Filibuster questions

[Proud liberal 80]

I know that Reid got rid of the filibuster for judicial appointments because the Republicans were being big time obstructionists, and then McConnell did the same for the SCOTUS under the guise of ‘they did it first’.......but if I remember right, the Republicans would have been able to get rid of Obama care with a simple majority, and were able to end debate with a simple majority....and if it wasn’t for 3 Republicans the vote would have passed 50/50 with Pence as the tie breaker....my questions are:

1. How was that possible with the filibuster rule
2. Why can’t Democrats do the same for legislation (for example DC statehood)

[SheltieLover]

1. They are saying they will use it to prevent Joe's pick for Homeland Security!

On edit: Raw Story has the story posted.

[onenote]

4. Sadly typical of Raw Story to not know what its talking about.

Cabinet nominations, like judicial appointments, no longer can be filibustered.

Which is how so many of Trump's nominees were confirmed despite opposition from 40+ Democrats.

[servermsh]

2. I'd have to look up the history, so I don't know, but I assume they used reconciliation

If the reconciliation process can be used, only a majority is needed (since a filibuster is not allowed). I assume that is the process Republicans used.

Reconciliation has some limitations, so it can't be used for any kind of bill, but rather for budget-related bills. So it couldn't be used for DC statehood.

[Bucky]

3. This is a good & useful read: "The History of the Filibuster"

https://www.brookings.edu/testimonies/the-history-of-the-filibuster/

[onenote]

5. The Obamacare vote was conducted under the reconciliation procedure.

Which gets around the cloture rule. But not every piece of legislation is eligible for consideration under the reconciliation procedure.