Jay Carney says it best: this has become ridiculous.
The President supports the work Harry Reid is doing.
Asked whether Obama supports Reid’s proposal to change Senate rules, Carney replied, “The president believes that the Senate ought to function and hopes that the Senate will figure out a way to ensure that the nomination process is appropriately streamlined. The president supports Harry Reid and he is appreciative of the support that Harry Reid has given to the president and his nominees and will give to the president and his nominees.”
Reid makes the point that from time to time the Senate does change it's rules. Who says that the ability to filibuster executive nominees should be set in stone?
"He noted in brief remarks that senators have changed the rules of their chamber by a majority vote 18 times in the past 36 years. Plans to change rules on nomination votes are no more drastic, Reid said, describing his proposal as a “minor change, no big deal.”
If Cordray is filibustered, well, to quote Reid, 'You know what's going to happen.' Meanwhile, it's not rocket science for the GOP to avoid this:
"Reid took several questions and was asked what Republicans could do to avoid a showdown with Democrats in the coming hours."
"At the White House, press secretary Jay Carney said President Obama has grown increasingly frustrated with Senate delays over several of his Cabinet nominees."
"The Senate needs to confirm this president’s nominees in a timely and efficient manner,” Carney told reporters. “That is true and will be true for the next president and the next president after that. This has become ridiculous.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/as-senate-nears-filibuster-showdown-reid-says-republicans-can-still-avoid-fight/2013/07/15/4dbc54ce-ed65-11e2-bed3-b9b6fe264871_story.html?hpid=z2The President supports the work Harry Reid is doing.
Asked whether Obama supports Reid’s proposal to change Senate rules, Carney replied, “The president believes that the Senate ought to function and hopes that the Senate will figure out a way to ensure that the nomination process is appropriately streamlined. The president supports Harry Reid and he is appreciative of the support that Harry Reid has given to the president and his nominees and will give to the president and his nominees.”
Reid makes the point that from time to time the Senate does change it's rules. Who says that the ability to filibuster executive nominees should be set in stone?
"He noted in brief remarks that senators have changed the rules of their chamber by a majority vote 18 times in the past 36 years. Plans to change rules on nomination votes are no more drastic, Reid said, describing his proposal as a “minor change, no big deal.”
"Reid noted that while the U.S. Constitution requires a “supermajority” of senators to override a presidential veto or to approve impeachment and international treaties, only a simple majority of senators are required to approve nominations."
“The Founding Fathers want an up or down vote, and that’s basically what we’ve been crying for now for years,” Reid said. “And I believe this whether it’s one of the new Bushes to be president — maybe Jeb — or maybe a new Clinton. Maybe Hillary, or maybe even the daughter. But whoever is president, they should have the ability to pick their team.”
“I love the Senate,” Reid said later, “but right now the Senate is broken and needs to be fixed. It’s time for course correction.”
Yep. Some course correction is very much past due. Tonight Reid and the other 100 Senators are to meet and see if something can be worked out. If not, he's going to hold a test vote for Richard Cordray, Obama's nominee for the Financial Protection Board (FPB). The GOP, of course, is in principle opposed to this new agency. That's a big part of the problem-they are using the filibuster for legislative purposes-basically to overturn a law they don't like which was passed democratically in the Senate and House. If Cordray is filibustered, well, to quote Reid, 'You know what's going to happen.' Meanwhile, it's not rocket science for the GOP to avoid this:
"Reid took several questions and was asked what Republicans could do to avoid a showdown with Democrats in the coming hours."
“If the sky’s falling, and they think it’s falling, let them stop the filibusters on the seven that I filed cloture on and we’d have up or down votes on these people and we’d go on to the business of the day. That seems pretty simple to me,” Reid said.
I like how Harry finished off here:
"Asked whether there were any other rules he would like to change, perhaps to allow legislation to pass with a simple majority vote, Reid said, “Nothing right now. But remember, the Senate is an evolving body.”
Of course, the GOP isn't big on evolution either.
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