[SkyPilot]

With nominations, Harry Reid lands a late punch before bowing out as majority leader

Either Cruz doesn't know the Parliamentary rules of the Senate, or he is an incompetent dope. Actually, there is a third option: this was never about "stopping" the evil that is Obama and the Democrats, this was about the Iowa Caucus in 2016, and what Ted thought it could do for his political career.

The GOP could have blocked these nominations. They were planning to block them. They had the power to block them if Cruz had not opened up the Senate to votes.

It reinvigorated the Senate, the Democrats, and gave Reid one last chance to shaft Conservatives.

Republicans Are Mad At Ted Cruz For Doing Democrats A Big Favor

[tanknetter]

I’m pretty familiar with the rules of the Senate. Not to the level of, say, a Sheets Byrd, mind you, but probably better than the average MSM hack.

Please see Post #31 and reconcile with what you are claiming.

My understanding of the Senate rules, and reading of what has transpired, is that Reid was going to pull the nominations stunt anyways. The cloture ordering (see post 31) IMHO confirms that. Cruz’s actions provided a convienient pretext, something to taunt Conservatives over using divide/conquor wedge issues tactics. But the nomination votes were going to happen anyways given 1) Reids ability as majority leader to set the schedule and 2) the 50+1 vote threshold under the nuclear option.