1. Mccain is in the minority party.

It's as if a lot of the Dems in the senate really don't want to get anything done.

[Angry Dragon]

2. no secret holds ...... should be illegal

need talking filibusters

[Purveyor]

3. Watch for this to be used rather soon on the Hagel nomination. eom

[RickFromMN]

4. I'm sad. Reid and the Senate Democrats will learn the hard way what deal they made.

[cascadiance]

5. Is Reid retiring before his next election?... The next four years should be his last...

... in terms of being Senate Majority Leader after we have four more years of record-breaking obstruction. He no longer can say "we were wrong" after this four year session. He already played that game and absolutely FAILED to address how he "was wrong" the previous term! He will have the planet's death by climate change be a big part of his sorry legacy then!

If he does leave, we need to make DAMN SURE that someone like Merkley, Udall, Harkin, or Elizabeth Warren replaces him, NOT Carl Levin who you can be damn sure is angling with lobbyists to put himself in that position of continuing Reid's BS style serving the corrupt lobbyist culture we have now.

[Third Doctor]

6. The Dems already know what's going to happen

and they signed off on this anyway. We can kiss a lot of what we voted for goodbye.