All we ever hear about Senate rules, is how some obscure rule is holding up something good. Senate rules were started by Southern Democrats looking for ways to block abolitionist legislation before the Civil War. Southern democrats carried on this disgraceful tradition in the 1950's looking for ways to block civil rights legislation. Then the "rules" were expanded to block Supreme Court appointments, all federal judge appointments, and pretty much anything. It got so bad that they couldn't muster the votes to pass the federal budget. Harry Reid (former Democrat Senate majority leader) had to create a new "rule" called reconciliation to allow the budget to pass on a simple majority, rather getting hung up going for 60 votes. Today the Republicans are trying to use "reconciliation" to repeal Obamacare by a simple majority. Which is why they didn't put interstate sale of insurance in it. "Reconciliation" can only be used for budget matters Later Harry created another rule allowing appointments ( except Supreme Court) to pass on a simple majority. And the Senate has "rules" requiring 60 votes in order to bring a bill to the floor, and then 60 votes to pass it. In short the Senate spends half it's votes, voting to have a vote. Senators can vote one way on one vote, the other way on the other vote, and tell their constituents that he voted their way, for or against, what ever the voter wants to hear. And there are secret "blackball" rules that allow a single Senator to blackball a nomination to anything. They keep Senator Blackball's name secret too.
Let's scrap all the existing Senate rules. Every Senator gets to submit one (or maybe more) bills, that will come to the floor for debate and a vote. All votes are simple majority. Every nomination comes to the floor for a vote within 14 days of the nomination. Senator's may no longer talk on the floor as long as they please.
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