Memo to Senate GOP Caucus: Don't Restore The Filibuster

Townhall.com ^ | December 10, 2014 | Hugh Hewitt

[Kaslin]

The Senate GOP will debate restoring the filibuster today, a move which, if agreed to, will firmly hang a "kick me" sign on their collective rear-end.

I wrote about this last month for the Washington Examiner, and since then Orrin Hatch and Ted Cruz -- a pretty broad spectrum of the Senate GOP, that -- have argued for the common sense and good politics position of keeping the rules as they are after the Democrats broke them.

The lame duck Congress has already angered the base over its proposed cut to military pay and benefits, and now proposes to white flag the filibuster issue when instead it should announce it will keep the rules handed by them by Harry Reid and enforce them for the first two years of a GOP presidency and then work with Democrats to restore them.

Putting them back with nothing gained by way of the next GOP president's ability to appoint a round of originalist judges to match the jam down of hard left Obama judges makes the GOP appear indifferent to the courts, downright dumb when it comes to basic politics, and eager to establish themselves as spineless in front of the voters who just handed them a new majority.

Senator McConnell should emerge from the meeting and announce (1) the "Reid Rules" on judicial nominees have at least four years left; (2) The Senate GOP caucus discussed the goal of very unified positions on judicial nominees in the next Congress and he expects few if any Obama nominees to emerge from Committee; (3) all Committees will have at least a two seat GOP majority, and judiciary might have three; (4) discussion about restoring the old rule can come when a Republican president has had two years of the same sort of low barrier used by President Obama.

All GOP senators ought to come out of that meeting blasting the irresponsibility of Senator Feinstein in releasing the report on interrogation and detention, and make clear that anything that happens abroad in response to the report is clearly her fault and Harry Reid's.

There's an election in 23 short months. The Senate GOP cannot start the cycle by kicking the military and those voters who are looking for strength in the caucus not weakness in the face of the years of Harry Reid's radical moves.

It is dangerous world and getting more dangerous by the minute. The Senate GOP has to establish itself as serious, sober and committed to rebuilding the country's defenses and curbing the explosive growth of the bureaucracy and its unelected petty tyrants. That will take strong, unified action, not piecemeal political gestures. A serious, full statement on what Reid did and why the response has to roll out over four years serves both the institution, the base, and the goal of finely moving to take control of the narrative and establish a framework through which the actions of the next two years will be understood.

Senator McConnell should be able to say, again and again and again, "remember when I told you on December 9, 2014 that we were going to govern seriously, and make the differences between the two parties very clear while trying to work with the president to offer up constructive solutions, well, we did so agin today by...."

That's how to govern. Not by trying to put Humpty Dumpty back together again and driving your hard core supporters crazy while doing so.

[nathanbedford]

If McConnell yields power to the Democrats to filibuster GOP initiatives it will serve him perfectly. He can practice a modification of the old two-step. He will propose legislation to make the base happy while knowing that he will not have the votes to end a filibuster. Thus, he claims to the base that he is driving their agenda and he lets the establishment and Wall Street know with a wink and a nod that none of that nonsense will ever be enacted.

It is time for all good conservatives to come to the aid of the party-The Tea Party that is.

Further, it is time to abandon reform of the GOP and turn to Article V.

[Sgt_Schultze]

I would be okay if they restore the filibuster to judicial nominees. Surely theOne will have an opportunity to nominate several more jurists over the next two years. His nominees can be assured of getting the entire contingent of non-GOP senators, and they could easily pick off the random McCain, Grhamnesty, Murkowski, Hatch and Collins. With a judicial filibuster, or 60 vote requirement to stop debate, a Ted Cruz could function as a brake against continuing leftism.

[Gaffer]

The ‘rules’ are not Constitutional mandate in the slightest. They were established to enable reasoned conduct of business in the Senate. Propriety, decorum, fairness, impartiality - all that.

When Reid changed the rules for his and Obama’s benefit, it was just the final symptom of a horribly diseased liberal ideology that has been allowed to fester and metastasize throughout the core of that body.

Propriety, decorum, impartiality - bipartisanship does not work when only one side participates. In that regard, the Republicans are nothing but appeasing quislings for even considering giving Democrats back any power that they consistently abused.

