Reid Changing Filibuster Rules

[Sallow]

Boom!

Under the old rules it took 60 votes to break a filibuster. The change now allows most filibusters of Obama nominees to be stopped with 51 votes–a simple Senate majority.

The rules change only applies to executive and judicial nominees, not Supreme Court nominees.

Typically 67 votes are required to change Senate rules, but under the nuclear option, Democrats - who control the chamber with a 55-45 majority - changed those rules with a simple majority vote.

"It's time to get the Senate working again," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on the Senate floor. "Not for the good of the current Democratic majority or some future Republican majority, but for the good of the United States of America. It's time to change. It's time to change the Senate before this institution becomes obsolete.
Senate Democrats invoke ?nuclear option?, changes filibuster rules ? CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs

Done.



This should have been done long ago.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Yup

It's a good thing.

I don't think it's a good thing when the minority party has to change the rules as to when and why court appointees can be opposed, so that McConnell and Graham can survive being primaried by 20% of the population.

Nor is it a good thing when Rs keep the House because of gerrymandering and voter suppression.

 

[Sallow]

For judicial and excutive appts, sure.

I thought Bush should have had the opportunity for up and down votes on these appts.

I gather SCOTUS is still subject to the old rules.

You gather right.

And Bush got almost everyone he wanted, in..

Harriet Myers and John Bolton being the exceptions.

 

[Edgetho]

No excuse for HALF of Obama's executive appointments to have been stopped.

The Rs said they would stop this president, that they would stop our government and that's what they have gotten away with. They've used the filibuster, the sequester and government shut down - all to harm the US and its got to be stopped.

Yes there is. They're scumbags.

Payback's a motherfucker. You WILL see

 

[Sallow]

Uh huh and when the Democrats are the minority will they want to change the rules back? Reid and the Democrats would be wise to remember you don't remain the majority forever.

Dems are going to love the new-fangled Republican rules when they win back the House.

Just think..Senate/House/Presidency after 2014.

No minority opposition.

It's going to be like Texas for the whole nation!

 

[Edgetho]

Just remember that you were for this rule change when we take back ALL of Washington.

And we will.

OBTW, most of the appointments the Stuttering Clusterfuck is trying to make have been open since the dimocraps filibustered George Bush's nominations

True dat

hypocrite.

To a dimocrap, that's a compliment

Go for it

I have no doubt that Republicans would change Filibuster Rules the minute they take the Senate

End it once and for all and live with a majority vote in the Senate

Long filibuster against Texas abortion limits suspended - CBS News

... suspended


Republicans in Texas "suspended" the filibuster by Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis when it became obvious she would succeed in blocking their bill - the Tea Party Republicans no doubt would do the same in Washington when given the chance.

the Republicans have missused the Filibuster and have made the rule change necessary by giving the Democrats no other choice.

.

The filibuster rule has been around for over 200 years.

U.S. Senate: Art & History Home > Origins & Development > Powers & Procedures > Filibuster and Cloture

Just remember who killed it when the time comes

 

[Edgetho]

For judicial and excutive appts, sure.

I thought Bush should have had the opportunity for up and down votes on these appts.

I gather SCOTUS is still subject to the old rules.

You gather right.

And Bush got almost everyone he wanted, in..

Harriet Myers and John Bolton being the exceptions.

You lying scumbag.....

George W. Bush judicial appointment controversies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of stalled, blocked or filibustered nominees[edit]

United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Rhode Island seat vacated by Bruce M. Selya - William E. Smith (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee O. Rogeriee Thompson)
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
New York seat vacated by John M. Walker, Jr. - Debra Ann Livingston (Livingston was nominated by President Bush in June 2006 but not allowed to be confirmed by Senate Democrats until May 2007)
New York seat vacated by Chester J. Straub - Loretta A. Preska (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Gerard E. Lynch)
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
New Jersey seat vacated by Samuel Alito - Shalom D. Stone (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Joseph A. Greenaway, Jr.)
Pennsylvania seat vacated by Franklin Stuart Van Antwerpen - Gene E. K. Pratter, followed by Paul S. Diamond (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Thomas I. Vanaskie)
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Maryland seat vacated by Francis D. Murnaghan, Jr. - Claude Allen, followed by Rod J. Rosenstein (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Andre M. Davis)
North Carolina seat vacated by James Dickson Phillips, Jr. - Terrence Boyle, followed by Robert J. Conrad (Boyle was nominated by President Bush in May 2001. After waiting six years, President Bush withdrew his nomination January 2007, making this 2001-2007 nomination the longest court of appeals nomination never processed by the Senate; Robert Conrad was nominated July 2007, but the Senate Democrats refused to process his nomination during the Democratic 110th Congress; judgeship later filled by Obama nominee James A. Wynn, Jr.)
South Carolina seat vacated by William Walter Wilkins - Steve A. Matthews (judgeship later filled by North Carolina Obama nominee Albert Diaz)
Virginia seat vacated by H. Emory Widener - William J. Haynes, II, followed by E. Duncan Getchell, followed by Glen E. Conrad (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Barbara Milano Keenan)

