Senate blows through DEFCON-1, nukes itself

[Dinner]

I seem to remember Dems using it on Bush's nominees. Now my memory has gotten worse over the years but I didn't think it was that far gone.

Seven of Bush's nominees in an eight year period. To compare Republicans have filibustered virtually EVERY nominee Obama has ever made including several which later (due to some political deal which allowed a few to get an up or down vote) which went on to get 100-0 approve so they weren't even remotely controversial. Yet Republicans still deliberately held some up for up to two years. That **** needs to stop, there have been at least three recent agreements to make this **** stop, but in each case Republicans lied and broke the agreement almost as soon as the ink was dry. They tried to work with these trolls for half a ****ing decade, that's long enough, it's time for this **** to stop, and for the people's work to actually start getting done.

[Ben Kenobi]

Democrats fell on their knees and sucked it up.

United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Rhode Island seat vacated by Bruce M. Selya - William E. Smith (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee O. Rogeriee Thompson)

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit New York seat vacated by John M. Walker, Jr. - Debra Ann Livingston (Livingston was nominated by President Bush in June 2006 but not allowed to be confirmed by Senate Democrats until May 2007)
New York seat vacated by Chester J. Straub - Loretta A. Preska (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Gerard E. Lynch)

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit New Jersey seat vacated by Samuel Alito - Shalom D. Stone (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Joseph A. Greenaway, Jr.)
Pennsylvania seat vacated by Franklin Stuart Van Antwerpen - Gene E. K. Pratter, followed by Paul S. Diamond (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Thomas I. Vanaskie)

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Maryland seat vacated by Francis D. Murnaghan, Jr. - Claude Allen, followed by Rod J. Rosenstein (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Andre M. Davis)
North Carolina seat vacated by James Dickson Phillips, Jr. - Terrence Boyle, followed by Robert J. Conrad (Boyle was nominated by President Bush in May 2001. After waiting six years, President Bush withdrew his nomination January 2007, making this 2001-2007 nomination the longest court of appeals nomination never processed by the Senate; Robert Conrad was nominated July 2007, but the Senate Democrats refused to process his nomination during the Democratic 110th Congress; judgeship later filled by Obama nominee James A. Wynn, Jr.)
South Carolina seat vacated by William Walter Wilkins - Steve A. Matthews (judgeship later filled by North Carolina Obama nominee Albert Diaz)
Virginia seat vacated by H. Emory Widener - William J. Haynes, II, followed by E. Duncan Getchell, followed by Glen E. Conrad (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Barbara Milano Keenan)

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Mississippi seat, converted from a Louisiana seat vacated by Henry Anthony Politz - Charles W. Pickering, followed by Michael B. Wallace, followed by Leslie H. Southwick (Pickering was filibustered by Senate Democrats and eventually withdrew his nomination; there was so much Democratic resistance to Wallace's nomination that it too was withdrawn; and Southwick was only confirmed due to the efforts of Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein)
Texas seat vacated by William Lockhart Garwood - Priscilla Owen (Owen was filibustered by Senate Democrats and only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Michigan seat vacated by James L. Ryan - Henry Saad, followed by Raymond Kethledge (Saad was filibustered by Senate Democrats; Kethledge was only confirmed after a deal in which failed Clinton nominee Helene White was allowed to replace Bush nominee Stephen J. Murphy III as a Sixth Circuit nominee)
Michigan seat vacated by Richard Suhrheinrich - David W. McKeague (McKeague was filibustered by Senate Democrats and only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)
Michigan seat vacated by Damon Keith - Richard Allen Griffin (Griffin was filibustered by Senate Democrats and only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)
Michigan seat vacated by Cornelia Groefsema Kennedy - Susan Bieke Neilson, followed by Stephen J. Murphy III, followed by failed Clinton nominee Helene White (Neilson was only confirmed three months prior to her death after a four-year battle over her nomination; Murphy's nomination was replaced by that of failed Clinton nominee Helene White at the behest of Democratic Michigan senator Carl Levin)
Ohio seat vacated by David Aldrich Nelson - Jeffrey S. Sutton (Senate Democrats refused to process his nomination during the Democratic 107th Congress and he was only confirmed once Republicans assumed control of the house in 2003)
Ohio seat vacated by Alan Norris - Deborah L. Cook (Senate Democrats refused to process her nomination during the Democratic 107th Congress and she was only confirmed once Republicans assumed control of the house in 2003)

