"It's NEVER been a 60-vote requirement".....Wait what???

[Horse with no Name]

that is bullshit.

[JTFrog]

1. 24/7 Propaganda and Lies.

Fuck Trump and his entire basket of deplorables.

[yeoman6987]

12. 58 senators voted for alito so somewhere in history 60 wasn't needed.

[dsc]

17. there were many who opposed him but didn't filibuster him

He got considerably more on his cloture vote (there was one)

[rickford66]

2. Isn't it 60 to get a floor vote, then 51 to approve ?

Straighten me out on this.

[Horse with no Name]

3. they forced 60 votes on the SCOTUS nominees that they allowed

and now they are saying they didn't.

[Caliman73]

5. 60 votes to "end debate"

That is the point of all this. The Senate is where legislation is slowed down and debated so that supposedly reasoned arguments could be had rather than rushing to throw laws out on any whim. The Senate is allowed to have "unlimited" debate. Today, the Senate can end debate and call for a vote by invoking "Cloture". That requires 60 votes.

So yes, 60 votes to end debate, then 51 votes to approve or reject the legislation/appointment/etc...

[rickford66]

6. I read the quote to mean there was never 60 votes needed at all.

Which I understand is wrong considering the Filibuster. Where did the quote at the top come from? Someone with no long term memory ?

[Caliman73]

8. I am more cynical

I would say it probably came from some Republican hack who is trying to obscure the issue. People have complained in the past about "needing 60 votes on every little issue" but no one ever explains why that is. Trump and his cronies are using postmodern concepts to muddy the waters on traditions and conventions that have been long held in government and society. They are taking Rove's concept of "constructing our own reality" to more drastic levels.

[rickford66]

9. See my post farther down. I agree.

[Caliman73]

14. Got it.

You are correct. Pulling things out of their asses is a strategy. It is up to us and the media to continually call them on it.

[yeoman6987]

13. There lucky Reid used nuclear option on everything but supremes

Nobody would be getting on his cabinet.

[Kingofalldems]

18. Could you combine all your 'Dems used the nuclear option' posts

into one OP, yeoman6987? It would enlighten DU oh so much.

[Caliman73]

4. Technically, whoever said that is not 100% wrong, however...

The Senate allows for unlimited debate on issues up for vote. Theoretically, Senators could hold the floor to discuss issues indefinitely. In 1917 the Senate changed the rules (Cloture - Senate Rule 22). It allowed a 2/3rds majority to limit debate and get to the vote. Later they lowered the threshold to 3/5ths or 60 votes.

Confirming a person does not take 60 votes, only 51 BUT, the cynical bastard who said that quote, knows full well that every Senator has the right to unlimited debate unless 60 other Senators invoke cloture to end the "debate" on the topic.

[rickford66]

7. Correct. This is exactly what the person quoted was pulling out of his a**

More gaslighting going around.

[el_bryanto]

10. Can you provide the link if there is one?

This is total BS that they would say that -but par for the course I guess.

Republican believe that anytime they don't get their way someone must be cheating.

Bryant

[Horse with no Name]

11. it was on spicers presser. I will see if I can find it. n/t

[kentuck]

15. It is 60 votes to end debate

Usually those that vote to end debate will vote for the nominee, but not always. I believe Alito only got 58 votes after debate ended?

[Horse with no Name]

16. but the Democrats allowed it....we had to have a solid 60

we didn't even get a vote for Garland