Posted on 12/06/2016 4:48:04 AM PST by broken_arrow1
Senate Democrats are eager to make Donald Trump pay a political price for nominating staunch conservatives to fill out his Cabinet, hoping to exact revenge for the GOP's stubborn opposition to President Barack Obama's nominees.
But there is little they can do about it -- and some top Democrats are now coming to regret it.
That's because Senate Democrats muscled through an unprecedented rules change in 2013 to weaken the power of the minority party to filibuster Cabinet-level appointees and most judicial nominees, now setting the threshold at 51 votes -- rather than 60 -- to overcome tactics aimed at derailing nominations.
With the Senate GOP poised to hold 52 seats next Congress, some Democrats now say they should have thought twice before making the rules change -- known on Capitol Hill as the "nuclear option."
"I do regret that," said Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, a Democrat who voted for the rules change three years ago. "I frankly think many of us will regret that in this Congress because it would have been a terrific speed bump, potential emergency break, to have in our system to slow down nominees."
With their power weakened, Democrats are weighing how to make life difficult for the Senate GOP.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
MSM to Republicans-"How will you work with the Democrats?"
MSM to Democrats-"How will you stop the Republicans?"
If he has trouble with the nominee he can just change their title to “czar” and drive on!
Why? Turtle Face has no intention of using it...
To quote the old Crusader from the Indiana Jones movie, “You have chosen poorly.”
Regarding the wailing and gnashing of teeth by the Demonrats, all I can say is TS.
I think the 60 vote requirement in the Senate is an unconstitutional amendment anyway, so I’m glad to see it go.
Will bring out the true McCain and Graham?
Are we ready for Civil War 2 because the B. is going to do her best to steal Trump’s election? Which is why they’ve gone to Fed courts. So they won’t have to pay for the recounts, but we will. All she won was 57 counties and that because the are dem controlled in the first place.
There is a lot of confusion out there on this. They already voted to eliminate the 60 votes and that remains in effect. Why do people keep saying republicans won’t pull the trigger, why do dems still threaten to stop the nominations. Wouldn’t the republicans have to reinstitute the 60 vote rule for it to be back in effect?
Next up: "It isn't fair!"
There’s that foresight and consideration of consequences from liberals that we’ve all come to know and love. ;-) Just another example of why you don’t want a liberal making important decisions. They can have input, provide ideas and such, but when it comes down to it, you want an adult making the call, not a liberal.
Will we have 60 Senators after the 2018 midterms?
The Dims will have to sit in the corner and color while the adults do the work of the people.
and the likes of CNN keep saying they are not biased, HA HA.
I have to admit, I seized on this line, “...hoping to exact revenge for the GOP’s stubborn opposition to President Barack Obama’s nominees.” Aside from refusing to hold a hearing and a vote on Garland, which was yet another precedent set by Democrats, precisely which nominations were ‘stubbornly opposed’ by the Republican Congress? In fact, I’ve been pretty pissed at the failure of Republicans to oppose ANYTHING Obama has wanted to do - legislatively or by executive fiat.
Bottom line is, “Karma’s a bitch, aint it...”
He will regret it even more after the 2018 bielection when they will probably lose a net of 10-20 of their remaining Democrat-held Senate seats. At that point, the filibuster tactic wouldn’t work anyway.
They won’t be able to stop them but the Democrats can, and will, gum up the works enough so that it will take a long time to confirm some of the nominees. And by placing a hold on a nominee a single senator can prevent the Senate from voting on a nomination unless there are 60 votes for cloture.
Actions have consequences. . .good or bad. In this case VERY good.
No kidding. The senate seats up in 2018 are almost all states Trump won.
The blue wall of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania are up.
Plus Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia, Indiana, Missouri, Florida, Ohio, and Virginia.
Maybe the Dems are counting on McCain and Graham to side with them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.