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Senate approves nuclear option

pbrauer

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Harry Reid finally comes through

The Senate has voted to change its rules so that a simple majority is required to confirm judicial nominations and executive branch picks — the so-called “nuclear option.”
The final vote was 52-48. The previous threshold was 60 votes to bring such nominations to a final up-or-down vote.
“The threshold for cloture on nominations not including the Supreme Court, is now a majority,” Sen Pat Leahy (D-Vt.), the Senate president pro temp, declared after the vote.
Three Democrats voted with Republicans against the change: Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Mark Pryor (D-Ark.). Levin is a longtime senator; Manchin and Pryor come from red states.
Shortly after the vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) office sent around a memo noting that the Senate has changed its procedures using a majority vote 18 times since 1977. Republicans, though, note that none of the changes rise to the level of today’s change.

Senate approves nuclear option
 
Levin realizes this move may very well come back to bite them in the butt in the near future.
 
Finally the Senate is a step closer to it's constitutional mandate which reserves super majorities for specific things, not everything.

He should've done this 3 years ago.
 
Levin realizes this move may very well come back to bite them in the butt in the near future.
There should be no reason to require 60+ votes for a Presidential nomination. NONE. Finally Harry Reid had the balls to tell the Republicans to stick it where the sun doesn't shine.
 
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And when you lose both houses and the presidency soon, I don't want to hear a thing from you. Paybacks are hell.
 
Levin realizes this move may very well come back to bite them in the butt in the near future.

It will. However, I approve of that. For presidential appointments, I do not think it should take 60 votes and I do not think ideology should be used to block appointments, and both those go either way. It is a game both sides play, and it really does need to stop. Unless there is something major with an appointment, some ethics violations, clearly unqualified, something like that, then the president does get to pick. That is entirely appropriate, and it does not matter who is president. I did not support and disagreed with the blocking of Bush nominations(and it happened, bigtime) either. Maybe if the two parties stopped trying to **** each other over at every turn, things would not be so ****ed up.
 
It's about time Harry.
There will never be a payback.
Even if, by some weird turn of events the republicons regain a senate majority...Democrats don't filibuster presidential appointments.
That is a republicon thing .
The party of mass obstruction is losing it's grip.
 
So Harry Reid proved himself a fraud when he said he would never support removing the filibuster rule. I hope these justices are worth it, because when the GOP retakes the Senate there will be hell to pay. Changing the rules to get what you want is such a pattern for the democrats that they have hastened the day they are removed from control
 
I guess balance in power isn't important. Why not just let one party rule? I see nothing wrong with it at all. :roll:

I wonder what they plan to do if they ever lose the Senate? Cry? :lamo
 
Harry Reid finally comes through

The Senate has voted to change its rules so that a simple majority is required to confirm judicial nominations and executive branch picks — the so-called “nuclear option.”
The final vote was 52-48. The previous threshold was 60 votes to bring such nominations to a final up-or-down vote.
“The threshold for cloture on nominations not including the Supreme Court, is now a majority,” Sen Pat Leahy (D-Vt.), the Senate president pro temp, declared after the vote.
Three Democrats voted with Republicans against the change: Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Mark Pryor (D-Ark.). Levin is a longtime senator; Manchin and Pryor come from red states.
Shortly after the vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) office sent around a memo noting that the Senate has changed its procedures using a majority vote 18 times since 1977. Republicans, though, note that none of the changes rise to the level of today’s change.

Senate approves nuclear option

So much for protect minority rights, perhaps the dems only protect minority rights when it suits them to do so. We are moving closer and closer to rule by the majority and a direct democracy. Where 50% plus 1 vote can have their way over the other 50% less 1 vote. I am disappointed, but not surprised or shocked. This is just another precedence set by a Democrat that those very same Democrats will come back hollering at the top of their lungs when in the majority, the Republicans return the favor.

Bask in the glory is all I can say, because what goes around will come around. I would say as of today the Republican's have a 50-50 shot at gaining control of the Senate in 2014. It looks like Montana, West Virginia, South Dakota and Arkansas will change from Dem to Rep, then 2 of 3 of the following states, NC, AK and LA would give them control. These last three are in the toss up column today whereas the other 4 are in the lean Rep column. Interesting, I wonder how loud you will holler when the GOP uses Reid's precedence when they gain control? I fully expect you to support them in the same manner you are supporting Reid today. To do otherwise would be hypercritical and just show one is playing petty politics.

In reality, this single vote doesn't bother me that much. I am just fearful of what will follow. I can see such things happening in the future if the GOP were to win the presidency in 2016 and gained the control of the senate of repealing the ACA by simple majority vote, by repealing the highest tax bracket by simple majority vote, by repealing any democratic legislation they don't like by simple majority vote. The precedence has been set.
 
And when you lose both houses and the presidency soon, I don't want to hear a thing from you. Paybacks are hell.
As if! The GOP have literally done NOTHING legislatively since President Obama has been elected especially during his 2nd term. This is GREAT because finally the Senate can get some work done. The GOP strategy to block EVERYTHING will backfire far more than the change to the filibuster rule. It's so much fun watching the GOP beat each other up day after day after day...

