Filibuster Rules Changed??

[PegLeg45]

If you can't get your way, change the rules.
Yeah.

Here's Why Today's Filibuster Rule Change is a Big Deal:

Something big happened in the Senate today: A majority of senators voted to change the way the filibuster works.
(You can read more about what a filibuster does here. http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/legislative-branch#Filibuster )

Under today's rule change, all executive branch and judicial nominees -- except to the Supreme Court -- can be confirmed with a simple up-or-down vote rather than the 60-vote supermajority that had been required for more than 200 years.

Speaking from the White House Press Briefing Room today, the President supported the change and provided context for why it's especially pertinent right now:

 "All too often, we've seen a single senator or a handful of senators choose to abuse arcane procedural tactics to unilaterally block bipartisan compromises, or to prevent well-qualified, patriotic Americans from filling critical positions of public service in our system of government.
Now, at a time when millions of American have desperately searched for work, repeated abuse of these tactics have blocked legislation that might create jobs.  They've defeated actions that would help women fighting for equal pay.  They've prevented more progress than we would have liked for striving young immigrants trying to earn their citizenship.  Or it's blocked efforts to end tax breaks for companies that are shipping jobs overseas.  They've even been used to block common-sense and widely supported steps to protect more Americans from gun violence, even as families of victims sat in the Senate chamber and watched.  And they've prevented far too many talented Americans from serving their country at a time when their country needs their talents the most."


As the President went on to note, in the six decades before he took office, only 20 presidential nominees to executive positions had to overcome filibusters. "But in just under five years since I took office, nearly 30 nominees have been treated this way," the President said.

In other words, half of all filibusters waged against nominations in our country's history have been waged under President Obama. And of the 23 district court nominees that have been filibustered in U.S. History, 20 of them have been Obama nominees.

And so, the President said, "Enough is enough."

 "The American people's business is far too important to keep falling prey, day after day, to Washington politics.
I'm a former senator.  So is my Vice President.  We both value any Senate's duty to advise and consent.  It's important, and we take that very seriously.  But a few now refuse to treat that duty of advise and consent with the respect that it deserves.  It's no longer used in a responsible way to govern.  It's rather used as a reckless and relentless tool to grind all business to a halt.  And that's not what our Founders intended, and it's certainly not what our country needs right now.
And I just want to remind everybody, what's at stake here is not my ability to fulfill my constitutional duty.  What's at stake is the ability of any President to fulfill his or her constitutional duty.  Public service is not a game.  It is a privilege.  And the consequences of action or inaction are very real.  The American people deserve better than politicians who run for election telling them how terrible government is, and then devoting their time in elected office to trying to make government not work as often as possible."

Earlier this week, Deputy Senior Advisor David Simas sent an email to the White House list about all of the important national measures Congress could be taking action on right now -- if only they'd let these measures come to a vote.

These are measures that mean very real things for our economy and millions of Americans: from reforming our immigration system to confirming qualified individuals to lead critical organizations and sit on important courts.

Today's vote should change at least part of that.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/11/21/heres-why-todays-filibuster-rule-change-really-big-deal

[Pathfinder]

Of course, bho is conveniently "forgetting" that the Senate has a responsibility to ensure that the people appointed to office will fulfill their responsibilities to the best interests of the country, not to bho's benefit. bho has consistently appointed lame, agenda-driven un-American types to these roles.

Of special note, bho can now pack the appellate court - lifetime positions IIRC - with far-left wing wankers who will continue and support his policies against all coming lawsuits, making the judicial branch complicit (more than it already is) in the crimes against the American people.

I no longer weep for my country, it is lost, was lost before this change. This change simply reinforces the damage bho is doing to the courts and this country.

[jaybet]

There will be hell to pay if the Republicans can take the Senate again.

[PegLeg45]

Allen West said last night in his blog that when the Republicans take control of the Senate again, the Dems are then going to complain about the rule that THEY changed because it's going to be turned against them. There is a reason we have the filibuster rules and it's a good reason.

[TAB]

if he actually appointed some one that was decent, it wouldn't happen. 

[Sponsor]

[brushmore]

There will be hell to pay if the Republicans can take the Senate again.

Yeah, they will put the filibuster back in place. That will really teach those democrats.    With only a few notable exceptions, the republicans in the senate have proven to be spineless.

[MikeBjerum]

I pointed out to a Pres. BHO supporter that when I graduated from Kindergarten that I thought I left the old "If you can't win playing by the rules, change the rules" game behind.  Oooooops!  Long and loud rant ensued.  Remember boys and girls, when our Founding Fathers put this system together they intended gridlock.  It was their intent to slow down and sometimes cripple the system as a way to keep it from getting carried away with ruling.

[kmitch200]

Gridlock is the best thing to happen to DC since 1813. 

[Solus]

If the Dems are smart...crooked smart, which they are....between the time the election is over and they see they have lost control and the newly elected Senators take office, repeal the change to the filibuster rule.   

Then yell and scream if the Republicans try to put it back in again and do what ever works to get the Republicans to bend over again to prevent it passing....they always seem to find what works for that.

[fatbaldguy]

Gridlock is the best thing to happen to DC since 1813. 

I see, and know, what you did there!