Senate Democrats Go Nuclear: Vote to Strike Down Filibuster Rules

Party line vote overturns 200+ year precedent

The Democratically controlled Senate on Thursday struck down the long-standing filibuster rules for most presidential nominations, voting mostly along party lines to alter nearly 225 years of precedent.

The rule change would allow federal judge nominees and executive-office appointments to be confirmed by a simple majority of senators, rather than the 60-vote super majority that has been required for more than two centuries. The change would not apply to Supreme Court nominations. It would dramatically alter the landscape for both Democratic and Republican presidents, especially if their own political party holds a majority of, but fewer than 60, Senate seats.

Comments

[SweatingGin]

wait, they actually did it? Not just threatening?

[Sevo]

When you have the anointed one in office, a two-party system is just wasted time.

[ThatSkepticGuy]

Let's see how many of the DNP's autocratic squealers remember that it was they who brought this on come 2015.

They really, truly, sincerely believe that they are at the beginning of a Thousand-Year-Reich, and that nobody but themselves will ever hold office again.

[Rach]

Makes sense; they anticipate losses in the Senate next cycle, and if lucky will have a 1 seat majority (with independents in their caucus) making it impossible to get the 60 vote override.

By doing this they can effectively get more liberal-leaning appointees in power with less effort and with fewer seats.

Of course this seems cool until their bitter rival the republicans use it to do the same thing with a simple majority.