Posted on 01/31/2017 2:40:15 PM PST by cotton1706
In case you hadn't noticed, the Democratic Party's left flank is running around with its hair ablaze, reflexively opposing virtually all things Trump. As is so often the case, they're escalating partisan tensions by pioneering and expanding new methods of obstructionism, then squealing like stuck pigs when Republicans retaliate in kind. Given the party base's political blood lust, many Democrats are frantically feeding the beast. But not everyone is on board with this across-the-board, scorched-earth approach. Matt wrote earlier about a new statement from Delaware Senator Chris Coons, who admitted several weeks ago that he suddenly regrets going along with Harry Reid's 'nuclear option' on the filibuster. Having been burned by his own partisan zeal, Coons has decided not to join the voices in his caucus clamoring for yet another escalation. He's not alone. Three Democrats who are up for re-election in Trump-dominated states next year have announced that they will not join the promised filibuster (see update) attempt against the president's Supreme Court nominee:
It’s easy for Seven of those Intellectual Dwarfs to pretend to be “moderate”.
Three Democrats who are up for re-election in Trump-dominated states next year have announced that they will not join the promised filibuster
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Seems like maybe they want to try to keep their seats.
If the Democrats threaten a filibuster, make them do it.
Don’t fold to the threat like usual, make them talk until they are done and then vote.
I think McConnell has a good shot of getting the 60 votes for cloture on this Supreme Court appointment, at least for this round.
In a similar manner, McConnell held EVERY Republican Senator on board against Obamacare in 2009 - notwithstanding incredible pressure from the MSM and Democratic apparatus for ANY GOP Senator to break ranks. They were begging for one, any one GOP vote to give the legislative monstrosity the patina of bipartisanship. McConnell kept the caucus together.
I know McConnell is unpopular on this site, but he is a brilliant legislative tactician.
Sent a note to Nelson today asking him to get Chuckie under control.
Nelson is up in 2018.
Schumer was just feeling his oats...comes with a side of crow.,..
I have always...(well, since Nov. 8th) believed that the libs don’t have the guts to force the nuclear option for the first USSC nominee.
They’d rather hope to regain the Senate majority in 2018 and forestall a second and game changing conservative nominee.
Maybe we will get another member of SCOTUS sooner than we think
These people are polling Trump's E/O and only the safe ones ie Shumer acting stupidly
My fantasy is that Fred and Barney are found to be bogus appointments.
Manchin, McCaskill, Heitkamp and Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Jon Tester of Montana will have ample latitude over the next two years to break with their party and vote with Trump and congressional Republicans. Still, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) needs eight Democratic defectors on legislation — and there aren’t enough moderates in the minority to consistently give it to him.
“If the Democrats threaten a filibuster, make them do it.”
REAL filibuster. 24/7, no potty breaks filibuster.
Alphonse D’Amato 28 hour reading from the phone book filibuster.
None of this 9-to-5, let’s pick this up tomorrow nonsense.
Two words: Term limits.
Now that’s just plain funny
Its a trap.
McConnell has been superb as a Minority Leader. The only people who really disagree about that are those who always think Republicans will win another government shutdown, but that's a question for another day. As Majority Leader, McConnell has been less successful, but the simple fact is, the Republican caucus has never been close enough to 60 to have a realistic hope of breaking a filibuster without major compromises. The choice always reduces to doing nothing vs. settling for (hopefully) half a loaf.
There is an obvious partisan asymmetry here. If you look at the major milestones of the leftist deconstruction of America, the huge steps were taken when Democrats held supermajorities in both the House and Senate. This was true during the early New Deal; following JFK's assassination and the 1964 landslide, which led to LBJ and the Great Society Congresses; in the post-Watergate Congresses (1975-80), when the movement left took over the Democratic Party; and in the first two years of the Obama period.
Just as a thought experiment, take away the Democratic supermajorities, and most of the Democrat landmarks of the last 80 years would never have happened.
Republicans have not held a supermajority in either chamber in our lifetimes. The idea that a Republican Speaker or Majority Leader can somehow conjure the missing votes out of thin air has become a party-splintering fantasy. When Republicans do have a majority in the Senate, it has generally been very narrow. Look at the current Democratic lineup and find me eight Democrats who might plausibly defect on a big issue. They ain't there. A Republican Majority Leader is usually struggling to keep a half-dozen RINO's on board just to get to 51 votes. Democrats routinely have larger majorities. The problem is numbers.
The real fight will be for The Crypt Keeper’s (Ginsburg) seat.
Yes, make them do it. Let America get a good look at the Democrat party.
NO breaks, pee bags, 24/7 until they see themselves in a mirror.
During the 1930s, Senator Huey P. Long effectively used the filibuster against bills that he thought favored the rich over the poor. The Louisiana senator frustrated his colleagues while entertaining spectators with his recitations of Shakespeare and his reading of recipes for “pot-likkers.” Long once held the Senate floor for 15 hours.
The record for the longest individual speech goes to South Carolina’s J. Strom Thurmond who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.
America needs serious men and these dram queens want to strut and fret their idiotic egos using the floor of the senate.
Let them, but if they insist on it make them do it.
Time for the Senators from WVA and ND to switch parties.
There’s 10 up for reelection in states that went for Trump.
The filibuster may not be an option?
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