Could McConnell simply change the vote to 51 instead of 60 if he wanted to? Are there any repercussions?
That’s what I was thinking? Who give a crap about the nuclear option? The fear, I suppose, is what happens if the rats take the Senate. Possible in 2020?
He'd need a majority of the Senate to go along with whatever rule change or rule interpretation had that effect. Given that budget and reconcilliation are done without filibuster, I see no reason that a CR couldn't be deemed to be in the same sort of bucket. Clean CR, no cloture, max xx hours of debate and vote.
The GOP must believe this shutdown benefits them politically.