Democrats Criticize Republican Moves to Ban Filibuster (Reid on CBS)

[Rose Siding]

snip>
Appearing on the CBS News Program "Face the Nation" today, the Senate minority leader, Harry Reid of New Mexico, discussed what has been termed "the nuclear option," a procedure by which Republicans in the Senate could ban the filibuster.

Asked whether Democrats were prepared to shut down the Senate if the Republican majority try to do away with the filibuster, Senator Reid said: "We will not shut down the Senate. They will. We have told them that we want to work with them." He said the work of the Senate would be slowed down.

He also said the effort to ban the filibuster did not represent mainstream Republicans.

"This is the most radical notion we've heard, not only are they going to change the rules to the filibuster but they also have said they're going to start impeaching judges," Senator Reid said.

He said that so far 204 of Mr. Bush's nominees to the federal bench have been approved and on Monday the 205th is expected to win approval.

"We have turned down 10 of the most radical," he said. "It doesn't sound to me like there's much of a crisis. It appears what the majority wants is to get everything they want. And it's - you can look at what's happened on the House side.

"When they don't get what they want, they change the rules."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/10/politics/10cnd-judges.html

[Leilani]

1. Great reply by Harry Reid

Also, good strategy...don't close it down, slow it down.

[sundancekid]

2. McCain's comments are good too...and, btw, Reid is from NV not NM

so, obviously, the NYT reporter needs a civics lesson apparently.