Apparently this post needs clarification for all you folks too busy following the news of the untimely passing of some Australian actor fellow.
First of all, Harry Reid isn't filibustering anything. He wants to hastily pass the warrantless wiretapping bill that grants retroactive immunity to telecoms for breaking US law for a period of about five years.
Second, Harry Reid has not forced the minority Republicans from actually filibustering any of the 62 times they forced cloture votes. Essentially, he let them have their way without actually taking to the floor and filibustering.
Third, Harry Reid has honored the "holds" of Republican senators on legislation that would have otherwise passed the Senate quite easily. A "hold" allows a single Senator to block a piece of legislation from moving to the floor of the Senate and is honored by the majority leader as a matter of comity. Reid has honored the holds of Tom Coburn on several pieces of popular legislation.
All of that serves as background to the fact that Reid is now (1) refusing to honor the holds placed on the warrantless surveillance bill by Senator Dodd, although he honors Republican holds and (2) is threatening to force an actual filibuster by Senate Democrats, where Senators have to take to the floor of the Senate and read from the phone book for hours on end until a cloture vote passes or the bill is withdrawn.
In short, he is acting like a total fuck towards the members of his caucus whereas he treats the minority caucus with kid gloves.