All anyone has to do if you want to be objective is look at the amount of filibusters since Obama became President versus the rest of American history to know how the GOP have abused the rule and now, finally, there's an end to their destroy Obama at all costs tactic - at least for nominations. They will, of course, continue to oppose any legislation from the Democrats even if the majority of House members would pass the bill if put up for a vote, i.e. ENDA, Immigration Reform etc.
 
It's about time Harry.
There will never be a payback.
Even if, by some weird turn of events the republicons regain a senate majority...Democrats don't filibuster presidential appointments.

You are being facetious, right?

Tell me more about Ambassador Bolton?
 
It will. However, I approve of that. For presidential appointments, I do not think it should take 60 votes and I do not think ideology should be used to block appointments, and both those go either way.

If ideology is being used to pick the individuals I see nothing wrong with using ideology to block them. Unless of course you want to argue these individual aren't liberals and aren't being picked because they are liberals. :lamo
 
So Harry Reid proved himself a fraud when he said he would never support removing the filibuster rule. I hope these justices are worth it, because when the GOP retakes the Senate there will be hell to pay. Changing the rules to get what you want is such a pattern for the democrats that they have hastened the day they are removed from control
Harry Reid didn't remove Senate rule 22, he just made it a simple majority vote for presidential appointments.

 
You are being facetious, right?

Tell me more about Ambassador Bolton?

Gee you think it would have been a smart thing to appoint someone to be our UN Ambassador who is against the UN as a body? The genius of GW Bush is never to be overlooked....
 
Harry Reid didn't remove Senate rule 22, he just made it a simple majority vote for presidential appointments.



No he removed the rule to get what he wants. The Senate has just been gridlocked. Good bye bipartisanship there. Goodbye getting anything out of the House. Hello Government Shutdown II.
 
It will. However, I approve of that. For presidential appointments, I do not think it should take 60 votes and I do not think ideology should be used to block appointments, and both those go either way. It is a game both sides play, and it really does need to stop. Unless there is something major with an appointment, some ethics violations, clearly unqualified, something like that, then the president does get to pick. That is entirely appropriate, and it does not matter who is president. I did not support and disagreed with the blocking of Bush nominations(and it happened, bigtime) either. Maybe if the two parties stopped trying to **** each other over at every turn, things would not be so ****ed up.

Blame it on the two current leaders in the senate, Reid and McConnell. Think back to Mitchell and Dole or even Lott and Daschle. You can go way back. But never has there been a Senate Majority leader table almost every bill the Republicans House sends to them and never has the filibuster been used as much. Reid and McConnell both bask in the glory of stopping the other parties legislation instead of compromising, give and take and working together to come to solutions. I think it is a bad precedence that will come back someday and bite the Democrats right in the butt. But like you, I do not like to see the filibuster used to block presidential appointments, they deserve an up or down vote.

But I also do not like seeing minority rights stripped away either. This makes the Democrats look hypercritical when it comes to minority rights. The protect them as long as it suits their political agenda, toss them in the trash can when it doesn't. I will never view that party in the same light as protecting minority rights as I use to.

I have to go pick up the granddaughter from school. I shall return. This thread could get interesting.
 
Gee you think it would have been a smart thing to appoint someone to be our UN Ambassador who is against the UN as a body? The genius of GW Bush is never to be overlooked....

So you're saying the filibuster has a purpose. :lol: That's kind of funny considering your "I want stuff done without anyone standing in my way" stance.
 
You are being facetious, right?

Tell me more about Ambassador Bolton?
You are the one who must be facetious... ONE Democratic filibuster as opposed to how many republicon filibusters?
Weigh the tally of filibusters on both sides and tell me what party has abused the filibuster.
 
And when you lose both houses and the presidency soon, I don't want to hear a thing from you. Paybacks are hell.

Too late to call hypocrisy. Your guys were bitching about fillibusters non-stop when Democrats were blocking Bush appointments.
 
It's about time Harry.
There will never be a payback.
Even if, by some weird turn of events the republicons regain a senate majority...Democrats don't filibuster presidential appointments.
That is a republicon thing .
The party of mass obstruction is losing it's grip.

They don't? Really? Is this just another example of revisionist history, typical liberal/progressive meme. Nevertheless, exactly why did the nuclear option get so much attention when Frist was the Senate majority leader?...here let me help you out:

http://www.abanet.org/poladv/priorities/judicial_vacancies/fillibuster108th-72604.pdf

But in the end Frist didn't invoke this option. Reid's actions are truly a game changer...
 
No he removed the rule to get what he wants. The Senate has just been gridlocked. Good bye bipartisanship there. Goodbye getting anything out of the House. Hello Government Shutdown II.

Because the GOP was being super cooperative before, right?
 
Thank God about damn time. About damn time Reid grew a pair.
 
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