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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRepublican Drive to Block Cabinet Picks May Spur Change to Senate Rules
NY Times:Gina McCarthy, Mr. Obamas choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, and Thomas E. Perez, the nominee to be secretary of labor, were approved in committee with only Democratic votes. Their nominations now go before the full Senate, where they face likely Republican filibusters.
The threat of further Republican attempts to thwart the presidents ability to assemble his second-term cabinet has increased the likelihood of a fight over the Senates rules, which allow the minority party to insist on a 60-vote threshold for almost every Senate action.
Democrats say that Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, in recent days has been trying to gauge whether there is sufficient support among Democrats to force a rule change that would limit the filibuster on presidential nominees. He could conceivably try to enact a rule change with a simple majority a tactic known as the nuclear option. Any revisions to Senate rules usually require 67 votes, a threshold that is impossible to obtain without significant Republican support.
I was in a meeting this week with someone in a position to know, and this is definitely in play.
Lil Missy
(17,865 posts)madokie
(51,076 posts)bullwinkle428
(20,629 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Currently nothing is happening in Congress. For a group of people who are supposed to govern it seems like this is the last thing on their minds. They only work 1/3 of the year and some even miss some of those days. How many more delaying tactics do they want to create. They complain a budget hasn't been passed, well, who should we look to see why not.
1KansasDem
(251 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)The asshole. Is there any wonder why we are in trouble with DINO's like dipshit Harry Reid. I bet he polishes McConnell's shoes.
Aerows
(39,961 posts)Reid had every chance to change the filibuster rules, and we see where that went.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)indepat
(20,899 posts)over frivolous or trumped up charges while ignoring right-wing obstruction of governmental operations.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)ole Charlie Brown (the 99%) go to kick it.
Harry Reid is a dirty rotten liar. He and his Democratic Senator accomplices are complicit with the Rethugs.
Keeping the filibuster lets them off the hook. They can vote Democratic and blame the Rethugs for the failures.
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)as per usual..
This should have been the order of the day on the FIRST DAY of Obama's first "congress".. Who knows? we might have gotten single payer, true election reform, closure of Guantanamo, and so much more..