In the long term - is the Republicans going nuclear in the Senate so bad?

[murdoch]

I realize in the short term the Republicans using the nuclear option in the Senate would be a bad thing, but....

In my mind, this is a good thing for them tactically, a bad thing strategically. Which is why they're talking so much about caution and all this other nonsense. They realize if the Democrats sweep into office they can push anyone they want through and that freaks them out. That's why the 22nd amendment was a Republican amendment - they feared a popular Democratic president like FDR would be elected until he died (as it happened).

If they didn't think this could be used against them in the future, they would have gone nuclear a long time ago. It would be bad in the short-term, but I think they realize over the next few decades, it would probably favor the Democrats more.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Yes it is a terrible idea, this is what makes our system work

to a point

think of how politics happens in the House... now think that will be the Senate.

[yorgatron]

2. i think after social security privatization rejections and

the whole Delay/Schiavo/Jeb idiocy they're starting to feel a tad vulnerable.which is a good thing.i hope every republican up for election in 2006 loses,so they can see what it's like to be the underdog. (edit for spelling)

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. we need to retake the house

I worry about fraud

[AndyTiedye]

4. Give Them That Much Power and THERE IS NO LONG TERM

The nuclear option would eliminate the only remaining check on Republican power.
There are NO other checks or balances left.

If we lose the filibuster, the Republicans
can change the rules at will to perpetuate their own power
and pack the courts with judges who will ensure that the
elections they steal stay stolen.
There won't be any Democrats sweeping into office a decade later,
three decades later, or ever.

Our only hope is that the Republicans muster up enough respect
for our system of government not to do it!

[Dr Fate]

5. Your analysis operates under the rules of The Old Republic.

And that is why it is flawed. Who says DEMS will regain power at this rate? Bush will have a new war by the next election-DEMS will cave on every important issue-rallying behind "America's NEWER War"- bank on it.

The GOP/media can do anything they want until we get the guts to call them on EVERYTHING.

We really need to stop falling into the trap that the GOP/media will somehow "fall on their sword"...

Sorry, I just don't see it- they can pretty much do anything they want.

[Citizen Kang]

6. Bad idea...

what makes you think that Democrats would ever do this if they ever got their majority back?

[tritsofme]

7. If Democrats win back the Senate

with a Democratic president, and the Republicans already went nuclear when they were in control, then the new Dem controlled Senate would still only need 51 votes to confirm a justice.

[jmcon007]

8. short term = long term to them right now.

I believe they will go nuclear, because for what they are wanting, a theocracy with no more US Constitution, what anyone thinks about them doing it will be irrelevant and there will be no Democratics in control in the future to worry about having that same power.
These Federal judges Bush is trying to ram through are lifetime appointments and when openings start coming up on the Supreme Court these nuts will be in position to fill them.
I believe the day is coming before '08 when the Monkey will declare a national emergency (he'll make up something) and send his lawyers to the Supreme Court to argue for 'suspension' of the Constitution due to this national emergency.
If it is granted (with a packed court it probably would be), then there would immediately be martial law and the chimp would have the dictatorship he has been dreaming about. No Constitution means no Congress or Justice Department.
By the way, who decides when to lift the "suspension' of the Constitution?
Guess.

I have never been an alarmist type, but if there ever was a case for "hope for the best and expect the worst", this has to be it.

I say if it takes the Democrats shutting down the government to keep the neonuts from going nuclear, then so be it. We have to keep these nuts as far away from the Supreme Court as we can get them.

[radfringe]

9. eventually they will be in the minority

http://radfringe.tripod.com/id1.html <<-- when GOP returns...

I know that is hard to imagine given the death grip GOPers have on the government...

If GOP goes nuke-lar and then (some day) becomes the minority party -- they will whine about minority rights and how the fillibuster supports the minority -- provides a check and balance...

this puts the DEMS in a box -- do they continue with the filibuster-buster and are perceived as being "vengeful" -- or do they take a high road and re-instate the fillibuster for the good of the process?