Bring on the Nuclear Option
Like more and more Americans, I'm getting tired of the obstructionism of the Democrats in the Senate, and find I now welcome a showdown over judicial nominees. The proposal recently sent by Senator Frist would guarantee the President's nominees a fair up or down vote on the Senate floor while allowing all Senators an opportunity to have their say through a guaranteed 100 hours of debate. What are the Democrats afraid of?
Recent arguments in defense of the filibuster are a political mistake. It's like trying to justify gerrymandering or pork barrel compromises. The filibuster only serves career politicians in the Senate.
The job of the Senate is to serve our nation and represent the people. Unless the full Senate gets a vote, the will of the people is being ignored. We elected our Senators and our President. If our Senators are not permitted to vote on our President's judicial nominations, then why did we have an election in the first place?
I'd love to hear arguments, for and against, concerning the merits of each of the nominees. But those arguments should happen on the Senate floor, not just in the press. And then our Senators should be allowed to vote.