Posted on 11/20/2016 3:48:50 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
A senate rule change championed by outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid could leave Democrats powerless to stop any of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet appointments.
In 2013, Sen. Reid and other Democrats pushed forward with a rule change dubbed the “nuclear option” to eliminate filibusters for all presidential nominations except Supreme Court justices. This means that a simple majority of 51 votes instead of 60 votes is necessary to confirm executive office appointments.
The Republicans are set to enter 2017 with at least 51 senators and can gain another seat with a likely win in the December senate run-off race in Louisiana
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...
“The Republicans are set to enter 2017 with at least 51 senators and can gain another seat with a likely win in the December senate run-off race in Louisiana”
And they will get Manchin’s vote, which is good because they will need to offset Grahamnesty’s and McCain’s hissy fits.
Aside from his 'innate' party loyalty, Harry left the kitchen a mess for his successor(s) to clean up. He retires to his immodest fortune back home in Nevada at the end of the Congress and will only be observing the mess he left for his fellow Democrats. I am certain that he will be the target of 'kind thoughts' from those he left in DC!
What will be as inevitable as the sun rising in the East, is the cries of the Democrats to 'restore' the traditions that they voted to flout 4 years previously. They will plead for 'fairness' and 'equity' just like the parent-killing murderer asking for mercy because he is an orphan!
The rule change that moved from a three-fifths majority to a simple majority for an appointee nomination came on 21 November 2013."Senate Democrats took the dramatic step Thursday of eliminating filibusters for most nominations by presidents, a power play they said was necessary to fix a broken system but one that Republicans said will only rupture it further." ... "The clash ended with a vote nearly as partisan as the times — 52 to 48, with all but three Democrats backing the move and every Republican opposing it."
I have not been able to find the list of Democrat Senators voting FOR, but as I recall, Schumer and his lieutenants were all in that group. Will be lovely to have any one of the GOP Senators ask the clerk to read out how any of the now-protesting Senators voted then. Face - meet mud!
I'd like to say he's the gift that keeps on giving, but that would be giving him too much credit.
The sad fact is that it is going to take some rough-riding over the checks and balances to undo the rough-riding over the rule of law that the Dems instituted and enjoyed. I hope we can get back to equilibrium rather than experience future wild, near-dictatorial swings in policy depending on which party or which person is in the WH.
If we can't, it's a very third-world, or post-empire, situation.
One thing the Republicans have now that they haven’t had for decades is a truly strong, fearless leader. Ryan is a bright guy, but is weak. Trump can give him the spine he needs to get his job done. Same on the Senate side.
The only way Trump doesn't get his Non-SCOTUS appointments through is if RINO Uniparty members stab him in the back.
Right now he's doing it through IMHO illegal domestic executive orders to bypass written law. And the current US Supreme court has legislated his bidding on Gay Marriage. With his directives on Rapists in the Women's and Girl's bathroom we are headed at a fast clip toward Elitist Socialism and to the loss of our key freedoms.
I believe the Lord has given us a change to repent through Donald Trump's election, but it threadbare as Trump is for Gay Marriage as far as I can tell.
Does this mean that Trump can’t nominate anyone else in the Senate because it would upend the 51 count...unless you are allowed to vote for yourself. Can you vote for yourself?
They will squeal like stuck pigs. The speeches from the well about unfairness, they won the popular vote, blah, blah...will be entertaining to watch.
That’s just delicious. Hopefully, Trump will push the Rep Congress to take full advantage of the Reid “gift”.
John McCain pushing to restore fillibuster in name of Senate traditions in 3, 2, 1,
What about Robert Bork?
AFAIK, Trump wants the States to decide it.
Karma’s a bitch, eh, Harry? So are treadmills, it seems....
Not many cabinet or judicial picks have required breaking a filibuster. Even those numbers are clouded, because presidents generally don’t pick a fight over nominees that draw a certain amount of unofficial objections.
Obama was a bit unusual in that he forced votes on nominees that other presidents would have never officially proposed to start with or would have withdrawn after counting senate votes.
Are you serious? Not voting for yourself went our once you left kindergarten.
There are rules...and if you are a nominee I could see there would be a rule when you aren’t allowed to vote. That is my question.
That depend on whether they have the stamina and the wit to stage a filibuster.
FGS, don’t let the Pubbies fall into the trap of increasing the Dem’s presence on committees like they did under Bush. That was really stupid.
Trump should avoid nominating any Senator who doesn’t come from a State with a safe Republican majority and Governor. The Governor will appoint a Sen. to fill that spot until the next election. Played smartly, that should insure a Republican majority.
I agree. It is a slim margin..and I don’t trust the GOP side..especially Graham and Mccain.
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