Limited Filibuster Reform Showdown Today
I say limited because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s proposed rule change is extremely limited to only eliminating the silent non speaking obstructive hold that is today incorrectly called the filibuster on only presidential appointees, meaning nominanees to executive agencies like the National Labor Relations Board or the Consumer Protection Board or the Secretary of State or Defense, and on and on.
It does not include “filibusters” on judicial nominees or legislation. Well, the Senators all met in the Old Senate Chamber last night, and that must have been crowded, if you have ever been to the old Senate Chamber, you know what I mean. They met for three hours to discuss some insipid and downright insane “bipartisan” solutions to this crisis that is entirely of the Republicans’ own making.
One solution from John McCain was so outrageous that I could not write about it last night as I might have called for bodily harm to befall him. John McCain’s solution to Republican obstruction was for the twice popularly elected (by overwhelmingly margins each time, once over John McCain himself) President of the United States to delegate his appointment powers to, get this, John McCain and the Republican Party. John McCain lost the election, but he still wants to be President, so he is holding hostage the President’s nominees under the President gives up his power to the new President John McCain.
I hope Harry Reid and all Democrats laughed and then spit in John McCain’s face. And Chris Coons and Tom Carper, if you make any deal, any deal whatsoever on this issue, I am finished with you and will work to see both of you defeated. The President gets to appoint the nominees. The Democrats and Republicans in the Senate get to vote on them. If you oppose a nominee, vote no. And that’s it. What John McCain want is not only the power to vote no, but the power to make the appointment in the first place. Hey, John, if you want that power, win the presidential election. But you got your ass handed to you, didn’t you?
