I wouldn’t use the word “insurmountable” in this sentence.
Maybe “irrepressible” would be more appropriate.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, predicted Tuesday that things could get ugly if Republicans block a vote this week on one of President Barack Obama’s key judicial nominees, Patricia Millett.
The pressure to change Senate rules and strip Republicans of their power to filibuster certain judicial nominees “would be almost insurmountable” if Republicans block Millet’s confirmation vote to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, Leahy said at an event advocating Millett, currently a Supreme Court appellate attorney.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has already threatened to invoke the so-called nuclear option if Republicans don’t let at least one of Obama’s D.C. Circuit nominees get a vote. Millett, who will come up for a vote as soon as Thursday, is the first of Obama’s three D.C. Circuit nominees to hit the Senate floor. Nina Pillard cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee and is ready for a floor vote, while Robert Wilkins is set for his committee vote on Thursday.
But, as Kathleen Sebelius likes to say, “whatever,” I just hope Patrick Leahy is correct.
As someone else here said a few days ago, they’ll probably vote one or two of these through and block another. Just to test things. Anyone know anything about these 3 nominees?
Patricia Millett is a dirty blogger:
Dirty indeed! SCOTUSblog is a notorious Internet cesspool.
They’ve been known to question Scalia’s judgment!!
At least 1, Harry? Really? How many boxing matches did you take a dive on in Nevada in order to get to be the commissioner?
Democrats are under no obligation to play nice with Republicans. Not after the past 18 years.
Harry Reid has earned some credit and benefit of the doubt after his historic victory over the Republicans in Debt Ceiling 2013. Progressives need to take a breath, pause, and give him a chance to implement his plan.
I’ve had seven years of frustration watching Harry Reid, and the Republicans have still not been broken. It is important to get all three nominees on the DC court. The future of the judicial direction of this country lies in the circuit and appeals courts. The longer that is delayed, the longer we have crappy decisions being referred to the Supreme Court.
And the DC court is especially important for some civil liberties issues. The other important court is the Northern Virginia circuit court, which today is operating as an appendage of the intelligence community.
We are all beyond frustrated. It took 7+ years for the Senate Dems to get to the breaking point. But they are there now. And we have the votes. Something will give.
I think this is it. Either Republicans accept reality and give up on these noms, or Harry Reid is gonna lay the hammer down. This is an untenable situation and all indications are that ever-cautious Senate Dems have finally reached their breaking point. I’m not saying they’re gonna kill the filibuster entirely but this is the end of routine filibustering of federal judges, for sure.
In a democracy, a minority can’t deny a majority of its power to govern forever. There will be consequences eventually. It’s Republicans decision this week as to whether they want to be able to filibuster a select few judges or no judges at all, permanently.
And besides that, the federal judiciary is going to start to crack under the workload if they don’t get a bunch of new judges in there ASAP.
the headline is “Republicans threaten mass blockade of all of Obama’s judges”.
Time to drop the fucking bomb. DROP THE FUCKING BOMB!
They’ve filibustered both Watt and Milliet(sp?). I didn’t think they do both right out of the gate. I thought they’d go half and half. I was wrong.
So is Sen. Reid’s finger on the “red” button? I think it is time to switch the rules and get this country moving again.