# Harry Reid: Filibuster Reform Will Be Pursued In The Next Congress **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 9, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513 "2012-11-09T19:46:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/121 "2013-01-26T15:49:47Z")
> [@2sense](#): > > Reid can’t push for stronger reform if he doesn’t have the votes in his own conference. Remember, the filibuster doesn’t just empower the Minority. It also empowers individual Senators because it takes fewer of them to reject a bill or nominee. With the filibuster Senators are more often in a position to extract favors. > **[Mercury News editorial: Harry Reid squanders opportunity for filibuster reform](https://www.mercurynews.com/2013/01/24/mercury-news-editorial-harry-reid-squanders-opportunity-for-filibuster-reform/)** > > Mercury News editorial: Harry Reid squanders opportunity for filibuster reform > [@](#): > > Reid said Wednesday that he had the 51 votes to pass a “talking filibuster” rule, which would have required a senator to continuously hold the floor if he or she wants to hold up legislation. This is the filibuster famously depicted by Jimmy Stewart in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” The goal was to make the filibuster harder, not eliminate it. Reid couldn’t even do that despite having the votes. Like I said, I think this is all a big con game so the dems can pretend to want to pass progressive agenda but pretend the filibuster is the reason they can’t. ---
**Author:** ![2sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e47774/32.png) [@2sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2sense)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/122 "2013-01-26T17:18:14Z")
It’s not in the interests of individual Senators to make it harder to extract favors. And the “talking filibuster” is a fantasy. Like many fantasies it’s a heartwarming tale but it just doesn’t fit the real world. The only way the Senate could require it would be by abandoning the fiction that debate has any meaning and thus destroying the philosophical justification for the filibuster in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/123 "2013-01-26T19:32:15Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > We ALL know who’s going to enact filibuster reform. The Republicans, if and when they get a majority in Congress. Count on it. Yeah, I’m getting a little tired of the Democrats pursuing unilateral disarmament. An opportunity has been squandered. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/124 "2013-01-27T17:30:38Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Then why didn’t they last time they were in power? Sadly the GOP of 2004 was more moderate than the GOP of 2013. George W Bush used to talk about things like tolerance for muslims or reaching out to hispanics, things that are considered liberal in todays GOP. Filibuster abuse didn’t start in earnest until 2007 anyway, so there was no real incentive back in 2004. If the GOP wins in 2016 I’d give it a good chance they abolish/limit the filibuster. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/125 "2013-01-27T23:19:08Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > If the GOP wins in 2016 I’d give it a good chance they abolish/limit the filibuster. If the GOP wins the Senate and the Presidency, they will abolish the fillibuster and add 5 Justices to the USSC. Anything to keep power. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/126 "2013-01-28T00:11:30Z")
Inflating the court won’t help them keep power-- That’d be _too_ transparent, and would result in a hue and cry that couldn’t be ignored. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/127 "2013-01-28T09:16:47Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Sadly the GOP of 2004 was more moderate than the GOP of 2013. George W Bush used to talk about things like tolerance for muslims or reaching out to hispanics, things that are considered liberal in todays GOP. Filibuster abuse didn’t start in earnest until 2007 anyway, so there was no real incentive back in 2004. > > If the GOP wins in 2016 I’d give it a good chance they abolish/limit the filibuster. That’s sadly true, but at the same time if the GOP were to come back to power it’d have to be more moderate. In addition, the GOP leadership would at that point probably be looking ahead to the next time they’ll be in the minority and need a filibuster. > [@Zakalwe](#): > > If the GOP wins the Senate and the Presidency, they will abolish the fillibuster and add 5 Justices to the USSC. Anything to keep power. That would require a “perfect storm” of control in the House, Senate, and the Presidency along with retirements in the Supreme Court (ie highly unlikely). ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/128 "2013-01-28T12:41:50Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > If the GOP wins the Senate and the Presidency, they will abolish the fillibuster and add 5 Justices to the USSC. Anything to keep power. They won’t have to stack the court. Ginsburg will retire before 2016, giving Obama the opportunity to maintain the SC status quo ongoing. Breyer probably should as well, but I don’t know if he will. Kennedy & Scalia will retire after 2016 if a Republican gets the presidency. If that plays out, status quo will be maintained, and it will be a conservative court for another few terms. If Breyer doesn’t retire before 2016 and we get 8 years of a Republican president, then the conservatives might even gain another seat. