Harry Reid Unleashes Mayhem On Senate Floor

[Purveyor]

Majority Leader Harry Reid might make his critics a bit more careful about what they wish for.

Republicans and some Democrats have long begged Reid to loosen his grip on Senate procedure and let more senators have a say on the shape of important bills.

Now he’s promising to do just that on a controversial intelligence bill, but his detractors might not realize what else they’ve bargained for: The potential for mayhem on the Senate floor.

If the Senate votes on Tuesday to advance major intelligence reform legislation, Reid will not use a procedural maneuver to block consideration of amendments to the USA Freedom Act, a bill written by Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) that would end bulk data collection of phone records and create new privacy safeguards for citizens, Democratic sources said on Tuesday afternoon.

The move could give senators like Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who oppose the bill, a significant platform to showcase their opposition. Paul has said he thinks the package does not go far enough to curb government surveillance.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/harry-reid-mayhem-senate-floor-112964.html#ixzz3JNy1pmet

[longship]

1. Perfect. Let loose the dogs of war, Harry.

Hoist them on their own petard.

R&

[Ykcutnek]

2. Harry is one savvy cat. nt

[JDPriestly]

3. This is a story to watch. The Congress needs to make rules for the intelligence community to folow,

rules that protect the constitutional rights of Americans and our constitutional form of government.

[redruddyred]

4. progressives and libertarians share common ground on this issue.

no reason we can't work together every once in a while.