As more liberals urge Sonia Sotomayor to step down this year to ensure that Biden can pick her successor, some Senate Democrats are voicing fears of a 7-2 conservative majority.
The Republicans already removed the filibuster for SCOTUS appointments during Trump’s term. Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed with a vote of 53 to 47 and the Democratic majority in the Senate is bigger now than it was then.
What you’re describing is a “talking filibuster” where members monopolize the floor so debate can’t continue until they stop. That’s part of it, but that doesn’t happen much anymore in reality. Removing the filibuster for judicial nominees basically just means the threshold for a vote is a simple majority, not a 60 member minimum.
It’s annoyingly complicated and the term “filibuster” has taken on a cultural meaning that is simpler than what it is in reality. These folks explain it pretty well.
The Republicans already removed the filibuster for SCOTUS appointments during Trump’s term. Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed with a vote of 53 to 47 and the Democratic majority in the Senate is bigger now than it was then.
Oh hell, I forgot about that, thank you.
She should fucking retire then. Let’s put a brilliant, healthy 30something in there as her replacement.
What does removing the filibuster mean? I thought you could filibuster anything you want? Just get up there and make a speech for days and days.
What you’re describing is a “talking filibuster” where members monopolize the floor so debate can’t continue until they stop. That’s part of it, but that doesn’t happen much anymore in reality. Removing the filibuster for judicial nominees basically just means the threshold for a vote is a simple majority, not a 60 member minimum.
It’s annoyingly complicated and the term “filibuster” has taken on a cultural meaning that is simpler than what it is in reality. These folks explain it pretty well.