Reid Democrats trigger ânuclearâ option; eliminate most filibusters on nominees
Harry M. Reid
The main combatants Thursday were the chamberâs two chiefs  Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)  who have clashed for several years over Republican filibusters of Obamaâs agenda and nominees.
Previous majorities had threatened to upend filibuster rules in this manner  but relying on a simple majority vote had been used only for relatively minor procedural changes to how amendments were handled  never to eliminate the superÂ­majority requirement altogether. Before Thursday  the standard precedent was that major rule changes needed a two-thirds majority. The change was so significant that  Reid  and  his  leadership team held a victory party with liberal activists afterward in a room just off the Senate floor.
After the vote   Reid  told reporters that  his  views on the issue had evolved â from eight years ago  when Republicans held the majority and  he  led the fight to protect the filibuster.  He  acknowledged that  he  wouldnât mind seeing the supermajority requirement abolished for everything but that there were not enough votes in  his  caucus to support such a move.
 Reid  first faced pressure on this issue from junior Democrats four years ago  particularly Sen. Jeff Merkley  a former speaker of the Oregon state House  who became the point person for growing the anti-filibuster movement. But  Reid  repeatedly rejected their effort as too radical.
Even if Republicans want to do away with the filibuster someday   Reid  said  Thursdayâs move was worth it because the current climate had become too hostile to get anything significant done.  Reid  said  he  faced a choice: âContinue like we are or have democracy?â
The main combatants Thursday were the chamberâs two chiefs  Majority Leader  [TGT]  (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)  who have clashed for several years over Republican filibusters of Obamaâs agenda and nominees.
Previous majorities had threatened to upend filibuster rules in this manner  but relying on a simple majority vote had been used only for relatively minor procedural changes to how amendments were handled  never to eliminate the superÂ­majority requirement altogether. Before Thursday  the standard precedent was that major rule changes needed a two-thirds majority. The change was so significant that  Reid  and  his  leadership team held a victory party with liberal activists afterward in a room just off the Senate floor.
After the vote   Reid  told reporters that  his  views on the issue had evolved â from eight years ago  when Republicans held the majority and  he  led the fight to protect the filibuster.  He  acknowledged that  he  wouldnât mind seeing the supermajority requirement abolished for everything but that there were not enough votes in  his  caucus to support such a move.
 Reid  first faced pressure on this issue from junior Democrats four years ago  particularly Sen. Jeff Merkley  a former speaker of the Oregon state House  who became the point person for growing the anti-filibuster movement. But  Reid  repeatedly rejected their effort as too radical.
Even if Republicans want to do away with the filibuster someday   Reid  said  Thursdayâs move was worth it because the current climate had become too hostile to get anything significant done.  Reid  said  he  faced a choice: âContinue like we are or have democracy?â