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McConnell sets stage for 'nuclear option' to change rules on judges
The Hill ^ | March 28, 2019 | Alexander Bolton

Posted on 03/28/2019 12:48:45 PM PDT by jazusamo

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) filed a procedural motion Thursday to set up a rules change in the Senate next week that will speed up votes to confirm President Trump’s nominees to federal district courts and sub-Cabinet-level executive branch positions.

McConnell filed cloture — a motion to cut off dilatory debate — on a motion to proceed to Senate Resolution 50, which would dramatically reduce the amount of time Trump’s nominees have to spend on the floor and let Republicans confirm more of his picks.

The resolution would reduce the amount of floor time that must elapse between when the Senate votes to invoke cloture on a nominee and when a final vote is held from 30 hours to 2 hours.

“I come to the floor to discuss the unprecedented obstruction that has faced President Trump’s nominees for the past 26 months and counting and to announce the Senate is going to do something about it,” McConnell said on the floor.

McConnell’s action Thursday sets up a vote next week on what would be a permanent standing order to reduce debate time for district court and most executive branch nominees. It needs 60 votes to pass.

Senate Republicans say if Democrats stop the resolution from getting 60 votes, they will go ahead with the nuclear option, a controversial tactic used to set a new Senate precedent, and essentially rewrite the Senate rules, with a simple majority vote.

It’s called the nuclear option because it’s viewed as a drastic escalation of partisan warfare.

“The status quo is unsustainable for the Senate,” McConnell said. “It’s unfair to this president and the future presidents of either party. It cannot stand… it will not stand.”


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Kentucky
KEYWORDS: abortion; brettkavanaugh; judgedebatetime; judiciary; kentucky; maga; mcconnell; mitchmcconnell; nuclearoption; obstructionism; scotus; senate; sr50; trumpjudges; ussenate
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Good, it's about time.
1 posted on 03/28/2019 12:48:45 PM PDT by jazusamo
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To: jazusamo

Long overdue. Just be careful not to approve another Roberts!


2 posted on 03/28/2019 12:53:32 PM PDT by faithhopecharity ( “Politicians are not born; they are excreted.” Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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To: jazusamo

The “nuclear” label doesn’t have the same sting as it used to have. It is very worn out.


3 posted on 03/28/2019 12:59:13 PM PDT by Raycpa
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To: faithhopecharity

It is long overdue. It’s been obvious for decades that the democrats no longer play fairly. Time to play the game by the same sickening set of rules they’ve forced on the rest of us.


4 posted on 03/28/2019 1:04:50 PM PDT by KyCats
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To: jazusamo

It should be called the “testiclear option”.


5 posted on 03/28/2019 1:05:24 PM PDT by matthew fuller (Just changed my Amazon Smile donation to Judicial Watch!)
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To: Raycpa

The “nuclear” label doesn’t have the same sting as it used to have. It is very worn out.

...

But it’s kind of awkward to say the matter antimatter option.


6 posted on 03/28/2019 1:07:04 PM PDT by Moonman62 (Facts are racist.)
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To: jazusamo

“nuclear”

BS. Show me.


7 posted on 03/28/2019 1:07:08 PM PDT by TheZMan (I am a secessionist.)
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To: KyCats

The democrappic lies and obstructionism - and the depths they sank to in the judge kavanaugh hearings - prove they’re nothing more than an Enrmy Within - to be defeated, not compromised with nor enabled


8 posted on 03/28/2019 1:11:14 PM PDT by faithhopecharity ( “Politicians are not born; they are excreted.” Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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To: jazusamo

This guy is seriously getting on my nerves.

It’s been 26 months since Trump was inaugurated.

We still have many people awaiting confirmation.

Why doesn’t McConnell just wait until August of 2020. I mean, what’s the hurry A.H.?


9 posted on 03/28/2019 1:17:04 PM PDT by DoughtyOne
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To: jazusamo

Hope it applies to ALL nominees. Not just judges.
Trump has been obstructed from filling many administration positions.


10 posted on 03/28/2019 1:21:35 PM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat/RINO Party!)
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To: DoughtyOne

I understand the holdup the end of last year with the narrow majority and that turkey Flake there.

I don’t understand why McConnell has waited this long this year when it should have the first thing he did instead of waiting until now.


11 posted on 03/28/2019 1:22:26 PM PDT by jazusamo (Have You Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: jazusamo

McConnell must sense that the winds are blowing favorably for Trump.


12 posted on 03/28/2019 1:23:32 PM PDT by Savage Beast (The Trump Revolution is the Resistance to the Decadence of Western Civilization.)
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To: mrsmith

Yep, it says it will apply to most executive branch nominees also.


13 posted on 03/28/2019 1:24:24 PM PDT by jazusamo (Have You Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: Moonman62

I prefer to call it the “Squish The Huge Bug With A Large Flat Rock Option”!


14 posted on 03/28/2019 1:28:08 PM PDT by rlmorel (If racial attacks were as common as the Left wants you to think, they wouldn't have to make them up.)
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To: jazusamo

Actually, he should have done this after six months. They’ve (the Democrats) been acting like spoiled children, trying to prevent Trump from instituting his Constitutional duties.

IMO < I don’t think McConnell was much more supportive than the Democrats in truth. He let them rule the roost on the nominees.

It’s a rather hollow claim that some appointment records have been set, when we have so many nominees still hanging more than half way through Trump’s first term.

They have played scorched earth for half of Trump’s first term, and McConnell sat there playing patty-cake instead of taking decisive measures.

He and Ryan, man what a pair of losers...


15 posted on 03/28/2019 1:28:26 PM PDT by DoughtyOne
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To: jazusamo

16 posted on 03/28/2019 1:48:07 PM PDT by Vendome (I've Gotta Be Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB0ndRzaz2o)
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To: Savage Beast

It’s the right time. After the McConnell vote on the Green New Deal and all the salt that caused, I’m ready, we’re ready, to forge on ahead.


17 posted on 03/28/2019 2:12:33 PM PDT by Texan4Life
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To: jazusamo

McConnell should just change it from the nuclear option to the Reid option. This way if Democrats ever take back the Senate and they try this, they will be invoking the Reid Option.


18 posted on 03/28/2019 2:26:51 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Trump is the best project/program/portfolio manager in the world!!!!)
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To: jazusamo

He was waiting for the Mueller report outcome. Bet on it.


19 posted on 03/28/2019 3:00:35 PM PDT by prairiebreeze (Don't be afraid to see what you see. -- Ronald Reagan)
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To: jazusamo

Of course that tired old concept of a speedy trial,which can only be accomplished if you have enough judges, can just go to hell.


20 posted on 03/28/2019 3:05:41 PM PDT by Hardastarboard (Three most annoying words on the internet - "Watch the video")
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