Since the election of Donald Trump, the Democrats in the Senate have followed one rule when it came to nominations made by the President for government posts and judicial positions. That rule consists of just two words: "ALWAYS OBSTRUCT". We've gone over two years, and almost every time there has been a nominee brought forward, the Democrats have filibustered, forced a cloture vote (which they lost) and then used the full 30 hours of debate before the nominee was approved. That means that for each nominee, the Senate has to take at least two days for debate before voting.
It's important to understand that in the past, filibusters on nominations were rare. Most federal judges and under-secretaries of this or that were approved by a voice vote with essential no debate. Frequently, the Senate would approve a batch of six or seven judges in one vote. New presidents had their initial nominees in place by six months after taking office. The Democrats threw that practice out the window in their zeal to confront President Trump. There are still nominees from Trump who have been waiting 18 months or more for confirmation due to the Democrats' obstruction.
This obstruction by the Democrats is about to end, and not because they want that to happen. The Senate leadership is going to hold a vote on changing the rules so that debate on nominations of judges other than for the Supreme Court and appointees to government posts other than Cabinet secretaries will be limited to two hours rather than the current 30 hours following a cloture vote. That means that the Senate could actually confirm four nominees in one day rather than one every three days. In other words, the Democrats won't be able to pervert the Senate rules just for mindless delay anymore.
The mainstream media is calling this a tactic to allow President Trump to "pack" the federal courts. That's like saying that giving an infant the polio vaccine is actually an evil plot to destroy the poor polio virus.
All I can say to the Republican leadership of the Senate is "Bravo! It's about time."
It's important to understand that in the past, filibusters on nominations were rare. Most federal judges and under-secretaries of this or that were approved by a voice vote with essential no debate. Frequently, the Senate would approve a batch of six or seven judges in one vote. New presidents had their initial nominees in place by six months after taking office. The Democrats threw that practice out the window in their zeal to confront President Trump. There are still nominees from Trump who have been waiting 18 months or more for confirmation due to the Democrats' obstruction.
This obstruction by the Democrats is about to end, and not because they want that to happen. The Senate leadership is going to hold a vote on changing the rules so that debate on nominations of judges other than for the Supreme Court and appointees to government posts other than Cabinet secretaries will be limited to two hours rather than the current 30 hours following a cloture vote. That means that the Senate could actually confirm four nominees in one day rather than one every three days. In other words, the Democrats won't be able to pervert the Senate rules just for mindless delay anymore.
The mainstream media is calling this a tactic to allow President Trump to "pack" the federal courts. That's like saying that giving an infant the polio vaccine is actually an evil plot to destroy the poor polio virus.
All I can say to the Republican leadership of the Senate is "Bravo! It's about time."
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