2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumRevive The Threat Of Filibuster Reform, Harry Reid
Harry Reid announced this morning that he will proceed with a vote tomorrow on Chuck Hagels nomination as defense secretary, even as Republicans have indicated that they will proceed with the filibuster of the nominee. Meanwhile, Sam Stein reports that Democrats are just short of the votes to overcome the filibuster.
If this isnt enough to get Reid to revive the threat of filibuster reform, nothing will be enough.
Hagels fate remains unclear. Philip Klein reports today that Senate Republicans are divided into several camps; while some of them are prepared to filibuster him, others are on the fence. Those in the latter group profess to be frustrated by the administrations supposed lack of disclosure on the Benghazi story, but could vote for cloture, anyway. According to Klein, There is concern within the Republican caucus about the precedent that would be set by filibustering a cabinet nominee. Thats good to hear, but still, these Senators may oppose him.So Hagel could go down.
--CLIP
Look, we should have seen this all coming. Indeed, Jonathan Bernstein did see it coming, noting recently that GOP conduct throughout Obamas first term clearly suggested the likelihood that Dems would need 60 votes to get Hagel confirmed. And here we are.
I dont know how this is going to play out, but if Hagel does go down, its hard to imagine anything happening that makes as eloquent a case for Reid and Democrats revisiting filibuster reform than this affair will have done. Remember, the watered down filibuster reform deal Reid agreed to was at least partly premised on the idea that both sides were at least somewhat committed to ending some of the abuses that rendered the Senate dysfunctional during Obamas first term. We now see that Republicans are making a mockery of that arrangement. This goes well beyond Hagel; as always, it goes to the question of whether we are going to have a functional Senate.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/02/14/revive-the-threat-of-filibuster-reform-harry-reid/
demwing
(16,916 posts)after the first official day of the new Senate.
So now what?
Purveyor
(29,876 posts)riqster
(13,986 posts)...when the other party is not a Gentleman.
TeamPooka
(24,229 posts)brooklynite
(94,606 posts)I spoke to him about this last year. He knows he got burned in 2011, and wanted to change the rules. He didn't have the Democratic votes to do it, and the Whips don't have the influence that they do in the House.
Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)not allow their votes on the floor and basically threaten to make their constituents hate their ass. This is politics. If you do not have the votes, you TAKE the damned votes. We need a little more Don Corelone and a little fucking less Don Rickles.
Light House
(413 posts)The new rules have already been approved and they can't be changed until a new Senate is seated.
KharmaTrain
(31,706 posts)...to change the rules now. Taint gonna happen...
Shame on the 9 Democratic Senators that prevented the talking filibuster rule....not that it would have made any difference, the rushpublicans are hellbent on making Washington as dysfunctional as possible.
babylonsister
(171,074 posts)predicted.
Third Doctor
(1,574 posts)I can't see anything meaningful getting done in the senate or house anytime soon.