Remember how we maintained that McConnell would find a way to get Gorsuch confirmed but make a deal to save the filibuster for SCOTUS, the world’s most deliberative body being at stake, don’t you know. Well saints-be-praised they did pull the plug on the filibuster for appointees, including SCOTUS. Such will help clear up we are told 500 appointments that Dems are delaying, intent as they are on handicapping Trump.
But we were on the right track. Consider this report from The Hill
Negotiations to avert ‘nuclear option’ collapse ahead of Gorsuch vote
A group of Republicans and Democrats led by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Christopher Coons (D-Del.) negotiated intensely in recent days in hopes of reaching a deal to avoid the nuclear option, a tactic GOP leaders plan to use Thursday to change the filibuster rule.
Collins said she will ask colleagues to sign a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) pledging opposition to eliminating the power to filibuster legislation.
Coons, who led the talks from the Democratic side, said the talks failed because of a lack of trust.
“I invested a lot of time in the last week in meeting with, talking to and exchanging ideas with both Republicans and Democrats,” he said. “At the end of the day there were a few key sticking points, one was the lack of trust because of the way Merrick Garland was treated.”
Trust my ass, (a two-way concept they forget). For Dems allowing the thing to go nuclear was about appeasing their base, and in their convoluted thinking, they saw no downside. But consider that the Republican negotiators, with, we suspect, at least back-channel portfolio from McConnell, were led by Susan Collins, a Senator not known for any vibrant defense of constitutional conservatism, (or coherency on anything).
The Garland excuse is bogus. The matter was handled by emulating the Biden/ Schumer “rule” that there would be no advancement of a SCOTUS nominee in the months prior to a Presidential election. The official Senate Republican response on the SCOTUS appointments was that they were too important not to allow the people to decide (by proxy) as an issue in the election. It was an appropriate position and Republicans won. We also believe the exercise of WWDD at least as compelling.
But never mind all that, what do you think Collins offered the Dems? We think a joint effort to scuttle any conservative in subsequent nominations if a liberal retires. We are glad they did not take any deal. The Dems can outsmart themselves. They underestimated Trump and the revulsion many people feel toward their candidates.
R Mall
I often criticize Senate Majority Leader McConnell, to the point of caricature.
In fairness though, to my surprise, Senator McConnell has apparently handled the entire process surrounding the tragic death and replacement of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia very effectively.
I was wrong in predicting that Mitch would fold and allow Merrick Garland to receive a vote…and very likely be confirmed.
I was also wrong in predicting that he would fold to Chuckie Schumer and either give away every advantage the GOP got from its impressive election wins and either allow the Democrats to choose Scalia’s successor or agree to a deal in which any future SCOTUS successors are satisfying to the progressive Democrats.
Congratulations Mitch. You done good!