Senate goes 'nuclear,' Democrats approve changes to filibuster rules

[brooklynite]

Source: NBC News

Senate Democrats have voted to change one of the chamber's most fundamental rules, a move which majority Democrats insisted was vital to clearing up a logjam of presidential nominees due to Republican obstruction.

Fifty-two Democrats voted to invoke the so-called "nuclear option" -- an unprecedented change previously threatened but not invoked until Thursday.

Read more: http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/21/21562284-senate-goes-nuclear-democrats-approve-changes-to-filibuster-rules?lite

[Hissyspit]

1. 'Bout time.

[Laelth]

2. Excellent!

I would have preferred the complete elimination of the filibuster, but I will take what I can get. This is a serious advance for our republic. I am thrilled.



-Laelth

[Fla Dem]

27. This is why this vote is important, the Rethugs have abused the filibuster. See charts inside.

[sofa king]

38. That is an astonishing chart.

At the insignificantly small end of those charts is the 1964 Civil Rights Act filibuster, which lasted for around eight weeks.

It was one of the most important filibusters to be successfully overcome, eventually, when Hubert Humphrey finally outmaneuvered Strom Thurmond and, incongruously in light of his later brilliance in the service of our own side, Robert Byrd, who was already the undisputed heavyweight champion of the filibuster.*

That, apparently, was back when the Senate was playing nice. Horrifying.


* Byrd put that same amazing ability to speak eloquently and at extreme length to full use during those dark days not so long ago when the Bush Administration sought absolute power and Democrats in the Senate only barely managed to check the most malevolent intentions of the Republicans. Perhaps that overwrites his prior filibustering on Civil Rights; I don't pretend to know. He was certainly a complex character who taught Harry Reid most of the procedural trickery that was used today. Because Byrd's remarks over fifty years of service in Congress have been documented and printed in the Congressional Record, I think that also makes him one of the most prolific authors, by word count, in the history of mankind. I'm glad he changed his mind on important things over that time.

[brer cat]

3. Thank you, Harry. nt

[Mira]

4. A slow fuse but

steel in his spine.
Thank you Harry Reid.

[freshwest]

34. 'Beware the wrath of a patient man.' ~ IrishAyes

Or

Beware the fury of a patient man. ~ John Dryden

I doubt that Harry Reid has ever forgotten anything.

[GoneFishin]

5. I want to know which Democrats voted against the rule change. n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

7. I had that exact question.

[brooklynite]

11. Levin, Manchin and Pryor

Manchin and Pryor for political reasons, Levin because he's old school

[chillfactor]

14. thank you! I was wondering :) n/t

[chillfactor]

6. WELL DONE HARRY!!

thank goodness...I have been sitting on pins and needles.....

[Guilded Lilly]

8. A long time coming, but DAMN, yes. (n/t)

[Jerry442]

9. Holy cow! Lucy didn't pull the football away.

Me: wrong prediction, but happy.

[leftynyc]

33. Saw this comment on another board

Charlie Brown finally said fuck it and kicked Lucy.

[Arkana]

10. IMPORTANT: The filibuster is not completely gone.

The 60-vote threshold remains for all non-judicial nominee matters.

[amb123]

13. Also for Supreme Court Nominees

60 for Supreme Court Nominees
50 for District and Appeals Courts

[litlbilly]

17. It is a start though. Gonna make them think twice on screaming about nothing and fillibustering

[GoneFishin]

41. Yep. It's odd. Dems are ok with letting the Republicans obstruct other business.

Which confirms that the Dems find it convenient to hang the bad cop signs on the Republicans when they themselves don't want progressive legislation, but don't want to take the heat from their constituents.

But this is a good first step, and from here on in it will be more difficult to blame the Republicans for their own anemic actions, now that everyone knows they have more power than they have been letting on.

[lillypaddle]

12. woooohoooo!

