Posted on 01/23/2017 7:08:17 AM PST by Hostage
In an interview with Fox News Fox News Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that he would not rule out using a simple majority in the upper chamber rather than the 60-vote supermajority that Senate rules demand in order to confirm President Trumps nominees for Supreme Court. In 2003, then-Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) resorted to the so-called nuclear option to confirm lower court nominees, but stopped short of using it for nominees to the high court. McConnell said today, "Let me just say, I'm confident we'll get a Supreme Court nominee confirmed." He added, I expect an outstanding nominee sometime soon."
Drawing a distinction between the behavior of Democrats and Republicans in the past, McConnell noted that the GOP caucus had not resorted to filibustering the nominations of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Justice Stephen Breyer. "I think it's noteworthy to look at how the Republican minority handled Bill Clinton the first, in his first administration. Both of his first two nominees, Ginsburg and Breyer, no filibuster," McConnell said. "Obama, in his first term, to go, no filibuster. We think our nominee ought to be treated the same way."
Despite carping from the Democrats, Republicans argued during the campaign that whichever candidate came out as president in the November election should fill the vacancy left by the late Justice Antonin Scalia, regardless of whether Hillary Clinton or Trump. Under current Senate rules, McConnell said that the Senate may invoke "cloture" if Democrats try to stop a Trump nominee. Cloture is a means for bringing a filibuster to an end. It requires 60 votes.
"If he is not treated that way, then, under the current Senate rule, we would have to get cloture," McConnell said.
(Excerpt) Read more at speroforum.com ...
Trump could make or break many reelections in two years.
Let the fun...begin.
That’s the way I see it too.
It may not be needed, so it’s not appropriate to show that weapon when it may not be needed. But he let it be known the weapon is in his closet.
That’s why I said ‘reevaluate’ and not congratulate. It remains to be seen, but he made it absolutely clear “The nominee will be confirmed”.
“Conservatives should be thinking to reevaluate McConnell. “
It’s not just lefties who need to be afraid of Trump.
Well, Trump...the 3-D Chessmaster....did not choose Elaine Chao for no reason...he does have Mitchie by the short hairs now....
They need to recognize his support won’t desert him. I’d sooner give up my two Senators and Congressman than to allow them to undermine Trump.
I’m done with false hope and media-defined change. Substantive restorative action is the word for the day.
THE NOMINEE WILL BE CONFIRMED.
Its pretty clear all options are on the table.
**********
It looks to me like McConnell is going to try it without removing the filibuster. If the Dems block it, then he has a pretty strong Plan B to have the rules committee drop the filibuster requirement and then vote to fill the appointment.
Thus, it will be set up so it is the Dems’ fault for forcing the change in the rule on SCOTUS appointments, if such a rule change is effected.
Personally I prefer MIRVs.
"Reid: If Hillary wins and Dems retake the Senate, expect Dems to use the Nuclear Option for SCOTUS"
"Harry Reid's Parting Shot: Dems Will Nuke The Filibuster For SCOTUS"
The 2nd link includes Schumer being questioned about his position on Reid's admission of this intention for the Senate after Reid leaves and Schumer takes over. Schumer refused to answer.
Since Reid made this proclamation after he endorsed Schumer to be his successor [ "Harry Reid endorses Chuck Schumer to lead Senate Democrats" ] it would have been beholden upon Schumer to disclaim, or at least distance himself from, this intention - if in fact he did not agree.
McConnel and the GOP could not have wished for a better invitation and justification for a GOP nuclear option for SCOTUS appointments?
It’s not fake. It’s an inferential threat because it’s a real option.
Senate Majority Leader ‘to use’ if necessary follows his firm emphatic assertion “The nominee will be confirmed”. So it’s based on inference. That’s not fake.
It’s not distortion because McConnell was asked several times whether he would go nuclear on confirming SCOTUS appointees. And his final answer was “The nominee will be confirmed”. That can only mean he will go nuclear if the democrats try to block the nominee.
You might want to reexamine your usage of the label ‘fake’.
This is probably pretty safe with a net pickup coming in 2018- maybe even 60 GOP senators is Trump turns this ship around.
This happened in 2013, not 2003.
-PJ
He’s got a Twitter account and two thumbs.
Lodi are there ANY blue states left EXCEPT of course CA. & NY, MA. ALL have Dem senators anyway!!!! We do however have some Dem senators that are in red states!!!
They blew up the tradition of not filibustering SC nominees, so screw them and screw the tradition.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell SAVED the SC seat for Trump... Thank God he did that...
Just so readers get the context of your post, Elaine is the wife of Mitch McConnell and President Trump has chosen her for his cabinet.
Yes, 3-D Chessmaster indeed! Lol!
I learn from Donald Trump every day. Although he’s plain spoken, he is one helluva poker player.
He also simultaneously trolled the media on the day he chose Elaine with a tweet about ‘consequences’ to American flag burners. It is so funny to watch the media start whirling about and go chasing a red herring while Trump’s alterior motive goes unnoticed. In this sense, he’s similar to a magician using distraction.
Let me try a practice play:
Say President Trump wants to tax the hell out of remittances to Mexico to pay for the wall and seeks approval from Congress.
He calls Ryan and McConnell and tells them he would like his remittance tax to be buried deep in the details of provisions of budget bills.
As soon as the bills are drafted in committee, President Trump tweets “People are going to see American Flags flying high all over Mexico City.”
The media are besides themselves, there’s talk of invading Mexico, there’s a full media frenzy about American-Mexican relations, there are leftist conspiracy hysterics about internment camps set up for Mexicans, etc.
Meanwhile, the tax bills get passed.
I am so going to love watching this President steamroll the press!
Yes he did, he most certainly did. And for that he deserves credit.
But remember who wrote ‘The Art Of The Deal’, and remember who Mitch is dealing with.
See previous posts about Mitch’s wife Elaine and I think we can agree that President Trump is in control.
It is not a lie. It is a threat, a credible and real threat.
The context of the title is in the definitive statement made by McConnell which has been referenced several times now. The context conditional is that IF the democrats try to block the nominee, McConnell will have to go nuclear to keep his commitment.
The Title may have been written, “If Schumer blocks SCOTUS pick, McConnell to go nuclear”.
But the chosen title is shorter yet still accurate,
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.