Reid’s floor maneuvers leave some Senate Democrats frustrated

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TheHill:

Some Democrats are grumbling over how Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has run the floor this year.

The frustration is felt mostly among junior lawmakers, who want more of a role in decision-making and have yet to resign themselves to the traditional pace of the Senate, where seniority rules and lawmakers often have to wait years to have significant influence.

 

They say Reid’s style leaves them feeling out of the loop.

Colleagues have second-guessed Reid’s decision to greenlight a deal with Republicans on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization bill.

Some have questioned his call to speed to the floor legislation prohibiting lawmakers from using non-public knowledge to benefit financially, which needed last-minute revision.

They are also grousing about the aborted plan to schedule a controversial proposal cracking down on Internet copyright infringement.

Senators credit Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Democrats’ chief message guru, with doing a good job of keeping the caucus on message. Members of the Democratic caucus have been loath to criticize their leadership during a tough election year, when control of the chamber hangs in the balance.

But complaints have bubbled up after leadership decisions in the first two weeks of the session left lawmakers scratching their heads.