Posted on 10/06/2011 4:42:43 PM PDT by jazusamo
In a shock development Thursday evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) triggered a rarely-used procedural option informally called the “nuclear option” to change the Senate rules.
The surprise move stunned Republicans, who did not expect Reid to bring heavy artillery to what had appeared to have been a hum-drum legislative knife fight.
Reid appealed a ruling from the chair that Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) does not need consent to force a vote on a motion to suspend the rules to consider an amendment after cloture has already been approved.
The maneuver is highly arcane but momentous. If a simple majority of the Senate votes to uphold Reid’s appeal, the Senate’s rules will have been changed by the unilateral action of one party.
Republicans had considered using this maneuver, dubbed the “nuclear option” in 2005, to change Senate rules to prohibit the filibuster of judicial nominees. Democrats decried the plan and the crisis was resolved by a bipartisan agreement forged by 14 rank-and-file senators known as the Gang of 14.
That was my first thought as well. I would bet the GOP will have a majority for most of this decade. By setting a precedent like this, Harry has just given us a whole lot of power. Thank you, Harry.
Let's hope the 2013 GOP isn't as spineless as they usually are.
...If a simple majority of the Senate votes to uphold Reid's appeal, the Senate's rules will have been changed by the unilateral action of one party. Republicans had considered using this maneuver, dubbed the "nuclear option" in 2005, to change Senate rules to prohibit the filibuster of judicial nominees.
He’s going to regret this someday.
“The main point that Levin and Demint were making was that Demint, Cantor, and McConnell were pleading with the GOP caucus to stick together to vote down the bill as a show of displeasure against Reid’s maneuver, but 12 Republicans broke ranks and voted for the bill anyway.”
I know McConnell is herding cats but he HAS to do better. The dims are putting their union goons in the streets and revving up a full 1968 style reelection campaign and this is going to get ugly.
We need real leaders in the GOP to stand their ground and more press releases from McConnell is not going to get it done.
They don't care - that is correct but not for the reasons you mentioned. There will indeed be elections in 2012. The dems know they are toast so that will pass whatever they can before they are trounced in 2012. Then the RINOs take over for a number of years, embarrass themselves, talk about dismantling the dem programs but do nothing. the dems wait until their cycle comes around again and they get back in and institute more socialism. Then they get booted out and the cycle continues.
The dems are patient communists. If they implement just two programs in four years - ObamaCare and gays in military - they feel they were successful.
I sure hope so, he deserves a world of hurt.
That thought crossed my mind too.
Obama & Dems in 2005: 51 Vote ‘Nuclear Option’ Is ‘Arrogant’ Power Grab Against the Founder’s Intent
“This nuclear option (now being called ‘reconciliation’) is an example of the arrogance of power...”
If it weren’t for double standards, they’d have no standards at all.
Hope this encourages a few RINOs to retire.
The pubbies won't have the nuts to use it.
Those sons of biatches will be in the minority soon. We should remember this then.
I think the DemoRATS are planning something for the future. Something that will put the House of Representatives in the hot seat. Don't know what it could be.
Sadly, your picture of the situation is probably the correct one.
Alright, let them do this. We will keep the rule when we win the Senate in 2012.
Let me posit something else....
Something BIG is about to be introduced in the Senate, and by doing this NOW, Reid sets the precedent for it.
When whatever it is finally hits (Mortgage or Student Laondebt forgiveness, say in SPRING, to get Obama reelected??), the precedent will already be set.
Then, it’ll be the “Obstructionist Republican Congress!” standing in the way of a huge “Windfall” for the sheeple.
So, you can look at each vote as a separate event, or you can look at the second vote as a missed opportunity to show displeasure at Reid's move."
Are you saying that 12 Republicans voted for the Motion to Invoke Cloture on the bill S. 1619 after "Reid's maneuver" which changed the rules? This link appears to show the opposite order (click the vote numbers on the left side of chart)...
It shows vote #00156 on the Motion to Invoke Cloture on S. 1619 was Thursday at 10:32 AM (and 12 republicans voted for the cloture motion). The vote #00157 on "Reid's maneuver" was Thursday at 6:41 PM and no Republican voted with Reid, and Nelson D-Nebraska voted with the Republicans against Reid (this vote is described as "On the Decision of the Chair (Shall the Decision of the Chair Stand as the Judgment of the Senate)".
I believe that the video linked below is "Reid's maneuver" in which Reid makes a "point of order" concerning an amendment. Then the Chairman rules "The point of order is not sustained". Reid says "I appeal the ruling of the Chair and request the yeas and nays". Then Senator McConnell makes a comment.
All 48 Republicans vote to sustain the ruling of the Chairman, and 50 Democrats and 1 Independent vote Nay... the ruling of the Chairman is not sustained and thus the rule is changed. But at the end of the video, which is after the vote, Reid says "we'll discuss later how we're going to move forward on other things".
Video of Harry Reid's parliamentary maneuver to change the Senate rules
Boehner & the House Repub leadership are missing their entire set of balls....they wouldn't do this in a million years
then when The GOP takes over the Senate.....
Maybe....even DeMint said there are some weak candidates that the GOP would be putting up against demoRATs who will stop at nothing to be elected or re-elected
then when The GOP takes over the Senate they will just use Reid's Rule against him.
BRAAAWWWWWWHHHHAAA!!!! That's even less likely to happen then the House refusing to take up Senate bills. IF the Repukes even are successful in taking back the Senate, I have no doubt that the first thing they would do would be to revoke this procedure at the request (or orders) of the DemoRAT socialist party. This way the Repubs can once again show us how collectivedly stupid they are.
For future reference, if the votes of October 6 don’t appear, click “more” at the lower right corner of the chart...
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/a_three_sections_with_teasers/votes.htm
Is he so stupid he didn’t figure this out?
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