Posted on 10/08/2011 3:30:39 PM PDT by Lmo56
On Thursday night, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) triggered the so-called nuclear option unilaterally changing Senate rules by a simple majority vote to stop the minority from forcing votes on uncomfortable amendments. Its the same tactic the majority would use to undercut the minoritys ability to filibuster. And thats why its called nuclear it dramatically alters the balance of power between the majority and minority. It is not a step to be taken lightly.
What great matter drove Reid to push the nuclear button? Apparently Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) was threatening to force a vote on the original version of President Obamas jobs bill, to show how few Democrats were willing to support it. In other words, Reid invoked the nuclear option to avoid a political embarrassment for his party.
Recall that in 2005, Republicans contemplated invoking the nuclear option over a matter of substance to stop Democrats from using filibusters to delay judicial confirmations. Before that crisis was defused, one Democratic senator railed against the GOP plan as an attempt to trample the rights of the minority, calling it a violation of the constitutional principles of checks and balances and declaring, If there were ever an example of an abuse of power, this is it. The filibuster is the last check we have against the abuse of power in Washington.
The senators name? Harry Reid.
When Reid was in the minority, the nuclear option was an abuse of power. Now that hes in the majority, its simply business as usual.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Well played, Harry!
Barry MUST cease the tired rhetoric of blaming Republicans for the do-nothing Congress. If Barry wants to run against a do-nothing Congress, he has just declared war on the Democrat-held, do-nothing Senate. Pass the popcorn, and don’t hold your breath looking for reporting of this on the MSM.
All the Republican senators ought to quote Harry Reid every chance they get, on the Senate floor and off.
If the Dems lose the Senate in 2012 they will probably revoke the nuclear option in their lame duck session.
Harry is not dumb. He is very calculated. Everybody else who underestimates him is dumb.
If McConnell is Majority Leader in 2013, we can expect weak RINO leadership with every concession given to the Rats. It does no good to have the majority if the leadership is in collusion with the Rats. McConnell needs to be replaced as leader.
Don’t worry, Harry will change the rule back the day before they lose power in the Senate.
Course hopefully our new senate majority leader will do the exact same thing and change it back. Harry will have 4 years to be in the bitch-slapped minority.
Hope our side has balls to use the power to fix things. Afraid too many don’t want to fix things.
I taught my children not to hate anyone.
But this little man sure tests my convictions...
Yep, IF we gain the Senate, this will all be forgiven and forgotten.
My personal choice would be Jim DeMint. However, I don't think the GOP power brokers will let him into leadership.
Well, we didn't use it.
See what happened? Didn't gain us a blooming thing.
When you have a weapon and it is needed USE IT. Tucking it away does not gain you anything.
“”This is a filibuster-busting precedent that a Republican majority could use to overcome Democratic opposition on any number of issues from taxes and spending to revising the debt-limit deal, reversing defense spending cuts and even repealing Obamacare.”
Well played, Harry!”
You would have though he would have pulled the trigger for something more significant, and never while the other-side control either the house or the presidency with which to make his plans useless.
But I guess undermining Obama’s whole reelection strategy is significant enough for him. Well at least this paves the way to a quick and painless repeal of Obamacare, among other things.
Sadly there is no going back, unless they want to change the rules again. If they do I would support a 10 senator filibuster. That is once we striped the Federal goverment down to barebones military defense.
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