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Another point I'd like to make is this: this agreement is nothing more than a usurpation of powers and I think you are ignoring that part of this situation.

I'm not sure who's power is being usurped here.

The President can still nominate anybody he wants. He can consult with the senate if he likes, or not.

The Senate still has the power to confirm or reject nominees. That vote is still a simple majority.

The Senate still gets to set its rules as the majority sees fit. A majority can decide that it won't vote to confirm a nominee unless 10 other Senators agree at least to allow the vote. The Filibuster is just a formalization of an informal arrangement whereby a Senator who might otherwise vote yes will vote NO if there aren't enough other senators. The Filibuster codified this.

Whatever the situation is now, it is identical rules-wise to what was in place yesterday, and a year ago, and 10 years ago. The agreement does nothing more than spell out what 14 senators plan to do regarding judges. Any one of them can change their mind at any time. They enter the agreement voluntarily.

The 14 get the illusion of more power, simply because by banding together they can vote in a block and influence outcomes. That of course is also what political parties do, and also what voting coalitions do all the time.

So I don't believe there is a usurpation of power. I believe the Senate would love to grab the Nomination power from the President. But all they can use to get that power is the threat of not providing the 51 votes for confirmation. The President can take that to the people if he has to.

The President already does consultation on district judges, and the Senate rules allow home-state senators to block judges in their own district. Often the states SEND LISTS OF CANDIDATES to the President for him to pick from. He doesn't have to, but he almost always does. It's always been that way.

I just read an article on The HIll News that said that the cabal of 14 are calling themselves the Centrist Coaltion and that supposedly Graham has come up with a Social Security plan that they are looking at,

That one of Snowe's advisors said that there is no telling what the Centrists can do in the Senate...

The article says that they feel they are "the future of the Senate" and that all praised Lindsay Graham for his guidance and his ability to be independent...

It was disturbing to read that these people are really wanting to rule the country with their Centrist Coalition...

Scary, huh?

"...I believe the Senate would love to grab the Nomination power from the President."

That makes my point. Reportedly, the agreement indicates they want to decide who the President may or may not nominate - make recommendations - prior to his nominating them. That is a clear usurpation of Executive powers granted under the Constitution.

Does it really appear that the majority can set its own rules if those rules are not palatable to McCain and Graham?

Apparently, Congress is made up of bloated egos; it is only the degree of ego which separates the leaders from the MSM treacherous darlings.

It's bedtime here. Thank you for the discussion. Tomorrow will be interesting.