"Harry Reid sure sounds serious about filibuster reform"

Harry Reid sure sounds serious about filibuster reform
By Greg Sargent

There's been a lot of speculation of late that Harry Reid -- under attack from Republicans -- may flinch from supporting the filibuster reform package that Senate Dem reformers have just unveiled. But in remarks on the Senate floor moments ago, he did sound pretty serious about making real reform a reality.

I've also got some new intel from Senate aides on how Reid views the path forward -- in particular, they say Reid still reserves the right to pass these reforms by simple majority. But first, Reid's remarks on the floor:

In the entire 19th century, the Senate saw fewer than, 12, a dozen filibusters. Now we see that many in a single month...Rather than offer amendments to improve legislation or compromise for the greater good -- as members of this body have done for generations -- the current minority has offered amendments simply to waste time, to delay us from proceeding to a bill or to score political points. The American people love government but they don't like too much politics in government.

These rules are central to the Senate, but they are not sacrosanct. Senate procedures and rules have changed since the Senate was founded at the beginning of this century. Those decisions have never been made without great deliberation, and no future change should be made any differently...

Here's the bottom line: We may not agree yet on how to fix the problem - but no one can credibly claim problems don't exist. No one who has watched this body operate since the current minority took office can say it functions just fine. That wouldn't be true, it would be dishonest. No one can deny that the filibuster has been used for purely political reasons -- reasons far beyond those for which this protection was invented and intended.

The key here is Reid's point that there's precedent for changing Senate rules, and that the primary condition for so doing is that it be done with great deliberation. This is why Reid is negotiating with Republicans in the quest for a possible deal on reform, a senior Senate Dem aide tells me. "This is a major change," the aide says. "Both sides have to have a role in the dialog."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2011/01/harry_reid_sure_sounds_serious.html