GOP Mulls Unilateral Disarmament in Senate
Senate Republicans are debating whether to restore the filibuster for presidential nominations. Soon-to-be Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid detonated the so-called “nuclear option” in November 2013 as a means to ram through a few extra of Barack Obama’s nominees – particularly to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, where many federal regulations and laws are challenged. Now some Republicans, led by Sen. John McCain, think the GOP should do the sportsmanlike thing and restore the filibuster. “I think it’s rank hypocrisy if we don’t,” McCain said. On the other hand, wouldn’t that essentially be agreeing to one set of rules when Democrats are in charge and another when Republicans are? In other words, Democrats need only 51 votes for nominees, while Republicans need 60. Like it or not, that’s now the world Democrats have created. More…