Harry Reid considers changes to the filibuster

Reforms include actually making Senators stand on the Senate floor and speak

Sen. Harry Reid is signaling that he may change the rules of the Senate regarding the filibuster. While such a move would be drastic, it is nevertheless necessary to improve the function of that chamber, and of Congress overall.

Senate Republicans have abused the power of the filibuster. They have taken advantage of a Senate rule that was intended to give minority-party protection, and instead have used it to prevent any action on any bill proposed by the president or his party, which currently controls the chamber.

Or, at least they would, if given the right to do so.

In the past Congressional term, Republicans have used the filibuster to change the Senate from one of representative democratic rule to that of minority control. That is, instead of allowing the chamber to function as it normally would -- with occasional filibusters on matters of grave concern -- Republicans have wielded the power of the filibuster to prevent ANY bill, any policy, government appointment, or jobs plan, that the Democrats put forth, most of the time preventing those things from even being debated on.

The Republicans don’t run the Senate -- the Democrats are meant to. They were put in office by the people across the nation to run the upper house of Congress. But Republicans won’t let them.

It’s no wonder why Congress has such low approval ratings -- when bills can’t even be introduced, let alone be passed, by the party with majority control, deadlocking the process of government itself, the will of the people cannot be addressed.

What Sen. Reid is proposing is doing away with filibusters during the opening stages of debate. That is, when the bill is first proposed for full floor consideration, the vote for consideration cannot be blocked by a filibuster -- a simple majority vote will allow for consideration.

After that, Reid says, the filibuster would remain in place. The only other changes that might take place is that Reid might make the filibuster become AN ACTUAL FILIBUSTER, meaning senators would actually have to speak on the Senate floor.

Imagine that: filibuster reform that would actually make senators filibuster. I take back what I said earlier: Harry Reid’s reforms wouldn’t be that drastic after all.