Christopher Howell

March 19, 2009 in Senate by Christopher Howell

Filed under: Senate, Democrats

Update: Ed informs me via email that he did make the distinction then between judicial and legislative filibusters. He invites readers to check his archives, but his word is good enough for me. I still disagree with him.

Ed Morrissey at Hot Air is afraid he’ll find his smoking filibuster in the shape of a mushroom cloud, but I think he’s on ’shrooms if he thinks the Democrats will actually exercise the so-called “nuclear option.” (Formerly known as the “NOOK-yoo-lur option.”) Here’s what Ed says:

Peter Orszag, Barack Obama’s budget director, says the White House won’t take off the table an option to push through its legislative agenda using the “reconciliation” process. It would keep Republicans from stopping bills on taxes, budgets, and global warming…

…Now that they have a majority, Democrats want to eliminate the filibuster for legislation - a different kettle of fish. I still think that the filibuster is inappropriate for presidential appointments, but for legislature, it has a long and varied history. While it got used to block significant reforms in civil rights for decades, it also kept Congress from getting taken over by extremists and forced compromise that kept the legislature from whipsawing on policy.

First of all, cry me a river. Ed was the biggest cheerleader of the “nuclear option” when Bush was in office, albeit for judicial nominations.Although he makes a distinction now, I don’t remember it coming up then.

But secondly, it will never happen. The same thing that caused the Republicans to wuss out with the “Gang of 14″ will kill this idea. Despite appearances, there’s no such thing as a permanent majority, and neither side wants to be in a filibuster-less minority.

I think Orzag is trying to cow the Republicans into not filibustering, but I think it’s a bad move. The tent-pole of the Obama administration’s policy agenda, universal health care, enjoys huge popular support. If the Republicans make their stand there, not only will they fail, they will be punished for it at the polls. Before long, the Democrats will be opposing Meghatarian candidates in every election.

Invoking the nuclear option at this stage just makes the Dems look like bullies, makes the Republicans dig in deeper, and it’s not necessary.

Tommy on: Daily Dose I I Twitter
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in Senate by Christopher Howell

Filed under: Senate, Democrats

Update: Ed informs me via email that he did make the distinction then between judicial and legislative filibusters. He invites readers to check his archives, but his word is good enough for me. I still disagree with him.

Ed Morrissey at Hot Air is afraid he’ll find his smoking filibuster in the shape of a mushroom cloud, but I think he’s on ’shrooms if he thinks the Democrats will actually exercise the so-called “nuclear option.” (Formerly known as the “NOOK-yoo-lur option.”) Here’s what Ed says:

Peter Orszag, Barack Obama’s budget director, says the White House won’t take off the table an option to push through its legislative agenda using the “reconciliation” process. It would keep Republicans from stopping bills on taxes, budgets, and global warming…

…Now that they have a majority, Democrats want to eliminate the filibuster for legislation - a different kettle of fish. I still think that the filibuster is inappropriate for presidential appointments, but for legislature, it has a long and varied history. While it got used to block significant reforms in civil rights for decades, it also kept Congress from getting taken over by extremists and forced compromise that kept the legislature from whipsawing on policy.

First of all, cry me a river. Ed was the biggest cheerleader of the “nuclear option” when Bush was in office, albeit for judicial nominations.Although he makes a distinction now, I don’t remember it coming up then.

But secondly, it will never happen. The same thing that caused the Republicans to wuss out with the “Gang of 14″ will kill this idea. Despite appearances, there’s no such thing as a permanent majority, and neither side wants to be in a filibuster-less minority.

I think Orzag is trying to cow the Republicans into not filibustering, but I think it’s a bad move. The tent-pole of the Obama administration’s policy agenda, universal health care, enjoys huge popular support. If the Republicans make their stand there, not only will they fail, they will be punished for it at the polls. Before long, the Democrats will be opposing Meghatarian candidates in every election.

Invoking the nuclear option at this stage just makes the Dems look like bullies, makes the Republicans dig in deeper, and it’s not necessary.

Tommy on: Daily Dose I I Twitter
Order The Audacity of Democracy Starring Tommy Christopher

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments