Schumer Urges Filibuster to Block Gorsuch Confirmation

[Dashinka 25,855]

Yes, I am sure Schumer thought long and hard about his recommendation.

 

WASHINGTON—The Senate’s top Democrat will oppose Judge Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation to the Supreme Court and urged his Democratic colleagues to block the nomination.

On the Senate floor, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York said that he couldn’t support President Donald Trump’s nominee, saying he feared he was insufficiently independent of the Trump administration and concerned about his testimony this week before the Senate Judiciary Committee and his history of decisions on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

“I’ve thought long and hard about this nomination and what it means for the future of the Supreme Court and the future of our country,” said Mr. Schumer, the Democratic minority leader. “What is at stake is considerable.”

 

Mr. Schumer urged his Democratic colleagues to block the confirmation by using a procedural maneuver known as a filibuster, which takes 60 votes to overcome.

 

Mr. Schumer’s decision sets up a quandary for Republicans in the Senate. Democrats will insist Judge Gorsuch meet the 60-vote threshold to end the filibuster, in a body where Republicans control only 52 seats.

The party will need either to win eight Democratic votes or change the rules to eliminate the 60-vote threshold. The Democrats, when they were in the majority in 2013, eliminated the 60-vote requirement on lower court judges and cabinet nominations but preserved it on Supreme Court nominees.

Republicans have enough votes to change the Senate rules, but such an action is considered drastic. It has drawn concerns from institutionalists in both parties concerned about the comity and working order of the Senate.

Your browser does not support the audio tag.

Click For Sound

With President Donald Trump's nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court, Democrats and Republicans in Congress are bracing for what could be an ugly confirmation battle. WSJ's Shelby Holliday takes a closer look at what political options lawmakers could resort to. Photo: AP.

“The answer isn’t to change the rules. It’s to change the nominee,” Mr. Schumer said.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/schumer-calls-on-democrats-to-block-gorsuch-confirmation-1490284872

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I don't know that I would always like how the guy rules on Supreme Court cases, but you really can't get to Gorsuch's position being a putz. I would have said the same thing regarding Obama's nominee, and believe that the Republicans took it a little too far not even considering him, how long the Supreme Court would go without a deciding vote. Not much to like about the Trump circus sideshow but Gorsuch seems to be a rare decent decision by Donald Trump.

[Dakine10 5,452]

  Let the Republicans in congress change the senate rules. The Republicans are the ones that love the filibuster anyway. They created gridlock for 8 years with that tactic. Let's see what they have to do next time around when they can't filibuster. Maybe it will force them to think about what they're doing, which is obviously not their strong point.

[Boiler 47,474]

I thought Dirty Harry had set a precedent in changing the rules?

 

I do not remember Schumer being in favour of the filibuster before, has bhe changed his views?

[smilesammich 10,727]

meh, karma gop..look it up.

[8bit_Theatre 64]

Thus far one democrat has said they will vote for Gorsuch, so he needs 7 more to break a filibuster. I get that the democrats are angry over Garland but they are making a mistake.

 

Gorsuch already embarrassed many of the Democrats that were trying to entrap him. 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

the Republicans need to get 60 votes , they can make a deal anyway that is legal

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Yes those ol evil pubs lol Short memory for the mdl 

 

U.S. Senate goes 'nuclear,' changes filibuster rules

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/21/harry-reid-nuclear-senate/3662445/

 

Senate Democrats pushed through a controversial rules change known as the "nuclear option."

[Boiler 47,474]

1 minute ago, Nature Boy Flair said:

Yes those ol evil pubs lol Short memory for the mdl 

 

U.S. Senate goes 'nuclear,' changes filibuster rules

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/21/harry-reid-nuclear-senate/3662445/

 

Senate Democrats pushed through a controversial rules change known as the "nuclear option."

I think it is OK when Dems do it, not sure why.

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

19 minutes ago, Boiler said:

I think it is OK when Dems do it, not sure why.

Then the Republicans should not be a wuss, they should go ahead and change the rules and pay the consequences.  There is no hypocrisy...just political calculus...what is it worth to the Republican Senate? 

 

 

 

[Dashinka 25,855]

5 hours ago, ccneat said:

Then the Republicans should not be a wuss, they should go ahead and change the rules and pay the consequences.  There is no hypocrisy...just political calculus...what is it worth to the Republican Senate? 

 

 

 

I agree.  Time to change the rules.

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

Just now, Bill & Katya said:

I agree.  Time to change the rules.

And no one will piss and moan if the Dems get a Majority?

[OriZ 3,165]

11 minutes ago, ccneat said:

And no one will piss and moan if  when the Dems get a Majority?

Fixed for ya. Regardless of anyone's personal opinion it's just how it works, it will happen eventually. 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

The Democrats are in total Cluster mode...and yet the best thing that happened to them is that the Republicans control of both houses and the Executive branch ( and soon the Supreme Court).  Now we are seeing how bankrupt and disorganized the Republicans are.  

[8bit_Theatre 64]

It should be noted that Gorsuch previously received a 95-0 vote in the senate.

 

Dianne Feinstein, Chuck Shumer, ####### Durbin etc. All voted for him previously.