Will Harry Reid Go Thermonuclear?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid exercised the “nuclear option” late last year and took away one GOP obstructionist tactic – the “procedural filibuster.” It did not make the Republicans in the Senate behave in a more collegial manner:

Republicans in the Senate have been blocking an extension of unemployment benefits since December, filibustering every attempt by Majority Leader Harry Reid to restore benefits to the long-term unemployed. That’s just the latest example of ongoing Republican obstruction, added to a very, very long list of legislative efforts the GOP has stopped. In fact, since Democrats invoked the nuclear option on presidential nominees, Republicans have arguably become even more obstructive in retaliation.

Well, if the small tactical weapon didn’t work, it may be time for Reid to arm a strategic warhead.

Liberal groups are agitating for another round of filibuster reform, after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) controversial triggering of the nuclear option last year has done little to alleviate Senate gridlock.

A coalition of labor and liberal groups have pressed Reid to make additional changes to the Senate rules this year, something that senior Democratic aides say is very possible.

“We strongly urge Majority Leader Reid and Chairman [Patrick] Leahy [D-Vt.] to consider reforms to floor and committee rules that will hasten the confirmation of President Obama’s talented and qualified set of nominees,” they said in a statement.

The coalition, known as Fix the Senate Now, includes Alliance for Justice, the Communications Workers of America, Common Cause and the Sierra Club.

Reid is reluctant to provoke another confrontation with Republican colleagues over the rules, but he’s frustrated with the continued obstruction and needs the help of outside groups to turn out voters in the midterm elections.

“Reid is not afraid to go further and considers reform this year a real possibility,” said a senior Senate Democratic aide.

Minority leader Mitch McConnell should probably inform his caucus to keep their lead-lined underoos in close proximity.

By: dave-dr-gonzo

David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.

* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.