Add me to the “let them go nuclear” side. What good is the threat of filibuster if we know it’s just going to be yanked if we try to use it?
The filibuster was a tool to prevent tyranny of the majority and it only works if the majority accepts the idea that there should be no tyranny. We’re long past that point, so good riddance filibuster.
Good. With any luck, they’ll get rid of the hold while they’re at it, and each and every limitation on majority power and majority responsibility in the Senate. When our party retakes the senate, then maybe we can get things done.
The Rs have not, for over a decade now, let themselves be bound by any limits on their majority power in the Senate. They only let the limits stand because of their usefulness in deflecting responsibilty. If they wanted to block some wild scheme of Dubya’s, but leave the Ds’ fingerprints on the block, they graciously allowed the Ds to filibuster. But whenever they wanted to get anything done with only 51 votes, they cowed the Ds into not using the filibuster by threatening the nuclear option. \
Effectively, the filibuster is usable only by Rs. Why any D would want it to continue is beyond me.
And why not get it on the record now that when future Constitutional loophole opportunities arise, the Democrats will take advantage of it until we have the additional Supreme Court Justice that America voted for, both with a 4 year Obama term and a 3 million vote Democratic win over Trump. Let it be known now that when we exercise that loophole and the Republics complain, the response will be to sit down and STFU.
If the logic is “Republicans will destroy the SCOTUS filibuster if we use the SCOTUS filibuster”, then I got news for ya: the SCOTUS filibuster is already gone.
I’m sure Republicans would love the rule to be “You guys can’t use it, only we can use it. So you’d better not use it!” But that is of course absurd. Yet that is what they re in effect saying.
So filibuster. If they ‘go nuclear’, the filibuster was already dead. And if not, you get to stop a bad nominee!
But that is not “the logic,” and also not logical.
The Dems ARE filibustering Gorsuch.
Coons was opining on what he believes will happen as a result of the filibuster.
Its a minor point, but they actually aren’t. They are just going to hold firm and not give the necessary 60 votes required under current Senate rules to move his nomination forward. There will be no long winded speeches on the Senate floor for days/weeks.
McConnell won’t have the 60 votes, and will change the rules…in midsession…so that a simple majority is required and that will be that. Indeed, he could very likely reintroduce the rule at the start of the next Senate session (he will most likely still be Majority leader after 2018) and voila! republicans have their tool back to use in 2020 and beyond when they do lose the Senate and become the minority.
BTW, I personally don’t think McConnell will be around then. I am guessing if he can get 1 or 2 conservatives on the SCOTUS, he will retire instead of running in 2020.
Agreed. Also noting the irony of the “minority” party being the one whose candidates nationwide garnered many millions more votes than that of the “majority” party.
“I think it’s something that we have to consider. Harry Reid is the guy
who broke the dam,” Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said in February, referring
to the possibility that Republicans would change the Senate’s rules.
Reid broke a dam, not the dam. GOP obstruction left no choice.
Requiring 60 votes to move the nomination is a filibuster. Otherwise, it would only require 51 votes to move teh nomination.
When Yertle wants to invoke cloture, the 60 vote threshhold is, ipso facto, a filibuster.
Excellent, thanks!
No shit, Sherlock. It’s either now for something we believe in or later for something we believe in. Let’s do it now.
I have mixed feelings on the filibuster. Obviously it has been used to block many very harmful GOP policies and some terrible GOP nominees. On the other hand it has often been used to block much-needed legislation (and very often to force Democrats to weaken legislation), and to block well-qualified nominees.
Overall, I think the country would probably be better without it. Unfortunately, if the GOP jettisons it entirely (not just for SCOTUS nominees, but for legislation as well) with GOP majorities in Congress and Trump in the White House, this may allow the GOP to enact some really harmful policies.
The silver lining in that cloud is that if the Dems leave the filibuster on the trash heap (which they certainly should if the GOP tosses it there), then when Dems win back the Congress and presidency they will be able to more easily reverse harmful GOP policies and more easily enact a progressive agenda.
The cloud in that silver lining is that some damage is irreversible, such as people who die prematurely because of GOP policies.
Well duh, the Dems are readying themselves for that because they know it’ll probably happen eventually.
Hopefully the Senate Democrats will be smart enough to simply let Gorsuch win or lose on a straight up or down majority vote. Otherwise, they will lose more than gained.
Of course, that assumes they’re smaty enough. Sad.
This will be the first time in the age of social media that such a thing will be tried. As much attention is being paid to this, Dems should show America they will go down swing leaving Republicans looking like they crammed this guy down our throats.
This issue will hopefully bring more attention the fact that republicans refused for over a year to vote on Garland.
Forget the filibuster. This whole thing needs to be put aside until the investigation of Trump’s collusion and espionage is complete. The Supreme court has functioned just fine for the past year.
The Dems need a consistent message about the Supreme Court nomination.
Be pissed and vocal about the GOP’s unconstitutional theft of a seat last year but continue to govern.
The message needs to be THIS simple…
Offer a truly moderate nominee and we will vote for them. Any other and we will filibuster.
That’s it. No other talking point than this on the SC.
Sorry, typo - was trying to point out that many more millions of Americans voted for Senate Democratic candidates, than they did Senate R candidates - yet Ds are somehow the “minority” party.
This has been obvious to everyone except elected Democrats for years now. Is there lead in the DC water supply or something?
They took my call. I announced my name and that I wasn’t from Delaware and made the argument I made here: if we don’t use the filibuster our nominees need 6o votes and theirs only need 51 and he needed to stand strong. I added that Gorsuch was cruel and literal minded. She said she would pass it along.
Great, thanks!
Dialing…