Fourteen Senators have now tried to do a power grab. It is certainly hard to try and explain or understand. After all, fourteen is not a majority, and although it is hard to tell, they can not be in the good graces of their leadership. It would seem more certain that they are not in the good graces of the base of their own parties.
Some of these ladies and gentlemen appear to have other ambitions. I am sure they know their own strategies, but I do wonder where they are going to go for support. Will they turn to the 35% on the left that so adamantly believe that these judge candidates had to be defeated? Maybe they will find their support from that other 35% on the right who wanted to see all these nominees get an up or down vote.
Of course there is the simple question that goes unanswered. What happens when these first three nominees are confirmed and the filibustering begins again. Will these fourteen pick the next two or three nominees to be voted on? Maybe we go back to changing the rules and start this whole process over again. It is always amazing how politicians can delude themselves into believing that postponing a problem is a solution.
The whole strategy of filibustering judicial nominees was pure foolishness. Maybe we have seen the last of it. At this point, we can only wonder how many careers have been ended. Yet when it comes to how voters will interpret and react to this latest soap opera is anybodies guess. I certainly have misjudged voter reactions in the past. But this time around I am fairly certain that I will have some very distinguished company.
Am I upset or disgusted by these latest events? Not really. Nothing has been won or lost. This battle has simply been moved to a different day and time. In my heart, I can't help but wonder if this fight might not be better fought over a supreme court nominee when the public is actually paying attention.