Nevada Senate 2010: Harry Reid Racks Up Republican Endorsements

JacklynD, I think you're a little confused.  

The issue isn't changing rule 22, although can be done, too.

It's not even about the number required for cloture, except tangentially.

Let's look at a couple of examples.  

One we've talked about already is a bill extending unemployment insurance benefits.  All senators who had out-of-work constituents would be for that bill, wouldn't you think?  And if they weren't for the bill, that would be a pretty good campaign issue (especially for Democrats), wouldn't you think?  

Or a bill that would create the Small Business Lending Fund Program to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to make capital investments in eligible institutions in order to increase the availability of credit for small businesses.  All senators who had constituents with small businesses would be for that bill, don't you think?  

But when the Senate Majority Leader goes to schedule them for a vote on the floor of the Senate, the Minority Leader (Mitch McConnell) says, "If you do, we're going to filibuster (endlessly debate)."

Harry Reid (Senate Majority Leader) then has two choices.  

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