Enough with the tough talk. Act.
After Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) decided to block the Senate from even discussing the budget bill while they were waiting for the cloture clock to tick down on the continuing resolution spending bill (a cloture clock made necessary by Sen. Kelly Ayotte's (R-NH) obstruction), Majority Leader Harry Reid once again
lamented the obstruction and once again hinted that he just might have to do something about it.
“It is things like that that will cause the Senate to have to reassess all the rules because right now they accomplish so little,” Reid said late Tuesday on the Senate floor. “I’m disappointed.”
Sen. Dick Durbin, majority whip, concurred.
“I supported Harry’s decision to try to work out a bipartisan agreement on the rules because I think it’s in the best interests of the institution, but I can tell you the abuse that we’ve seen since then is not encouraging at all,” Durbin told reporters. “I think we need to get back to regular order, and that means stopping the abuse of the filibuster.”
Here's the thing: If you're going to do it, do it. What Greg Sargent
says: "Empty threats make Dems look weak and do nothing to discourage continued GOP obstructionism." The last two months of Republican filibusters following the supposed "reform" they agreed to prove that. How much more is it going to take?
If you haven't already, please sign our petition to Harry Reid urging him to reopen rules reform.
More frustration and more discussion is ongoing in Ian Reifowitz's diary.