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Monday, March 27, 2017

Why Make Republicans go Nuclear?

The Democrats decided today to delay the vote on the Gorsuch nomination for a week.  That is their right under the rules.  The Democrats are also talking as if they are going to filibuster the nomination.  It's a strange decision.

Judge Gorsuch handled the confirmation hearings about as well as any Supreme Court nominee I've ever seen.  He never slipped up.  He never said anything that anyone could call (honestly) controversial.  He was the epitome of propriety and discretion.  He also ran rings around some of the less intelligent Democrat senators who tried to trip him up.  It was funny watching Al Franken trying to outsmart Gorsuch on a legal matter.  It was a complete mismatch.  Gorsuch will be confirmed, of that there is no doubt.

So why are the Democrats saying that they will filibuster?  It makes no sense.  After all, if the GOP has to follow what the Democrats themselves did two years ago and get rid of the filibuster for nominations, it's no big deal.  No matter what the Dems say after that change, Gorsuch will be on the Court.  But in six months or a year when Justice Breyer or Justice Ginsburg leave the Court and President Trump appoints a new conservative to replace a major liberal, there will be no filibuster available.  The Dems will be able to foam at the mouth, but they won't be able to block the nominee.

This is bizarre thinking by the Senate Democrats and Chucky Schumer.  Oh well.

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