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/129 "2013-01-29T03:28:43Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > That would require a “perfect storm” of control in the House, Senate, and the Presidency along with retirements in the Supreme Court (ie highly unlikely). Why would it require retirements? In my scenario, the GOP could add 40 Justices to the USSC roster. They would, of course, have to face the voters afterwards, but… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/130 "2013-01-29T04:21:04Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I think he might have the votes by the beginning of next session. It’s never “jam today,” is it? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/131 "2013-01-29T07:15:03Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Why would it require retirements? In my scenario, the GOP could add 40 Justices to the USSC roster. They would, of course, have to face the voters afterwards, but… If FDR couldn’t do it despite having a virtual supermajority in both houses of Congress and a tidal wave of public anger at the “Nine Old Men”, nobody can do it. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/132 "2013-02-25T16:43:57Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > The Bush tax cuts are due to expire again. I want them expired. I want the Senate to revoke the filibuster opening day. I want a resolution restoring the tax cuts for the 98% of Americans with lowest income. > > I want the Democrats to go on the Letterman show and everywhere else every night to point out that it is the Republican who refuse to lower taxes on 98% of Americans. > > Anything less and I will withdraw my support from the right-of-center Democrats and seek viable centrist candidates (if U.S. politics has room for such a fringe). “I told you so.” And removal of debt-ceiling obstruction should have been a must-have for any December deal. I’m reluctant to abandon support for America’s right-wing party however. The alternative – turning the asylum over to the inmates – might be amusing if America were a third-rate banana republic, but seems unfunny for the world’s superpower. Too bad about _Occupy Wall Street_. If America’s obituary is written in the near future, OWS may be seen as America’s final wasted chance, failing because America’s Middle was just too comfortable, playing on its iPhones, to care. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/133 "2013-11-21T19:54:50Z")
Harry Reid detonates the Nuclear Option: > **[Senate Democrats Detonate 'Nuclear Option' To Curb Filibusters](https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/11/21/246539731/will-senate-democrats-deploy-the-nuclear-option)** > > The change makes it much harder for Republicans to filibuster many of President Obama's nominees. And pundit heads all across Washington are spinning! ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/134 "2013-11-21T20:07:41Z")
About time. How many times did Reid and McConnell make a deal to avoid filibuster reform only to see McConnell break the deal shortly thereafter. Lucy can only pull the ball away from Charlie Brown so many times before Charlie kicks her square in the ass. The scope was limited, it doesn’t fix Supreme Court nominees or legislation. But a baby step in the right direction. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/135 "2013-11-21T20:10:03Z")
Chris Christie is smiling right now. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/136 "2013-11-21T20:11:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Chris Christie is smiling right now. So he’s not seeing any teachers today? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/137 "2013-11-21T20:16:54Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Chris Christie is smiling right now. Why? Do you think the American public is mad at Congress for doing too much? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/138 "2013-11-21T20:19:33Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Chris Christie is smiling right now. Does he think pork barrel projects will come through how? Will he finally get that gravy pipeline built? Or are we going to go through a phase where every event that happens anywhere in the world will be interpreted as good news for Christie? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/139 "2013-11-21T20:36:44Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Why? Do you think the American public is mad at Congress for doing too much? No. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513/140 "2013-11-21T20:46:14Z")
After Bush packed the courts with right-wing loonies, Obama tries to appoint centrist judges and is informed _in so many words_ that no judges at all need be appointed until a Republican sits in the White House. And it is the _Democrats_ who are accused of “going nuclear.” :smack: :rolleyes: 😕 If present-day politics were a fictional story, publishers would turn it down as unbelievable. My regret is that the Democrats didn’t kill the filibuster completely. With this precedent does anyone believe for a moment that the GOP will _not_ “go nuclear” on any filibuster that displeases them when they’re back in control? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-reid-filibuster-reform-will-be-pursued-in-the-next-congress/640513.md?page=8)