("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")
I downloaded the Senate rules and read them last spring. The Democrats have lots of "rules" weapons left in their arsenal to block any Bush nominee they want to block.
The Democrats need 6 RINOS to vote against the nuclear option. But even if they fail to get the six, and the nuclear option is adopted, the Democrats can do what they rehearsed yesterday. All they have to do is have two senators invoke Rule 21 on National Security just like they rehearsed yesterday. That will prevent a vote on Alito until the Republicans get enough votes to change on Rule 21. Rule 29 and Rule 31 prevent us knowing what takes place in the secret sessions any two senators can invoke under rule 21. Senators can reveal their own vote but it is illegal for anyone else's senate vote to be reveals with out the senator's permission. It gives pro abortion RINOs lots of cover as the RINOs knew it would.
AS you no doubt know Rule 21 puts no time limit on the length of time the Senate can be held hostage in secret debate on "national security" issues.
Just two Democratic senators can pull rule 21 and get the same effect as a filibuster only more powerful. In the case of Rule 21, the unlimited debate is SECRET. All we will know is which Democrat called it and which Democrat seconded it. We won't know which RINOs did us in by failing to vote for cloture. And that assumes some Democrats will vote for cloture.. FAT CHANCE!!!!
While that unlimited debate on "National Security" is going on in secret, no vote on a Judicial nominee can take place. RULE 21 is a whole new kind of filibuster never used before.
The Democrats can in effect do a different kind of filibuster and the press can't even cover it. Rule 21 Secret sessions have the same effect as a filibuster but the Democrats can do it in secret. Ain't that sweet.
With the defeat of Miers by the right, which Bush had gotten minority leader Ried to agree to confirm, the chances of a conservative supreme court are at best slim and none.
It was pretty obvious from his reaction that Frist did not know what was coming down. Frist at a press conference during the Democrats rehearsal was obviously quite shook. He called on Trent Lott to speak.. Of course Trent implied, "That this would not have happened if I were in charge." Lott also volunteered that what the Democrats are doing complies with the Senate rules. Trent of course is the senate expert on the rules and chairman of the rules committee.
I for one think the Democrats will stall using several methods in the rules until President Hillary gets to make the appointment.
If the Republicans manage to get enough votes to change the Filibuster rule and Rule 21... which rule do you think the Democrats will use after that to block a vote on any conservative nominee to the supreme court? They have several options.
The right was spoiling for a fight with the left. The problem is the left has Senate Rules as powerful as atomic weapons and the right is pretty much limited to broken slingshot and a fake BB gun.
Before itching for a fight, it is usually a good idea to look at what weapons you have and the weapons the opposition has. But that is not something the right or its pundits ever seem to do.