[Texas Fossil]

It is TIME to DownSize DC! Close entire Rogue/Unconstitutional Departments, including their SWAT Teams.

It is time to force Congress to telecommute most of the year. Away from the lobbyist and under the thumb of those who elected them.

There is NO reason for them to be in DC most of the year. Texas Legislature meets once every 2 years, unless the Governor calls a special session. It has been a system that has worked well for a very long time.

It is TIME to move the center-of-gravity of Government from DC back to the state and local government.

[freeangel]

If it was good enough for reids ego, then it’s good enough for mitchell’s.

[Gaffer]

I said here years ago that our Congress should be populated by state lottery. Each state holds a lottery for ONE TERM in office. Each winner is then transported to Washington DC and housed in the nearest military barracks under guard at night, then transported to each session in a Marine Cattle Car (if you’ve seen them, you know what I’m talking about).

I’d add that for break fast and lunch, the dietary cuisine would consist of Michelle’s Menu. Dinner back at the post in the chow hall and off to bed at 9PM.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

I don’t know about you, but I want some payback. I have had my political a$$ kicked for six years with nothing but destruction all around me. If the republicans cave in....well....

[freeangel]

releasing the report on interrogation and detention, and make clear that anything that happens abroad in response to the report is clearly her fault and Harry Reid’s.

I really wouldn’t feel badly if feinstein and reid were the targets of a terrorist attack. After all, it would be a direct consequence of the report(video/s) they released. It would be a refreshing change if those who were really responsible would have to suffer.

[LeonardFMason]

Count on the SENILE er, uh, SENIOR Senator from Arizona to make this his new cause. Not the gutting of the miltary, healthcare system, or America’s morale. No. Restoring the filibuster and strengthening Democrats will be his reason to live.

[Texas Fossil]

Would insure a short “career”.

hee hee hee

[Beagle8U]

Keeping the 50+1 to pass nominees while O’bastard is POTUS screws conservatives!

The RATS might be able to 5 RINOs to vote with them to get 51, they would have a hard time getting 60.

If we control the Senate and have a Republican POTUS after 2016, THEN we change it back to 51.

This guy hasn’t thought this one through.

[hawkaw]

I agree. There is a good reason why you want to restore that rule. It actually helps conservative members in the long run. They should be smart and pass some sort of bill or rule that prevents Reid or others from pulling the same stunt in the future. I would assign Ted Cruz to figure out the best way forward to creating that rule. Just my thoughts.

[jdsteel]

I agree the Republicans should reinstate the rule in a lame duck session....right before next time the Democrats are in the Senate majority. Not until then.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

At least keep it.until the 2016 elections. It’s easy to justify.

[John 3_19-21]

I agree, this works to conservative's advantage.
You could also use the "restoring fairness" mantra for the LIV's

[so_real]

I blame Palin (whom I love) for keeping John McCain in office. I blame Kentucky (which I also love) for keeping Mitch McConnell in office. The *world* would be a better place if these two liberal clowns had been retired. We DID NOT NEED THEM sniping at our backs. We have plenty of domestic enemies attacking from the fore.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

As an aside, should the restoration of the military wait until the next Republican president?

Obama is clearly incompetent as commander in chief of the armed forces. And even if there is a dire need for military action, he almost certainly will avoid making it. But if there is some wasteful and stupid use of the military that could get many of our personnel killed (like sending them to Africa to get infected with Ebola), he may very well do it.

Importantly, even if Obama wants to do something stupid, the Pentagon can say “no” if it does not have the funding to do it. In fact, they are rather skilled at holding off “for want of funds”, just when they know the assignment is stupid and dangerous.

Bottom line: restore sensible funding. But maybe not too quickly.

[Phlap]

The dumbocrats made their bed, so now they can lay in it.

[georgiarat]

This only affects nominees and judicial appointments other than Supreme Court nominees. By not restoring the filibuster to the old rules now all the Democrats will need are four RINOs voting to confirm an Obama nominee or radical judicial appointment. If we return to the old rules it will require fourteen.

Does anyone truly believe the dems can’t get four RINOs who want to be praised for being bipartisan to go along with their nominee?