Early this year I wrote a piece called “Fila-Nothing: Sold Majority Up the River” which was article about how Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid single handily failed to address the long-standing, 60-vote threshold for halting filibuster procedures used to prolong legislative voting or even debate on the floor. Well it looks like Senator Reid is back at it again and this time it’s personal. With a handful of contentious presidential nominees including two cabinet positions, Senate Democrats are prepared to muscle through a controversial change to the chamber’s filibuster rules. As early as today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is vowing to change by 51 votes to the filibuster rules for executive branch nominees ONLY, if he cannot reach an accord with his Republican colleague and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Yesterday evening, closed-door meetings shockingly in the ornate old Senator chamber of the Capitol, the two parties went back and forth over a series of proposals to avert the unprecedented “nuclear option” as it is termed. Senator McConnell hinted a possibility that Reid could get what he wanted which are enough votes to confirm seven presidential nominees awaiting action by the Senate but there was a catch: Senator Reid would have to drop his threat to employ the nuclear option and leave the filibuster rules as is.
By late Monday night there was still no deal reached and according to Politico Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) said Democrats “will have a majority” to push through a rules change if a deal cannot be reached.
This fight is centered around Obama nominees who have yet to pass muster with Republicans, including Richard Cordray to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Richard Griffin, Sharon Block and Mark Pearce to serve on the National Labor Relations Board, which handles disputes between business and labor. Block, Griffin and Cordray were installed by Obama using his recess appointment authority in 2012 when the Senate was in a pro forma sessions. That move is now at the center of Supreme Court litigation which may not get reviewed until next summer. Republican have been outspoken about their respect and confidence in Richard Cordray but disagree with his position at the newly created bureau, continuing to push their efforts to dismantle an bureau created to protect the people who were most venerable to financial turmoil in 2008.
Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin said Monday night in the old Chamber, “we’ve got the 51 votes”.
However, as of last night a deal was not reached which means the controversy is expected to reach a boiling as early as this morning when Reid is expected to force a vote on seven executive branch nominees.
Related articles
- The Senate Is On The Verge Of Going ‘Nuclear’ – Here’s What That Means (businessinsider.com)
- Senate reaches tentative deal on filibuster rules (washingtonpost.com)
- Senate heads toward ‘nuclear’ showdown on filibuster rules (www.nbcnews.com)