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Mississippi seat, converted from a Louisiana seat vacated by Henry Anthony Politz - Charles W. Pickering, followed by Michael B. Wallace, followed by Leslie H. Southwick (Pickering was filibustered by Senate Democrats and eventually withdrew his nomination; there was so much Democratic resistance to Wallace's nomination that it too was withdrawn; and Southwick was only confirmed due to the efforts of Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein)
Texas seat vacated by William Lockhart Garwood - Priscilla Owen (Owen was filibustered by Senate Democrats and only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Michigan seat vacated by James L. Ryan - Henry Saad, followed by Raymond Kethledge (Saad was filibustered by Senate Democrats; Kethledge was only confirmed after a deal in which failed Clinton nominee Helene White was allowed to replace Bush nominee Stephen J. Murphy III as a Sixth Circuit nominee)
Michigan seat vacated by Richard Suhrheinrich - David W. McKeague (McKeague was filibustered by Senate Democrats and only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)
Michigan seat vacated by Damon Keith - Richard Allen Griffin (Griffin was filibustered by Senate Democrats and only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)
Michigan seat vacated by Cornelia Groefsema Kennedy - Susan Bieke Neilson, followed by Stephen J. Murphy III, followed by failed Clinton nominee Helene White (Neilson was only confirmed three months prior to her death after a four-year battle over her nomination; Murphy's nomination was replaced by that of failed Clinton nominee Helene White at the behest of Democratic Michigan senator Carl Levin)
Ohio seat vacated by David Aldrich Nelson - Jeffrey S. Sutton (Senate Democrats refused to process his nomination during the Democratic 107th Congress and he was only confirmed once Republicans assumed control of the house in 2003)
Ohio seat vacated by Alan Norris - Deborah L. Cook (Senate Democrats refused to process her nomination during the Democratic 107th Congress and she was only confirmed once Republicans assumed control of the house in 2003)

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

Indiana seat vacated by Kenneth F. Ripple - Philip P. Simon (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee David Hamilton)
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
California seat vacated by James R. Browning - Carolyn Kuhl (Kuhl was filibustered by Senate Democrats and eventually withdrew her nomination; judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Sandra Segal Ikuta)
California seat vacated by Stephen S. Trott - N. Randy Smith (judgeship still open; Smith was later confirmed to the Ninth Circuit when he was renominated for an Idaho seat)
Idaho seat vacated by Thomas G. Nelson - William Gerry Myers III (Myers was filibustered by Senate Democrats; judgeship later filled by Bush nominee N. Randy Smith)

United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

Oklahoma seat vacated by Stephanie Kulp Seymour - James H. Payne, followed by Jerome A. Holmes (Payne withdrew his nomination after allegations made by liberal organizations created the appearance of "extraordinary circumstances" which would not have allowed his confirmation under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal; judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Jerome A. Holmes)

United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Alabama seat vacated by Emmett Ripley Cox - William H. Steele, followed by William H. Pryor (Senate Democrats refused to process Steele's nomination during the Democratic 107th Congress and his nomination was withdrawn; Pryor was filibustered by Senate Democrats and was only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia

Miguel Estrada, to seat vacated by Patricia Wald (Estrada was nominated May 2001, but was filibustered by Senate Democrats and withdrew his nomination after waiting over two years in September 2003; judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Thomas B. Griffith, who was only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)
John Roberts, to seat vacated by James L. Buckley (Senate Democrats refused to process his nomination during the Democratic 107th Congress and he was only confirmed once Republicans assumed control of the Senate in 2003)
Janice Rogers Brown, to seat vacated by Stephen F. Williams (Brown was filibustered by Senate Democrats and was only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)
Brett Kavanaugh, to seat vacated by Laurence Silberman (Kavanaugh was initially stalled by Senate Democrats and was only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)
Peter Keisler, to seat vacated by John Roberts (President Bush nominated him June 2006, but Senate Democrats refused to process his nomination during the 109th and Democratic 110th Congress; judgeship still open)

Others who were considered for nomination[edit]

In the spring of 2001, then-Representative Christopher Cox and lawyer Peter Keisler were both considered for federal appellate judgeships. Cox was considered for a California seat on the Ninth Circuit and Keisler for a Maryland seat on the Fourth Circuit. Both withdrew themselves from consideration before a nomination could be made because their homestate Democratic senators objected to them due to their perceived conservatism.[22] The California seat that Cox had been considered for was eventually filled by Bush nominee Carlos T. Bea. In 2005, Cox was nominated and confirmed as Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a position he held until the end of the Bush administration in January 2009. The Maryland seat that Keisler had been considered for was to remain open the entirety of Bush's presidency with the failed nominations of Claude Allen and Rod J. Rosenstein. In 2006, Keisler was unsuccessfully nominated to a seat on the D.C. Circuit. In 2007, after the resignation of Alberto Gonzales, Keisler became the Acting Attorney General until the confirmation of Michael Mukasey. He left the Department of Justice in March 2008 to return to private practice.

