Thursday, November 21, 2013
Harry went and did it
After displaying a degree of patience that would make a saint green with envy, Harry Reid has called bullshit on Mitch the Chin and changed the Senate rules to allow a simple majority for judges and executive branch nominees.
Frustrated by what he considers Republican obstruction, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Thursday implemented the so-called "nuclear option" to alter chamber rules to restrict the filibuster of judicial and executive branch nominees. Reid's vote was the 51st, passing a change to procedures.Mitch the Chin vowed that Nevada Harry would be swimming with the fishes soon.
"It's time to change the Senate before this institution become obsolete," Reid said on the Senate floor as senators sat at their desks listening attentively.
Reid, D-Nev., said a string of blocked presidential and judicial nominations highlighted the need to change the Senate's long-standing rules on nominations from a 60-vote threshold to a majority-rules system.
In recent weeks, Senate Democrats have been unable to overcome filibusters on the nominations of Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency - the first time a sitting member of Congress was blocked since 1843 - and three nominees to the prestigious U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Reid railed against Republican filibusters against the nominations of former Rep. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., for defense secretary. Hagel was eventually confirmed.
"It's a troubling trend that Republicans are willing to block executive branch nominations even when they have no objection to the qualification of the nominee," Reid said. "Instead they block qualified executive branch nominees to circumvent the legislative process."
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