The nuclear effect in the Senate

[DVRacer]

Senate Democrats took the dramatic step Thursday of eliminating filibusters for most nominations by presidents, a power play they said was necessary to fix a broken system but one that Republicans said will only rupture it further.

Democrats used a rare parliamentary move to change the rules so that federal judicial nominees and executive-office appointments can advance to confirmation votes by a simple majority of senators, rather than the 60-vote supermajority that has been the standard for nearly four decades.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-poised-to-limit-filibusters-in-party-line-vote-that-would-alter-centuries-of-precedent/2013/11/21/d065cfe8-52b6-11e3-9fe0-fd2ca728e67c_story.html

[pbmus]

1. Why are you posting something 3 yrs old?

[DVRacer]

2. Due to its relevance now

With the change three years ago our hurdles to block nominations is not what people might think. I have seen a few places where it is thought they need 60 votes to confirm cabinet members. This situation was exactly why some at the time were unsure if it was a good idea to use it.

[dumbcat]

3. Nobody wants to hear that

They'd rather continue to believe it takes 60 votes to confirm. Now you've gone and ruined it.

[DVRacer]

4. When I woke up the Wednesday after

I tried to see exactly where we stood as a party and was horrified at how few tools we have to defend ourselves. They have everything:

The White House i.e. The executive branch which includes Attorney General who decides what they want to prosecute and what they choose to ignore. With that the ability to appoint Supreme Court members so they in a real sense have the Judiciary.

The Senate

The House

25 States where they hold all levels of government we have 5

31 Governorships

We have a steep mountain ahead and why one of my first posts after Election Day was "we are all underground now" We have got to build now to run for every seat at every level everywhere and fast.