General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Do we really need the Senate Parliamentarian when we have the Senate President? [View all]AZProgressive
(29,322 posts)Biden Can Single-Handedly Run The Reconciliation Process: Parliamentarian Experts (VIDEO)
Two experts in the arcane rules of the Senate said on Monday that, as president of the Senate, Biden has the capacity not just to overrule any ruling that the parliamentarian may make but also to cut off efforts by Republicans to offer unlimited amendments.
Ultimately its the Vice President of the United States [who has the power over the reconciliation process], Robert Dove, who served as Senate parliamentarian on and off from 1981-2001, told MSNBC this morning. It is the decision of the Vice President whether or not to play a role here... And I have seen Vice Presidents play that role in other very important situations... The parliamentarian can only advise. It is the vice president who rules.
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_481031
The title Senate parliamentarian is so distinguished that one might easily assume it dates back to the 18th century. In fact, the post was created in 1935 in revolt against John Nance Garner, the vice president who famously said his office wasnt worth a bucket of warm piss and who apparently worked out his frustrations by rendering as president of the Senate questionable parliamentary rulings. Only three people held the post before Frumin and Doves 28-year do-si-do. According to Dove, Vice President Hubert Humphrey routinely ignored his parliamentarians advice. Might Vice President Joe Biden do the same with health care? Dove sees it as a more plausible prospect with Biden than it might be with other vice presidents because Biden (like Humphrey) is a former senator who can draw on personal familiarity with Senate procedure. Hes also (I would add) kind of a know-it-all, an annoying quality in many contexts but a potentially useful one here.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2009/09/romancing-alan-frumin-the-senate-parliamentarian.html
These articles are from when Biden was VP but the excerpts answers your question.