Sen. Tim Kaine’s first vote comes on filibuster reform that doesn’t really reform the filibuster

Tim Kaine’s first vote as U.S. Senator from Virginia was a good one and an easy one to make as he voted in favor of a compromise ‘hammered’ out by Sen.s Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell that reforms the filibuster in the senate (kind of).[1]

Said Kaine, “I was honored tonight to cast my first vote as the Commonwealth’s newest U.S. Senator and I’m pleased it comes in favor of a measure to reduce some of the gridlock that has frustrated all Virginians.”[2]

Of course, the filibuster reform doesn’t actually reform the filibuster, at least not much. According to The Washington Post, “The new rules will essentially short-circuit one filibuster vote during the “motion to proceed” to a bill, when the chamber begins considering legislation.”[3] In layman’s terms, the so-called filibuster reform will block small groups of legislators from upending legislation in its initial stage while leaving the “60-vote hurdle” in place that left-leaning Democrats hoped to reform.

In essence, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid didn’t want to change the rules of the game in the senate. According to Reid, “I’m not personally, at this stage, ready to get rid of the 60-vote threshold.”[4] I guess you have to tip your hat to him on principles (or naiveté).

Attempts to place Reid’s motives seem as worthwhile as digging through sand for gold. The bottom line is that Reid has demonstrated again that the liberal agenda is not a heaping portion of his political plate.

For the newly christened Sen. Kaine, the vote still comes off as a win, even if the win counts for little relative to what was hoped for.

Sen. Kaine was also tested on another important issue, the Keystone XL pipeline[5]. His comrade, Sen. Warner, played his hand and it wasn’t a good one. Another strike for Sen. Warner and another check in the plus column for Sen. Kaine.

So far, Sen. Kaine is 2 for 2 in the big issues category. Let’s hope he keeps up his perfect scoring percentage in the senate!

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[1] http://luraypagefreepress.com/2013/01/25/kaine-casts-first-vote-in-u-s-senate-in-favor-of-filibuster-reform/

[2] http://www.kaine.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=339397

[3] http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-leaders-reach-deal-modifying-filibuster-procedures/2013/01/24/48a8ca16-6648-11e2-85f5-a8a9228e55e7_story.html?hpid=z1

[4] http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-leaders-reach-deal-modifying-filibuster-procedures/2013/01/24/48a8ca16-6648-11e2-85f5-a8a9228e55e7_story.html?hpid=z1

[5] http://bluevirginia.us/diary/8569/senator-mark-warner-signs-letter-pushing-keystone