Harry Reid Plotting to Abolish the Filibuster

By: Daniel Horowitz (Diary)  |  January 7th, 2013

There is no breathing room this year for those of us who fight endless GOP capitulations in Washington.  Within the first few weeks of the new session, we must confront a grave assault on the Filibuster in the Senate.  Harry Reid is plotting some version of the “nuclear option” to limit the filibuster when the Senate convenes to adopt the rules package for the new Congress.  It essentially works like this.  Every rules change in the Senate requires a 67-vote threshold to adopt the change.  Harry Reid is offering the absurd argument that the Senate is not a continuous body, and is therefore not governed by the rules of the previous session on the first day of the new Congress (before the rules package is adopted).  With that in mind, he plans to abolish the filibuster on “the motion to proceed” and limit the minority’s ability to offer amendments when they vote on the rules package.  He plans to do this with a simple majority vote.   Although the Senate already convened last Thursday, Reid used a parliamentary procedure blocking any adjournment of the Senate, so that the body will technically remain in its first “legislative day.”   This will provide him with the opportunity to pull the trigger later this month.  To Read More……