senator jeff merkley of oregon is in favor of the filibuster reform and he joins us tonight. senator, this filibuster has been around since 1857, why change it now? >> well, actually, ed, we're not planning to gut it, we're planning to make it do what we all think it does, that is if 41 folks say debate should continue, then the debate should continue. but you shouldn't be able to object, go home to dinner, take a vacation and never appear on the floor and explain to the american people. so if you say to be continued you need to be ready to have continuous debate on the floor, make your stand, give the american people the ability to say, hey, you're a hero or you're a bum, but not to just simply leave the senate paralyzed, unable do anything. >> so with today's politics it was really not intended to be a standard operating procedure of political tool to stop an agenda? >> no, that's right. this was all about making sure that every voice is heard before a decision is made but that courtesy has now been turned into a regular abusive practice. for example, on food safety, a bill

jeff merkley, they've been giving interviews for this subject for sometime. it was mostly liberal outlets. the rest of the media has not been taking it seriously. there is a disbelief any of this can happen. the strategy of this call today was this to come up tomorrow. it's very heated. unless people calm down a lot and have powerful smelling salts at home, democrats are going to come tomorrow looking for a way to change the way the senate has been. that's why they're going to have cloture votes possibly on saturday on the dream act and don't ask, don't tell. here's the thing that no one takes seriously. >> my sense about this is that the reason it feels like this is impossible is because senators are always so worked up. and people who comment on the senate and comment on politics are always so worked about the symptoms of the disease they can't possibly think about the disease itself. they're so upset about how dysfunctional the senate is. they're so wrapped up about what it takes to get through the senate, that they're unable to take the view of the senate

provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable jeff merkley, a senator from the state of oregon, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: daniel k. inouye, president pro tempore. mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: following leader remarks there will be a period of morning business with senators allowed to speak for up to ten minutes each. last night i filed cloture votes on two tax cuts amendments. those votes are expected to occur tomorrow. senators will be notified as to when these votes will be scheduled. i have not had the opportunity to meet with the republican leader. we'll do that and try to set up votes for as convenient a time as possible. mr. president, i hoped we would be able todom an agreement with republicans -- to come to an agreement to hold votes today on taxes for middle-class families. but the republicans wouldn't agree. democrats priorities are very clear, protecting middle-class families every way we can. tomorrow's votes will show where the republican priorities are and where

provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable jeff merkley, a senator from the state of oregon, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: daniel k. inouye, president pro tempore. mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: following leader remarks, if any, the senate will proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the new start treaty. the treaty is open to amendments. senators are encouraged to come to the floor to offer and debate their amendments, or to make statements regarding this most important piece of legislation. i'd like to begin today on having votes on the amendments amendments -- amendment that has been filed. as a reminder, last night, i filed cloture with respect to the house messages on the "dream" act and the don't ask, don't tell repeal. the first cloture vote will occur tomorrow morning fairly early. if cloture is not invoked on the "dream" act, the senate would proceed immediately to a cloture vote on the don't ask, don't tell repeal. senators will be notified when any vot