Senate Rules Reform Fight Likely To Be Drawn Out For Weeks

[Tx4obama]

Source: Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- Operatives leading the lobbying effort for Senate rules reform said Monday that they expect Democrats to delay consideration of the issue until late January in hopes of crystallizing final support for a package of fixes.

It has been widely anticipated that Senate Democratic leadership would make a dramatic attempt on Wednesday, the first day of the new Congress, to revamp the use of the filibuster. But in a brief interview with The Huffington Post, Shane Larson, the legislative director for the Communications Workers of America and a key player in a progressive coalition pushing for rules reform, said that the date for that drama could be pushed back until Jan. 24.

"We don't expect them to vote on this Wednesday or Thursday," said Larson. "They will not adjourn. They will recess, so when they return on the 24th it will still technically be the first day of the legislative session."

By delaying consideration of such a reform measure, Democrats will be giving themselves a larger window to build up support for a final package. The party, according to an operative working on the issue, will consider a variety of proposals this week, including one from Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who has championed a revision to filibuster rules that would decrease the 60-vote threshold over a series of votes. That approach is not expected to pass, but will serve as the "left flank" of the prospective proposals.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/03/senate-rules-reform-likely-delayed_n_803914.html

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So, apparently the 112th Congress 'technical' first day of the session is January 24th and not January 5th?
How screwy is that!

[elleng]

1. Sounds like their 'rules' will CONTINUE to drive us nuts, Tx4!

[NV Whino]

2. Gridlock

[Frank Booth]

3. Democrats Plan Push to Curtail Use of Filibusters

Source: NYTimes

WASHINGTON — A band of Senate Democrats signaled on Monday that it would press forward when Congress convenes this week with a proposal to curtail filibusters and other methods of slowing the chamber’s work, but a bit of procedural sleight-of-hand could delay any floor fight over the contentious rules changes until later in January.

Senator Tom Udall, Democrat of New Mexico, said that he intended to call for new limits on filibusters that would require senators to be on the floor if they seek to derail legislation. He and other Democrats, frustrated at Republicans’ ability to tie up the Senate, want to make it harder to erect other procedural obstacles as well.

Citing the Constitution and prior Senate rulings, Mr. Udall has argued that senators have the ability to change the chamber’s rules by a majority vote on the first day of the new Congress, which for the 112th Congress begins at noon Wednesday.

“I am intending on offering my constitutional option on the first day,” Mr. Udall said in a telephone interview as he prepared to return to Capitol Hill.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/us/politics/04cong.html

[Tx4obama]

4. Senator Merkley is on Rachel Maddow's Show explaining the January 24th vote n/t

[lonestarnot]

5. Whatever. Can't they just get their shit together. Haven't they learned how yet?

:crazy: