Funny how the cycle goes. Right now the word “filibuster” is on the lips of almost every American, and certainly in the front of their minds. The dust up with the Gorsuch SCOTUS nomination, after the outrage of the GOP treatment of Merrick Garland has focused an almost insane amount of media attention on the procedure.
But it didn’t used to be that way. About 10 years ago, almost nobody that wasn’t a follower, or at least a more than casual observer of politics and Washington’s dealings would have been hard pressed to explain what it was, for one simple reason. It was very seldom used, and when it was, it was almost never over an issue that attracted national attention, especially from the media, it was just another stupid beltway game to most people. But not anymore.
Personally, I was hesitant when Harry Reid pushed the button in 2013, but I understood the reason. Ditch McConnell, in his blind hatred for Obama, decided on election night that he would obstruct everything Obama did that needed Senate approval. For four long years, while
Yertl-the Turtle slaved to ensure that Obama was a one term President, he hamstrung the Obama cabinet, filibustering every administration nominee for cabinet level positions and their subordinates. The federal court system was facing a judicial crisis because there weren’t enough federal judges to handle the existing caseloads. Reid had little choice.
McConnell has had no such heartaches. Starting in 2015 he no longer really had to use the filibuster, the GOP owned both houses, and only passed bills that Obama would never sign. Merrick Garland was his last chance, at least until after November for him to thump his not so manly chest.
And with the ascension of Trump to the White House, McConnell has been the ultimate beneficiary of Reid’s earlier action, it has enabled him to nominate, confirm and appoint the worst batch of elitist, position incompetent cabinet members in at least a century. He has nothing to complain about.
Now, the Democrats want to give him, and his President a taste of their own medicine, and Ditch is outraged. It only makes it worse that Trump hasn’t had a victory of consequence since his inauguration, even his travel ban EO was struck down by the court. Trump is desperate for a win, and it’s McConnell’s job to get it for him, he has the necessary tools. So now McConnell wants to nuke the filibuster for SCOTUS appointments to get it for him.
If McConnell isn’t bluffing, and if he can make sure that he doesn’t lose at least tree GOP Senators who may be skittish about getting rid of a rule that they may well need again very badly in 3 years, he gets Trump his win. The next 3 years are of no danger for Ditch, if another SCOTUS vacancy occurs, Trump will select the nominee, and you can bet that McConnell will not pay the slightest bit of attention if it happens in 2020 to the non existent “Biden Rule”.
But here’s the hidden danger, for all of us. Mitch McConnell is an arrogant politician, and he is well versed in the knee to the groin. He is almost as hungry for political power as Trump is. Sooner or later the GOP House is going to start getting its shit together, and start actually passing odious, nationally damaging legislation. And the Democrats are certainly going to use the one remaining arrow in their quiver, they’ll filibuster the legislation. McConnell is drunk with power. He loved the filibuster so much he used it against Obama even when there was no real need to. And he wants to go down in history as the Majority Leader who got the agenda home. Why not just push the button again, and eliminate the filibuster for legislation too?
This is the real risk for the nation as a whole. Elections starting to go against you? Just change voting laws. Civil rights a pain in the ass? Change them, what’s to stop you.? Pesky department regulations cramping your business overlords style? Use the budget to gut their budgets, and your ass kissing cabinet secretaries to rescind them when possible.
This is the real deal, the original democratic slippery slope. If there is no last ditch, legislative stop sign, in what is supposed to be the “deliberative”, more scholarly body, then when either party takes sole control of the legislative and executive branch, then the opportunity for almost dictatorial abuse of power is a possibility. Democracy will effectively cease as a functional form of government. Scared yet?