Trump to press GOP on changing Senate rules

The Hill ^ | May 13, 2018

[SMGFan]

Frustrated with what he calls Democratic obstruction, President Trump is expected to press Senate Republicans during a lunch Tuesday to change the rules to speed up consideration of his nominees for vacant court seats and executive posts.

It has taken an average of 84 days to confirm Trump’s nominees, far longer than for the four presidents who preceded him, according to the Partnership for Public Service, a non-partisan group that tracks confirmations.

"Waiting for approval of almost 300 nominations, worst in history. Democrats are doing everything possible to obstruct, all they know how to do," Trump tweeted Saturday.

Republicans on the Senate Rules Committee approved a measure last month to shorten the debate time for nominees on the floor, but the idea doesn’t have Democratic support.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has yet to say whether he will try to implement the change with a controversial party-line vote known as the nuclear option.

[itsahoot]

Not a good idea. Yes, there are vacancies, yes, it’s causing trouble—but changing rules could lead to worse in the future.

Yep it would make the majority party responsible for what they do or don't do. The current policy allows the Majority party to blame a few opposition party members for their failure to accomplish anything. (Which they secretly didn't want)

They also hide behind court decisions while all the while pretending to be for or against something. Remember when Governor Jeb let an old family court judge kill Terri?

[RinaseaofDs]

Thanks for saying what I was thinking.

[spokeshave2]

"Waiting for approval of almost 300 nominations, worst in history

Its the Turtle holding things up with the 30 hour rule

So..10 nominations

That is 30X10 hours of debate = 300 hours

Assume the Senate works a full 40 hours a week...(sarcasm here as its usually half that)

So it would take seven and a half weeks to clear the 10 judges.

Mitch the Turtle needs to spend less time thinking about the family Chicom shipping business.....maybe a few succinct Tweets on the subject would lite a fire under his butt.

[Cboldt]

The 30 hours can run in parallel. If all the nominees are out of committee and to the floor, McConnell can schedule votes on ALL of them, “simultaneously.”

[DoodleDawg]

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has yet to say whether he will try to implement the change with a controversial party-line vote known as the nuclear option.

McConnell has 50 possible votes with McCain out; there is no guarantee that all 50 will vote for the change. It may be better to wait until January in the hopes that the GOP will pick up additional seats.

[1Old Pro]

McConnell has 50 possible votes with McCain out

So McCain is hurting his own party because he refuses to admit that he needs to step down and allow Congress to function.

[DoodleDawg]

All that is needed is a simple recess of the Senate. Then all of the Presidents choices could be in place under recess appointments. That Mitch won’t do that proves him as the swamp critter he is.

McConnell calls a recess and the Democrats will call the senate into pro-forma sessions on their own. Under the rules of the Senate they can do that.

[DoodleDawg]

So McCain is hurting his own party because he refuses to admit that he needs to step down and allow Congress to function.

And that is surprising how?

[AustinBill]

Actually the choice is simpler and starker: (1) Rediscover what it means to be an American patriot or (2) Remain in the swamp and prepare to be destroyed. This isn’t about party affiliation, it’s about service to country rather than self.