Reid leaves Senate with few regrets
By Gary Martin, Las Vegas Review-Journal
WASHINGTON — Harry Reid didn’t start the partisan polarization that has stymied Congress in recent years. But he played a central role in sharpening the tone of discourse on Capitol Hill, dividing lawmakers and eroding the collegiality that once was a hallmark of the U.S. Senate.
In that atmosphere, Reid is stepping down from leadership and leaving the chamber with few regrets — and an armful of legislative victories from three decades of serving the Democratic caucus and his home state of Nevada.
His legacy includes the Affordable Care Act, a major Senate rule change on filibusters and success in blocking nuclear waste shipments to Yucca Mountain — to name just a few accomplishments.
At age 77, Reid remains irascible, unrepentant but humbled.