Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell triggered the left as he led Republicans to use the “nuclear option” to change Senate rules affecting debate time.
The 51-48 vote left Democrats reeling, and reminded of former Sen. Harry Reid, as the new rules drastically cut debate time, allowing President Trump’s nominees to be confirmed at a much faster pace.
The so-called nuclear option allows the GOP – or either party that is in the majority – to make changes without the two-thirds vote typically required, using a simple majority vote instead.
Former Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada used the same approach in 2013 to lower the filibuster threshold on most nominations to a simple majority when faced with what Democrats said was GOP obstructionism. https://t.co/HFPSbqVpIS
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) April 3, 2019
The new rules cut debate time to two hours, a significant decrease from the current 30 hours allowed now which Republicans claim Democrats were using as a stall tactic to oppose the president, according to CNN.
NUCLEAR OPTION TRIGGERED: Senate votes 51-48 to change the rules and cut debate time for certain nominations from 30 hours to 2 hours.
The move was led by Mitch McConnell; all Republicans except Susan Collins and Mike Lee voted to nuke the rules. Kamala Harris was absent.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 3, 2019
Bloomberg political reporter Sahil Kapur noted that McConnell’s move allows Trump’s district court judge nominees to be confirmed 15 times faster than they are now.
McConnell, who is often mischaracterized as an institutionalist, has been willing to scrap Senate traditions/rules if there’s a compelling ideological or partisan benefit (e.g. ramping up legislative filibusters, axing blue slips, and nuking SCOTUS filibuster & now debate time).
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 3, 2019
McConnell’s nuclear-style rule change lets him confirm Trump’s district court judge nominees 15X as quickly as he’s doing now. (The Senate has already confirmed 53 district judges during this presidency.)
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 3, 2019
Former Hillary Clinton aide Brian Fallon declared that the change “should scare every progressive.”
This should scare every progressive. McConnell’s plan is to leave no judges for the next President to appoint, so the third branch of gov’t remains reliably right-wing for decades. This is why a plan to reform the courts is so important to discuss in 2020https://t.co/2phq8HujjF
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) April 3, 2019
.@brianefallon, former aide to Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer, on McConnell nuking the rules in order to push through Trump judges:
“Democrats could learn something from Mitch McConnell’s ruthlessness when it comes to confirming judges.”
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 3, 2019
Apparently, the younger generation needs a history lesson.
Hillary’s former aide is too young to know who Harry Reid is, apparently https://t.co/sLazjdWlBs
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) April 3, 2019
As Democrats had a meltdown over what they saw as a “power grab” by the GOP, they seemed to have forgotten that it was one of their own who started it all.
“But no one pushed the proverbial button until 2013, when then-Majority Leader Harry Reid invoked the nuclear option to lower the 60-vote threshold to 51 for approval of Executive Branch appointees…” #TheReidRule https://t.co/a4v34OsFrv
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) April 3, 2019
CNN reported:
Democrats called it a power grab but, in the end, could complain only so much, as they first used the controversial tactic in 2013 to make it dramatically easier to break filibusters of almost all President Barack Obama’s nominees — except those to the Supreme Court — a much more substantial curtailing of minority rights than the changes forced through by Republicans Wednesday.
Reid’s name reverberated on Twitter Wednesday.
You can all thank Harry Reid.
— Kevin (@kevinyandg) April 3, 2019
Harry reid started it. You reap what you sow.
— David Ludwig (@DavidLu09481319) April 3, 2019
Sorry, but that was Harry Reid that opened Pandora’s box. Mitch just went digging through it.https://t.co/Hi7PYMaq0J
— Bill (@striker257) April 3, 2019
How soon the Democrats/socialists – whatever they’re calling themselves today – forget that it was Harry Reid that started using the nuclear option
— Jeff Markle (@JeffMarkle2) April 3, 2019
Apparently no one in this thread has heard of Harry Reid
— kham (@OutOfKenTroll) April 3, 2019
Sen. Chuck Schumer slammed McConnell and the “terribly destructive nuclear option” as well, also without giving credit where it was due.
This is a sad day for the Senate@SenateMajLdr McConnell brags about confirming more judges than anyone in a long time
But he wants to invoke the terribly destructive nuclear option to fast-track even more of President Trump’s ultra-conservative nominees https://t.co/pPHByGyaBp
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 3, 2019
The New York Democrat got no sympathy for his “sad day” comments.
You can thank yourself, and Harry Reid, Senator.
— Anthony Ramirez (@anthramirez) April 3, 2019
Your grievance is with your ex-colleague Harry Reid, not with Mitch McConnell.#GoMitchGo
— PhilipTerzian (@PhilipTerzian) April 2, 2019
First, you were part of triggering the nuclear option with Harry Reid in 2013. Second, you can regret your decisions over and over, but live with them Chuck…
— Doug Keith (@keith_doug) April 3, 2019
It’s called the #ReidRule for a reason.
— Eric Short (@ejs_1979) April 3, 2019
No matter the drama Democrats launch in reaction to Wednesday’s vote, many agreed that they set up the game themselves and, in the end, have no one but themselves to blame.
Senate Dems have engaged in unprecedented obstruction of hundreds of @POTUS nominations making Washington more dysfunctional than ever. Republicans were forced to use Harry Reid’s precedent to end Democrat obstruction. Today’s rule change was long-overdue. pic.twitter.com/J8XUjewHXL
— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) April 3, 2019
Thanks be to Harry
— Brian Barabash (@brainbadrash) April 3, 2019
Cocaine Mitch!!!! pic.twitter.com/bIo7Bj3a2E
— Pink Shirt (@spread_collar) April 3, 2019
How are you not embarrassed? Do you think people do not have Google and cannot check Nuclear Option Democrats 2013? You set the precedent.
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) April 3, 2019
Thank you Harry Reid (D-NV) for setting up this option for the Republicans.
— TheElgenBoden (@BodenThe) April 3, 2019
The Democrats set the precedent in 2013, Chuck. Comes around, goes around. https://t.co/nVGvvNdwki
— Liza Smith (@LizaSoho) April 2, 2019
The Nuclear Option was first put in place in 2013 by Sen. Dirty-Harry Reid on Federal Judicial appointments and Executive branch nominees. So what’s the problem with McConnell going Nuclear on SCOTUS confirmations? Elections have consequences Jeffie!!
— ❌jackonell❌ (@dirtdigger11) April 3, 2019
As far as ‘nuclear option’ is concerned, you can thank your pal Harry Reid for using it to ram Obama judges through. We Deplorables have long memories. What goes around comes around.
— The Roberts Report (@RobertRayJones3) April 3, 2019
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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