While I don't expect great results from this bipartisan effort, but Reid is seeing if the Republicans were the least bit receptive to any changes to the Filibuster before the Democrats raise the bar a little for for blocking Senate action.
Democrats Seek Changes to Senate Procedures
The Democrats would leave intact the ability of the minority party to filibuster legislation and nominations, meaning that in most cases it would still take 60 votes to get anything done. But they want to require senators to be on the floor if they intend to try to debate a bill to death and would make other changes to streamline the Senate’s operations, including ending the practice of secret "holds" by a single senator on legislation or nominees.
Republicans are likely to resist, and should no compromise be found, some Democrats are prepared to propose their own package of rules changes on the first day of the session. Doing so could touch off a bitter floor fight, escalate the already high partisan tensions in the chamber and hinder President Obama’s ability to advance legislation.
These could be the biggest changes to Senate Rules in 35 years.
The Times reports that most Democrats prefer a solution that is negotiated with the Republicans.
Mr. Biden could have to judge whether the Constitution and Senate precedents allow Democrats to use a simple majority vote to enact a rules change on the first day of Congress rather than gather the 67 votes typically required. Senate Democrats have consulted with Mr. Biden about their plans but say they have no sense of where he might come down, though as a member of the Senate for 36 years he would no doubt think carefully about any abrupt departure from tradition.
In recent weeks, Mr. Reid has been talking to Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, about potential rules revisions; Mr. Alexander has been consulting with Senator Charles E. Schumer, the New York Democrat who is chairman of the Rules Committee.
McConnell finds himself under an unaccustomed amount of pressure to agree to bigger changes than he might be conformable with or risk the Democrats exercising the Constitutional Option.
Democrats push to speed up slow Senate
If he can secure favorable parliamentary rulings from Vice President Joe Biden — who serves as president of the Senate — Udall then would use that leverage to press for three procedural changes, with 51 votes.
Those three proposals, which have received occasional support from GOP senators, include: elimination of the filibuster on motions to proceed to legislation; a "continuous debate" rule that would require opponents of legislation to engage in debate when they are filibustering a bill; and removal of secret "holds" that prevent legislation from moving to the Senate floor.
Although Schumer was careful about revealing his intentions during the hearings, the reform efforts position him to play a key role in crafting a deal. "Schumer is developing a menu of options and wants to proceed," congressional scholar Steven Smith said before the election. Smith, who testified and advised the panel during its hearings, said that "the current Senate stand-off gives protection to neither" majority or minority rights. As a result, "everyone is unhappy," he added.
The Times is reporting that while Republicans might agree to minor changes they are unlikely to agree to anything that makes much of a difference. That makes Democrats resorting to the Constitutional option likely. These negotiations will succeed or fail in the days following Christmas possibly making the opening of the new congress even more contentious than than the one that just ended.
Personally I these the proposed rule changes are rather weak reforms and I wish they went further. I would rather see the threshold for a Filibuster raised from its present 41 votes to 46 or 47 votes.