[From article]
For most of the last four years, Democrat Harry Reid manipulated what was once the world’s greatest deliberative body for political purposes, not for the hard task of governing.
The House passed more than 300 bills but they mostly died from neglect in the Senate. What little legislation that made it to the floor crashed as Reid manipulated Senate rules to ban amendments and debate. When Republicans refused to bow to his tin-pot dictatorial rule, he accused them of obstructionism.
[. . .]
Reid also protected special interests. He did the bidding of trial lawyers and blocked passage of a patent reform bill with bipartisan support in Congress and backing from Obama and 500 high-tech companies.
[. . .]
One thing McConnell won’t be able to do is reverse the worst of Reid’s legacy — his undermining the independence and integrity of federal courts. A year ago he invoked the “nuclear option” to blow up the way the Senate confirms nominations to courts, with the exception — for now — of the Supreme Court.
Complaining that Republicans were blocking Obama’s judicial appointees, Reid twisted the Senate rules to end the filibuster, or requirement of at least 60 votes, to confirm nominations to life-time judgeships.
[. . .]
Reid’s legacy is nothing but wreckage: a dysfunctional Senate, hyper partisanship and long-term a threat to the integrity of the courts.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/
Reid leaves a legacy of wreckage
Steve Huntley November 7, 2014 1:58PM
Updated: November 9, 2014 2:32AM