Failed district court nominees[edit]

Bush nominated 23 people for 23 current or future federal district judgeships who never were confirmed by the U.S. Senate.[23] Like the appellate court nominations mentioned above, many of these nominees were blocked by Democrats in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which was controlled by the Democrats four out the eight years that Bush was in office. Twenty-one of these twenty-three nominees were blocked in the Democratic 110th Congress. Republicans claimed at the time that the Democrats were trying to keep these district court positions open for a future Democratic president to fill. Eventually, Bush declined to make nominations for 23 other current or future federal district judgeships in the 110th Congress.

Of the 23 federal district judgeship vacancies with actual nominees in place, 2 eventually were filled with a different Bush nominee, 14 so far have been filled with Barack Obama nominees, 4 remain open, 1 became moot when the district judge decided not to retire and 2 never ended up becoming vacant because the district judge who had it never received confirmation to be elevated to an appellate court. In addition, two of Bush's 23 failed district court nominees, Oregon's Marco Hernandez and Illinois' John J. Tharp,[24] were subsequently renominated by Obama to federal district judgeships. They both were confirmed in the 112th Congress.

The failed Bush district court nominees:

United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
Lincoln D. Almond (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee John J. McConnell, Jr.)
United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
Mary Donohue, followed by Thomas Marcelle (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Mae D'Agostino)
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Carolyn P. Short (judgeship was to become vacant when Judge Gene E. K. Pratter was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit but Pratter was forced to withdraw due to Democratic opposition and was replaced by Judge Paul S. Diamond.)
Carolyn P. Short (judgeship was to become vacant when Judge Paul S. Diamond was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit but Diamond never was confirmed to that post before Bush's presidency ended.)
United States District Court for the District of Delaware
Colm F. Connolly (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Leonard Stark)
United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
Thomas Alvin Farr (judgeship still open)
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
David J. Novak (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee John A. Gibney, Jr.)
United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
William J. Powell (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Gina Marie Groh)
United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
David R. Dugas (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Brian Anthony Jackson)
United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
J. Richard Barry (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Carlton W. Reeves)
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Daniel P. Ryan (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Stephen Joseph Murphy III)
United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
Gustavus Adolphus Puryear (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Kevin Hunter Sharp)
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
John J. Tharp (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Sharon J. Coleman) (Nominated by Barack Obama on November 10, 2011 to a different seat on the Northern District and confirmed on May 14, 2012)
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Timothy G. Dugan (judgeship vacancy became moot when Judge Rudolph T. Randa decided not to retire in January 2009)
United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
J. Mac Davis (judgeship still open)
United States District Court for the Central District of California
James Edward Rogan (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Jacqueline H. Nguyen)
United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
Frederick W. Rohlfing III (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee J. Michael Seabright)
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
Marco A. Hernandez (Nominated by Barack Obama on July 14, 2010 to the same position and confirmed on February 7, 2011)[25]
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
Gregory E. Goldberg (judgeship still open)
United States District Court for the District of Wyoming
Richard H. Honaker (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Nancy D. Freudenthal)
United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
William F. Jung (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Charlene Edwards Honeywell)
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Jeffrey Adam Rosen (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee James E. Boasberg)
Michael E. O'Neill (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Amy Berman Jackson)

 

[bendog]

It's a good thing.

I don't think it's a good thing when the minority party has to change the rules as to when and why court appointees can be opposed, so that McConnell and Graham can survive being primaried by 20% of the population.

Nor is it a good thing when Rs keep the House because of gerrymandering and voter suppression.

Well the dems have a history there too.

But no party has flat out said they use their minority party power to refuse to fill a court or exec post nominee simply because they didn't want the potus of fill it with ANYONE. iF that's the minority's position, then what purpose does it serve to allow them any power at all? None. It sucks.

Principaled opponsition to a nominee isn't a bad thing, in that it prevents someone with far from the mainstream views from being nominated. It sometimes prevents even left or right of center appointments too. But, overall, it has a positive use. But, it requires pols utilize some fair judgment. Sen. Boxer was ideologically opposed to Southwick, but she came out and supported him after deciding he was a principled jurist who would decide cases on established law, rather than being an idealogue.