[litlbilly]

15. The Cry Wolf Scenario...LOVE IT

The rupubs have been screaming so long about nothing, now that they have something to scream about, it won't make any difference. It's about freakin time Harry pulled the damn trigger on this. Love it

[bucolic_frolic]

16. Does not bode well for the future with GOP Senate Majorities

but, when the GOP is winning their obstructionist game and
getting only GOP approved nominees appointed, it's time
to change the game

absent this change, no liberals are going anywhere

and that is not fair and balanced

[Stardust]

30. Couldn't the current majority change it back right before a Republican majority take-over? nt

[bucolic_frolic]

36. Yes, but

the GOP takeover would simply undo the changes to suit itself

This should have been negotiated (55% majority, 10 per year, 1 in 4),
but how can you negotiate with obstructionists?

Dems would have few if any real liberals approved with the filibuster

That wasn't going to change with a future GOP takeover

So the only solution is to get what you need now to balance
the judiciary, worry about radical right wing nominees later, if you can

GOP wanted the rules to work for them, a gradual drift to the right

This is how you end that

[jmowreader]

39. No Obama appointees, you mean

Obama could have appointed a hard-rightist to a judgeship and got filibustered so he wouldn't have a legacy. Right now, making Obama go down in history as the president who did nothing is apparently the only thing that matters to them.

[cate94]

18. It is about time.

I honestly didn't think that they would ever do it.

[aristocles]

19. Good. Despite what Jimmy Stewart thought...

... filibusters have always been and are a stupid pointless waste of time.

[Iliyah]

20. I foresee the corporate media blaming the Dems

and spouting out how Pres Obama is a dictator and the Democratic Party are killing democracy! Can't wait for Time Mag to put on their cover depicting this.

[chillfactor]

21. agreed...

and the recon talking heads will explode

[litlbilly]

24. Again, its the Cry Wolf Scenario

they've been doing that all along so all they will do is continue what they've been doing. Won't make any difference and I think the progressives are starting to figure it out. Actually make the crime fit the punishment so to speak. I say, increase min wage, do all the things progressives want to do and they will win elections. If we pound that home over and over it might fully sink in.

[xxqqqzme]

25. Does ACA cover

self inflicted head explosions?

[litlbilly]

26. yes unfortunately:)

With them, it's a pre-existing condition.

[SoapBox]

23. Yup.

p.s...I'm fully confident that Scott Pelley on CBS tonight will pare this with..."Obama's Puppet Dictator Senate Passes Unconstitutional Law Taking Money From All Americans...Meanwhile on the TROUBLED Obamacare Billion Dollar Website, Registrations Continue."

Something along those lines, since they are predictable as the sun rise.

[JoePhilly]

32. They have to stop screaming about the ACA if they want to freak out about the rule change.

And ... most Americans know very little about filibusters.

[DallasNE]

22. Legislation Will Still Face The 60 Vote Requirement

It also doesn't seem to address the problem of a single Senator being able to put a hold on a nomination so one wonders if this is more symbolic than being real reform. That said, it can't hurt. Let's see what happens now with holds.

[Jack Rabbit]

28. More changes need to be made

Like requiring a Senator who wants to talk a bill to death to literally talk.

It's not a total waste of time. I hear that there are a lot of good Southern recipes in Senator Huey Long's filibuster speeches from the 1930s. On the other hand, if you thought Senator Cruz reading Green Eggs and Ham into the Congressional Record was ridiculous, the phone book has also been read during a Senate talkathon.

[groundloop]

37. Exactly.... this only applies to non Supreme Judges

And I totally agree, if a minority party cares about a cause enough to filibuster a bill or a nomination then they damned will ought to be willing to expend some blood, sweat, and tears and get up there and actually filibuster.

[Baitball Blogger]

29. No longer the do nothing Democrats!

[Liberalynn]

31. finally

[freshwest]

35. Elizabeth Warren laid out the case here:

[Tx4obama]

40. Republicans have already found a way to F*CK up judicial nominees !!!!!!!!!!

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024071026