So it would leave the 60 vote threshold for Supreme Court appointments stand?
Senate begins cloture vote on Cordray nomination for CFPB. Expected to get 60 votes, reflecting backing off of nuclear option.— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) July 16, 2013
Apparently so.
But this article is sloppy. There is not a 60 vote threshold to confirm appointees at present. The 60 vote margin is to end debate on the issues.
Clarence Thomas was confirmed to the Supreme Court by 52-48. Alito was confirmed 58-42. These nominees have always only needed a simple majority. The 60 vote threshold is to defeat a filibuster, which this article doesn’t really make clear.
RE: So it would leave the 60 vote threshold for Supreme Court appointments stand?
Yes. Same as it always has been.
Knowing McCain the compromise would leave the 60 vote threshold for all republican appointees but would lower the threshold to 51 for democrat appointees.
Until there's an actual Supreme Court vacancy. At that point Reid will threaten the nuclear option again, and McCain will appease him again by surrendering.
Make no mistake, this is a surrender.