Largely as a result of unprecedented Democratic obstructionism in the United States Senate, President Trump has yet to staff many executive positions in his administration or fill many judicial vacancies. This afternoon comes word that the Republican majority has finally altered Senate rules to reduce debate time on most presidential nominees by reducing post-cloture debate. They have done so by exercising what the media refer to as the “nuclear option” — what should probably be known as the Harry Reid option — under which a Senate majority changes the Senate rules.
In order to understand the meaning of this particular procedural change, please read Thomas Jipping’s explanation at NR’s Bench Memos. Jipping’s explanation incidentally exposes Amy Klobuchar’s utter dishonesty about it. Despite her reputation, as we have frequently pointed out, Klobuchar is just like all the rest. If she or any other Democrat were to become president, Republicans should be hard pressed to explain any vote in favor of the president’s executive and judicial nominees.
Who deserves the most credit for the change? One explanation you are guaranteed never to find on CNN, MSNBC, or in the newspapers they follow is the one advanced by Senator Tom Cotton with characteristically meticulous scholarship. In the video below, Senator Cotton recalls some ancient history relevant to this particular change (below). Whether we need go back quite this far, the credit certainly belongs to the man Senator Cotton singles out. Thank you, Senator Cotton.
Today, Senator Schumer reaps what he sowed 16 years ago. I will call it, Miguel Estrada's revenge. pic.twitter.com/ol6pyRqn4V
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) April 3, 2019
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