What is the nuclear option in the Senate?

[illbill]

I keep hearing this... what does it mean?

[orpupilofnature57]

1. A way to sop filibusters

[Kipling]

2. Using Dick Cheney to exploit a loophole and change the Senate rules

To stop the Dem filibuster.

[illbill]

3. Hmmm so what would be a scholarly definition of the nuclear option?

Just to have it written down.

[orpupilofnature57]

4. I asked Jeeves

[POAS]

7. Give it a shot...........

Under normal Senate operations the operating rules (ie number of votes to end a filibuster) may only be changed at the start of a new Senate (after elections). Under current rules a filibuster may be made on any matter before the Senate and can only be stopped by a vote of 60 Senators.

Under the "Nukular" option, a member of the Senate (persumably Frist) would issue an objection at the invoction of cloture to the 60 vote requirement. The presiding President (Cheney) would rule in favor of the objection and then a vote would ensue which would only need a 51 vote majority to bring cloture and for all intents and purposes kill filibustering on judicial nominations.

The reason the Dem's keep saying that this is changing the rules in the middle of the game is because of the requirement that rules may only be changed at the start of a new Congressional session and only via a "super-majority vote". Here the Rep's intend to change the rules while a session is underway and with only a simple majority vote.

Ok, DU, correct all my errors.

[illbill]

8. Awesome

Just what I needed.

thx!

[whistle]

5. It was a phrase that Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) used when he was....

...being a smart ass during a casual press interview. Their is nothing scholarly about the phrase or the logic behind it. It is another GOP maneuver to grab total power.

[orpupilofnature57]

6. KICK!! Maneuver, Meander, Manipulate!! Shrubs Legacy *.*