Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell Agree on Senate Filibuster Reform

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada)

ZZZZZ – Harry Reid couldn’t pull the trigger and the Senate is better for it.

Progressive senators working to dramatically alter Senate rules were defeated on Thursday, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and his counterpart, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), set to announce a series of compromise reforms on the Senate floor that fall far short of the demands. The language of the deal was obtained by HuffPost and can be read here and here.

The pressure from the liberal senators, led by Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley and backed by a major coalition of progressive groups, created the political space for Reid to cut the deal with McConnell, which includes changes to how the Senate operates but leaves a fundamental feature, the silent filibuster, in place.

OK, the Dems surrendered because the prudent ones know that what goes around, comes around.