Not sure why Democrats are so trusting with Republicans with Deal-Making. “The Senate is split 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie. So far, so good, given past Senators have changed the rules for judicial nominees to get across the finish line with just 51 votes. The so-called nuclear option is meant as a last resort, but with the exception of Chief Justice John Roberts, none of the current conservative Justices cleared a 60-vote benchmark. But the nuclear option can go into motion only if the Judiciary Committee reports the nomination to the floor, a procedural move that says whether a majority on the committee recommends the full Senate consider the pick. Well, in a little-noticed backroom deal that took more than a month
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Not sure why Democrats are so trusting with Republicans with Deal-Making.
“The Senate is split 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie. So far, so good, given past Senators have changed the rules for judicial nominees to get across the finish line with just 51 votes. The so-called nuclear option is meant as a last resort, but with the exception of Chief Justice John Roberts, none of the current conservative Justices cleared a 60-vote benchmark.
But the nuclear option can go into motion only if the Judiciary Committee reports the nomination to the floor, a procedural move that says whether a majority on the committee recommends the full Senate consider the pick. Well, in a little-noticed backroom deal that took more than a month to hammer out, McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer agreed to a power-sharing plan in February that splits committee membership, staffs and budgets in half. (Nonpartisan analysis from the Congressional Research Service here.)
Why does this matter? If all 11 Republican members of the Judiciary Committee oppose Biden’s pick and all 11 Democrats back her, the nomination goes inert. (A pretty safe bet in a committee where at least half of the Republican members have White House ambitions of their own.) The nomination doesn’t die, but it does get parked until a lawmaker—historically, the Leader of the party—brings it to the floor for four hours of debate.”
Then it is back to the sixty votes, even if Manchin and Sinema vote with Dems. They could bring the filibuster rule back to the floor and break the agreement with McConnell. Would Manchin and Sinema relent?
Do you think one Republican will break from the party stance? Since the overthrow attempt on January 6th, all Republicans have fallen back into line as stalwart party liners. Republicans see no wrong in blocking all legislation in the Senate or attempting to overthrow the nation’s government. There is no guilt on that side of the aisle. Everything is back to normal . . .
How Republicans Can Block Stephen Breyer’s Replacement, Time, Philip Elliot