RadioBanter - Democrats Threaten to Close Down U.S. Senate

Sen. Reid is PROMISING to paralyze the Senate should the Democratic Party
plan to stymie judicial confirmation be prevented by ending the filibuster
on judicial confirmation votes.

Reid is either bluffing or is incredibly stupid if he believes he can
prevent the Senate from doing it's constitutionally mandated job.

Frist almost certainly has the votes to change the rules to eliminate the
use of filibusters to block judicial confirmations. Frist was careful to
NOT rubberstamp the continuation of standing rules of the previous Senate
sessions, one of which is the filibuster.

The filibuster is a "made-up" senate rule that can be revoked at any time
by
51 votes. In fact, the word "filibuster" is NOT in the Constitution. And
contrary to many liberal fantasies, the Constitution does not require a
supermajority to approve judges. The Constitution only requires a VOTE to
fulfill it's "advise and consent" duty, and unlimited debate to prevent
voting prevents the Senate from fulfilling its constitutionally mandated
duty.

No Senate rule can trump the Constitution and a Senate rule PREVENTING the
Senate from fulfilling its duty is de facto unconstitutional.

Should Reid carry out his threat, it would take only one more procedural
vote (which is Frist's privilege to call for as Senate Majority leader) to
eliminate the filibuster entirely, on all legislation. After that the
Democratic Party is powerless to stop any Senate business because (1) 55
votes is a quorum as well as a majority, (2) the Republicans will be able
to pass ANY legislation they want, including private Social Security
investment accounts and it won't matter WHAT the Democrats do. They can
walk out. They can leave the district. They can go to hell.

Potestas Democraticorum delenda est