But with the TPM, people like McConnell and Graham have to take a line of absolutely no compromise. And, this is the result. It's going to hurt the judiciary, but it's on the gop.

 

[rightwinger]

Go for it

I have no doubt that Republicans would change Filibuster Rules the minute they take the Senate

End it once and for all and live with a majority vote in the Senate

Long filibuster against Texas abortion limits suspended - CBS News

... suspended


Republicans in Texas "suspended" the filibuster by Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis when it became obvious she would succeed in blocking their bill - the Tea Party Republicans no doubt would do the same in Washington when given the chance.

the Republicans have missused the Filibuster and have made the rule change necessary by giving the Democrats no other choice.

.

The filibuster rule has been around for over 200 years.

U.S. Senate: Art & History Home > Origins & Development > Powers & Procedures > Filibuster and Cloture

Just remember who killed it when the time comes

Where is Mr Smith when you need him?

He never would have recognized what passes as filibuster today

 

[Sarah G]

Harkin now wants legislature filibuster rules change.

 

[bendog]

... suspended


Republicans in Texas "suspended" the filibuster by Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis when it became obvious she would succeed in blocking their bill - the Tea Party Republicans no doubt would do the same in Washington when given the chance.

the Republicans have missused the Filibuster and have made the rule change necessary by giving the Democrats no other choice.

.

The filibuster rule has been around for over 200 years.

U.S. Senate: Art & History Home > Origins & Development > Powers & Procedures > Filibuster and Cloture

Just remember who killed it when the time comes

Where is Mr Smith when you need him?

He never would have recognized what passes as filibuster today

If Mr. Smith was a goper, he'd be teapartied out.

 

[Sarah G]

Uh huh and when the Democrats are the minority will they want to change the rules back? Reid and the Democrats would be wise to remember you don't remain the majority forever.

Dems are going to love the new-fangled Republican rules when they win back the House.

Just think..Senate/House/Presidency after 2014.

No minority opposition.

It's going to be like Texas for the whole nation!

We can't move forward when we fear the consequences of losing the Congress. I think it was the right thing to do. What will happen is when they put up extreme candidates, Senators will then have to work to get votes like they always have in the past.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

No excuse for HALF of Obama's executive appointments to have been stopped.

The Rs said they would stop this president, that they would stop our government and that's what they have gotten away with. They've used the filibuster, the sequester and government shut down - all to harm the US and its got to be stopped.

Yes there is. They're scumbags.

Payback's a motherfucker. You WILL see

Ya know, its okay when some ignernt rw makes lame ass empty threats on an internet message boards but McConnell made a threat too.

Ain't no way to run a country.

 

[The Rabbi]

Republicans gridlocking the Senate with 45 votes is a travesty

Filibuster is an archaic tradition meant for exceptional circumstances. Requiring 60 votes for Congress to do its job does not work. Republicans have abused their filibuster privledges....time to take them away

Yeah.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62zo6Ytkk2g&feature=player_embedded]Obama Flashback: We Need to Rise Above an Ends Justifies the Means Mentality - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Edgetho]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Gagk1ZZVS_k]Biden: Nuclear Option Vote The "Single Most Significant ... In My 32 Years In The Senate" - YouTube[/ame]

dimcraps really are the scum of the Earth.

The sooner we realize that, the sooner we can deal with them

 

[CrusaderFrank]

No excuse for HALF of Obama's executive appointments to have been stopped.

The Rs said they would stop this president, that they would stop our government and that's what they have gotten away with. They've used the filibuster, the sequester and government shut down - all to harm the US and its got to be stopped.

Stop appointing Marxists, anarchists and total incomptenets

 

[The Rabbi]

Democrats should listen to this black man explain why changing the rules mid game is a bad idea.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62zo6Ytkk2g&feature=player_embedded]Obama Flashback: We Need to Rise Above an Ends Justifies the Means Mentality - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Sarah G]

Grassley is really whining OMG. WHYYYYYYY...

Because you weren't playing by the rules, guy, you were abusing them.

 

[The Rabbi]

No excuse for HALF of Obama's executive appointments to have been stopped.

The Rs said they would stop this president, that they would stop our government and that's what they have gotten away with. They've used the filibuster, the sequester and government shut down - all to harm the US and its got to be stopped.

Stop appointing Marxists, anarchists and total incomptenets

"If the president cant get 60 votes for his nominee then he should reconsider his nominee." -Hillary Clinton.

 

[The Rabbi]

Grassley is really whining OMG. WHYYYYYYY...

Because you weren't playing by the rules, guy, you were abusing them.

Do you oppose Sen Obama because he's black?