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit Indiana seat vacated by Kenneth F. Ripple - Philip P. Simon (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee David Hamilton)

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit California seat vacated by James R. Browning - Carolyn Kuhl (Kuhl was filibustered by Senate Democrats and eventually withdrew her nomination; judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Sandra Segal Ikuta)
California seat vacated by Stephen S. Trott - N. Randy Smith (judgeship still open; Smith was later confirmed to the Ninth Circuit when he was renominated for an Idaho seat)
Idaho seat vacated by Thomas G. Nelson - William Gerry Myers III (Myers was filibustered by Senate Democrats; judgeship later filled by Bush nominee N. Randy Smith)

United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Oklahoma seat vacated by Stephanie Kulp Seymour - James H. Payne, followed by Jerome A. Holmes (Payne withdrew his nomination after allegations made by liberal organizations created the appearance of "extraordinary circumstances" which would not have allowed his confirmation under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal; judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Jerome A. Holmes)

United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Alabama seat vacated by Emmett Ripley Cox - William H. Steele, followed by William H. Pryor (Senate Democrats refused to process Steele's nomination during the Democratic 107th Congress and his nomination was withdrawn; Pryor was filibustered by Senate Democrats and was only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Miguel Estrada, to seat vacated by Patricia Wald (Estrada was nominated May 2001, but was filibustered by Senate Democrats and withdrew his nomination after waiting over two years in September 2003; judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Thomas B. Griffith, who was only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)
John Roberts, to seat vacated by James L. Buckley (Senate Democrats refused to process his nomination during the Democratic 107th Congress and he was only confirmed once Republicans assumed control of the Senate in 2003)
Janice Rogers Brown, to seat vacated by Stephen F. Williams (Brown was filibustered by Senate Democrats and was only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)
Brett Kavanaugh, to seat vacated by Laurence Silberman (Kavanaugh was initially stalled by Senate Democrats and was only allowed to be confirmed under the terms of the Gang of 14 Deal)
Peter Keisler, to seat vacated by John Roberts (President Bush nominated him June 2006, but Senate Democrats refused to process his nomination during the 109th and Democratic 110th Congress; judgeship still open)

Plus another 23 here:

United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island Lincoln D. Almond (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee John J. McConnell, Jr.)

United States District Court for the Northern District of New York Mary Donohue, followed by Thomas Marcelle (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Mae D'Agostino)

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Carolyn P. Short (judgeship was to become vacant when Judge Gene E. K. Pratter was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit but Pratter was forced to withdraw due to Democratic opposition and was replaced by Judge Paul S. Diamond.)
Carolyn P. Short (judgeship was to become vacant when Judge Paul S. Diamond was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit but Diamond never was confirmed to that post before Bush's presidency ended.)

United States District Court for the District of Delaware Colm F. Connolly (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Leonard Stark)

United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina Thomas Alvin Farr (judgeship still open)

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia David J. Novak (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee John A. Gibney, Jr.)

United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia William J. Powell (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Gina Marie Groh)

United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana David R. Dugas (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Brian Anthony Jackson)

United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi J. Richard Barry (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Carlton W. Reeves)

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan Daniel P. Ryan (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Stephen Joseph Murphy III)

United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee Gustavus Adolphus Puryear (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Kevin Hunter Sharp)

United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois John J. Tharp (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Sharon J. Coleman) (Nominated by Barack Obama on November 10, 2011 to a different seat on the Northern District and confirmed on May 14, 2012)

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin Timothy G. Dugan (judgeship vacancy became moot when Judge Rudolph T. Randa decided not to retire in January 2009)

United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin J. Mac Davis (judgeship still open)

United States District Court for the Central District of California James Edward Rogan (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Jacqueline H. Nguyen)

United States District Court for the District of Hawaii Frederick W. Rohlfing III (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee J. Michael Seabright)

United States District Court for the District of Oregon Marco A. Hernandez (Nominated by Barack Obama on July 14, 2010 to the same position and confirmed on February 7, 2011)[25]

