The immigration bargain in the Senate is done, and although Democrats gave away far too much pork to grease the palms of Republican Senators, at least they actually did something. Now they have returned from yet another undeserved vacation, and business returns to confirming the nominees that the executive branch needs to function. Sadly, what will happen rests largely in the hands of one man.
With the July 4 recess over, the fireworks now begin for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
In the next month, the Nevada Democrat’s legacy as leader will be set with a decision on the so-called “nuclear option.”
Will he be the majority leader who allowed the Senate to sink into dysfunction in the face of Republican refusal to allow President Obama to select Cabinet members and judicial nominees? Or is he the majority leader who will be remembered for fighting back against the GOP’s strategy of obstruction through paralysis?
Time is running out for Reid to get any political value from calling for a vote to blow up the current 60-vote requirement to end filibusters. At the end of the month, the August recess will arrive and then comes September and the start of the Congress’ transition to the 2014 campaigns, further draining any remaining momentum from Obama’s reelection victory.
So, in the next three weeks Reid will have no choice but to take action or accept defeat. Having passed its immigration bill, the Senate now gets back to its failure to confirm the president’s nominee to run the Environmental Protection Agency, Gina McCarthy, and his choice for Labor secretary, Thomas Perez. In addition, the president has a nominee to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Richard Cordray — also waiting for Senate attention… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <The Hill>
Unfortunately I call Reid The Nevada Leg Hound, because he has made the wrong choice far too many times in the past. He has seemed infinitely willing to accept ‘gentlemen’s agreements’ from Republicans, which is the functional equivalent of accepting ‘Henhouse Security Agreements’ from foxes.
Here is Reid last May 18.
So here is the question. Will Reid finally grow a pair and nuke the filibastards, or will he do what he has almost always done in the past: hump a few Republican legs, beg for votes, whine, roll over and play dead?
10 Responses to “Nuclear Hopes and Fears”
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In order to have a viable "Gentleman's Agreement",at least two honorable people must be involved. That is an impossibility at the moment. Harry will continue to hump legs IMHO.
Sadly, Patty, I agree.
I am beginning to think that Harry Reid has dementia of some sort. He doesn't seem to recall that he has entered into "gentlemen's agreements" many times with McTurtle (and I dare say others), and each time those agreements have been broken by McTurtle. As Patty says, "In order to have a viable "Gentleman's Agreement",at least two honorable people must be involved. " McTurtle is NOT an honourable man (or turtle)!
Either that, or he is just plain insane. As Albert Einstein said ""Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
In management, most of the time one wants to be collegial and encourage staff to participate in decision making. But then there are those times when circumstances demand a dictator. Harry, you need to be a dictator (not just a dick) and kill the filibuster before it totally renders the people`s government dysfunctional and useless. Let`s face it, this is not the politicians` government, but the people`s government!
Leg-Hound Harry is a traditionalist. I think he sees any break with the traditions that no longer work with fear.
Also, His seat is in a Red-tinted purple state. Hw would have lost it, if he had been runniong against anyone but Sharon "Obtuse" Angle.
I fully agree.
I think it is clear that Reid does not want to change the filibuster rules. His talk is all appearance and no substance.
Sadly, that's exactly my point, Jerry.
When I quit laughing over the graphic, I read the post. I don't think Reid has it in him to fight and that is what it is going to take to out do the Republicans.
Edie, as an interesting side note, that is the first graphic I ever used at Care2.
As I understand, the small window has long passed to fix this fillibuster mess….
Yesterday would not be too soon!