Reid maneuver could send ‘wrecking ball’ through talks on key legislation

[TemplarKormac]

In what appears to be a futile move by Democrats in the Senate in an effort to deflect attention away from the failure of Obamacare, Harry Reid invoked the 'nuclear option' on judicial nominees via the president. The nuclear option was first introduced as part of a deal between the then Republican Majority and Minority Democrats by former Republican Senator Bill Frist in 2005 to avoid a Senate Shutdown. However, as Democrats were doing their victory lap today, they failed to take into consideration their own legislative agenda; which could take a serious, if not fatal blow as a result of their actions. Any hope of bipartisanship has now been effectively shattered.

When they called it the 'nuclear option' they weren't kidding. Unknowingly to Democrats, they may have nuked their legislative agenda for the rest of Obama's term as well.

Democrats who claimed victory -- including President Obama -- in stripping the Senate minority of its power to block nominations may have done so at the sacrifice of the president's legislative agenda.

Before Thursday, trust on Capitol Hill was frayed yet there was tentative hope following the bruising fight over the partial shutdown that Republicans and Democrats could find some spectrum of common ground for the rest of Obama's term. Maybe pass a few budgets, maybe do something lasting about that pesky deficit.

But the move to use a rare parliamentary tactic and overhaul Senate procedure making it easier for the majority party to approve presidential nominees has poisoned an already tainted well. Any prospect for compromise on items ranging from immigration legislation to a fiscal deal to tax reform is now that much fainter.

"There's no question that the move by Harry Reid will make it much tougher to get anything done between now and 2014," GOP strategist and former long-time Senate aide John Ullyot told FoxNews.com.

"In the short-term, it's a wrecking ball through any efforts that were underway previously to have both parties work together on key bills."

Because of the rule change, non-Supreme Court judicial nominees and executive-office nominees can now be approved with just 51 votes, as opposed to 60.

In the first test of Senate relations following the filibuster change, Republicans united to block a critical defense policy bill. The bill failed in a vote late Thursday, nine votes short of the number needed to advance.

Republicans were angry over Democrats' move to limit amendments, but the vote could also reflect new tensions over Reid deploying what's known as the "nuclear option."

Filibuster Fallout: Reid maneuver could send ?wrecking ball? through talks on key legislation | Fox News

 

[g5000]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

 

[Nyvin]

What? Are you saying the GOP could possibly obstruct EVEN MORE?!?!

No, actually...they can't. This congress is already useless because of them. The 113th has gotten N.O.T.H.I.N.G done...at all. You're saying obstruction will go from 50% to 100%....I say it's already at 100%...and I'm right.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

Chart shows that Democrats started it with Nixon

 

[bripat9643]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

What you really mean is that suddenly they've developed a spine. I fail to understand why Republicans would cooperate with Obama on anything. Nothing he wants to pass is good for this country. Nothing.

 

[bripat9643]

What? Are you saying the GOP could possibly obstruct EVEN MORE?!?!

No, actually...they can't. This congress is already useless because of them. The 113th has gotten N.O.T.H.I.N.G done...at all. You're saying obstruction will go from 50% to 100%....I say it's already at 100%...and I'm right.

Obstructing Obama is the most useful think they could do. The less legislation that gets passed, the better, especially if Obama has to sign it and Harry Reid has to approve it.

 

[Nyvin]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

What you really mean is that suddenly they've developed a spine. I fail to understand why Republicans would cooperate with Obama on anything. Nothing he wants to pass is good for this country. Nothing.

Not even immigration reform?

 

[CrusaderFrank]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

What you really mean is that suddenly they've developed a spine. I fail to understand why Republicans would cooperate with Obama on anything. Nothing he wants to pass is good for this country. Nothing.

He lies about it anyway and Pelosi is insane and Reid is a drug mule

 

[william the wie]

The house republican immigration bill needs to be brought to a vote. The senate bill is a piece of shit, to put it delicately.

 

[g5000]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

Chart shows that Democrats started it with Nixon

Spoken just like a five year old!

"He started it!"

 

[TemplarKormac]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

Chart shows that Democrats started it with Nixon

Spoken just like a five year old!

"He started it!"

Yes, just about as bad as

"BUSH DID IT!"

Please be quiet.

 

[TemplarKormac]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

According to your chart, as early as 1919, Democrats tried to filibuster the Treaty of Versailles. Can't top that buddy.

 

[william the wie]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

According to your chart, as early as 1919, Democrats tried to filibuster the Treaty of Versailles. Can't top that buddy.

Actually it was a Republican senate. They claimed with reason that Wilson had lost his mind prior to the stroke that paralyzed him and he had signed the treaty when he was already turning into a vegetable.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Reid maneuver could send ‘wrecking ball’ through talks on key legislation

Show us where either party was close to negotiating "on key legislation"

 

[Black_Label]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

Chart shows that Democrats started it with Nixon

Nixon was a criminal that was thrown out of office. The GOP has been acting like a bunch of crybaby bitches because the black guy is in office.

 

[tyroneweaver]

da gop is 2 stoopid to take advantage of any of the foibles of the dems

the real danger of the the nuke option is gun control
for decades the crown jewel of dems is commie health care
Now they're going to set their sites on another jewel to add...gun control

 

[TemplarKormac]

So the GOP is going to sulk like five year olds and block legislation even more than they already do?

According to your chart, as early as 1919, Democrats tried to filibuster the Treaty of Versailles. Can't top that buddy.

Actually it was a Republican senate. They claimed with reason that Wilson had lost his mind prior to the stroke that paralyzed him and he had signed the treaty when he was already turning into a vegetable.

If you read the legend, the minority party in 1919 was the Democrats. It would make no sense for the majority to filibuster when they are in the majority.

 

[Flopper]

The filibuster never made much sense. Yes, I know the filibuster saved the day for Mr Smith but it really does slow down the legislative process.

 

[Black_Label]

The filibuster never made much sense. Yes, I know the filibuster saved the day for Mr Smith but it really does slow down the legislative process.

In theory it was a good idea for an "pull in case of emergency" option to be used only in exceptional cases, but today's GOP and teabaggers are the biggest crybaby bitches in the history of this nation that are abusing every option they can to tank the nation and blame the black guy.

In this day and age because of the far right wing extremists, it needs to be abolished.

 

[TemplarKormac]

The filibuster never made much sense. Yes, I know the filibuster saved the day for Mr Smith but it really does slow down the legislative process.

In theory it was a good idea for an "pull in case of emergency" option to be used only in exceptional cases, but today's GOP and teabaggers are the biggest crybaby bitches in the history of this nation that are abusing every option they can to tank the nation and blame the black guy.

In this day and age because of the far right wing extremists, it needs to be abolished.

Interesting. So, how come it didn't need to be abolished when Democrats were filibustering Bush appointees? Hmm?