United States District Court for the District of Colorado Gregory E. Goldberg (judgeship still open)

United States District Court for the District of Wyoming Richard H. Honaker (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Nancy D. Freudenthal)

United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida William F. Jung (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Charlene Edwards Honeywell)

United States District Court for the District of Columbia Jeffrey Adam Rosen (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee James E. Boasberg)
Michael E. O'Neill (judgeship later filled by Obama nominee Amy Berman Jackson)

[Ben Kenobi]

Seven of Bush's nominees in an eight year period. To compare Republicans have filibustered virtually EVERY nominee Obama has ever made including several which later (due to some political deal which allowed a few to get an up or down vote) which went on to get 100-0 approve so they weren't even remotely controversial. Yet Republicans still deliberately held some up for up to two years. That **** needs to stop, there have been at least three recent agreements to make this **** stop, but in each case Republicans lied and broke the agreement almost as soon as the ink was dry. They tried to work with these trolls for half a ****ing decade, that's long enough, it's time for this **** to stop, and for the people's work to actually start getting done.

Democrats, by my count, obstructed and blocked 52 Bush nominees. Of the 23 that went unfilled, they have subsequently filled 13 of them with Obama nominees. Keisler's filibustered nomination for the DC court is especially galling. I hope the GOP filibusters that court position until kingdom comes.

[rah]

Seven of Bush's nominees in an eight year period. To compare Republicans have filibustered virtually EVERY nominee Obama has ever made including several which later (due to some political deal which allowed a few to get an up or down vote) which went on to get 100-0 approve so they weren't even remotely controversial. Yet Republicans still deliberately held some up for up to two years. That **** needs to stop, there have been at least three recent agreements to make this **** stop, but in each case Republicans lied and broke the agreement almost as soon as the ink was dry. They tried to work with these trolls for half a ****ing decade, that's long enough, it's time for this **** to stop, and for the people's work to actually start getting done.

So yes my memory isn't that bad. Thanks. And I did say that I didn't like it when either side did it, regardless of how many times.

[Hauldren Collider]

This is very short-sighted. I'm actually happy about it. When the GOP takes the white house and senate in 2016 they will be able to wipe out obamacare and no one can stop them.

[Ben Kenobi]

HC - there's a sunset clause. Reid's going to suspend this if they lose.

[Sava]

This is very short-sighted. I'm actually happy about it. When the GOP takes the white house and senate in 2016 they will be able to wipe out obamacare and no one can stop them.

ah hah hah hah

ah haha

hahah

ohmygod

hahahahahhahhahaahhhaha

i cant stop

haha
hahhahaa

[Imran Siddiqui]

This is very short-sighted. I'm actually happy about it. When the GOP takes the white house and senate in 2016 they will be able to wipe out obamacare and no one can stop them.

So basically you didn't read the article at all before you commented.

[giblets]

This is very short-sighted. I'm actually happy about it. When the GOP takes the white house and senate in 2016 they will be able to wipe out obamacare and no one can stop them.

I thought they were only removing the filibuster for judicial nominations? Not for legislation.

[Ben Kenobi]

I thought they were only removing the filibuster for judicial nominations? Not for legislation.

Just for judicial nominees, and just for themselves.

[Wiglaf]

There is very little doubt scotus filibusters will fall as soon as the GOP takes over. Fairly confident repealing obamacare will be a litmus test for all judges from 2016 on.

The way parties have traded talking points here is hilarious. You want radical judges for the next generation in exchange for Nina Pillard on the Dc circuit, congratulations, you will now have them.

[Hauldren Collider]

Taking down Roe v. Wade

[Hauldren Collider]

I thought they were only removing the filibuster for judicial nominations? Not for legislation.

You are right. My bad. But that could be next.

[Sava]

Taking down Roe v. Wade

Good luck with that.

[Captain ******* Kirk]

I thought they were only removing the filibuster for judicial nominations? Not for legislation.

Yes, and also not for Supreme Court nominations. It's a damn shame that Reid didn't have the balls to actually end the filibuster entirely; it probably wouldn't be that hard to get 51 votes to repeal Obamacare in the Senate right now.