WASHINGTON (AP/WMOT) — Democrats are already enjoying the first fruits of yesterday’s milestone Senate vote making it harder for the Republican minority to block President Barack Obama's nominations.
They swiftly ended a GOP filibuster against one of his top judicial choices and prepared to do the same for two others.
But Republicans, including Tennessee’s Senator Lamar Alexander, are warning that over the longer term, they might regret changing the rules. Alexander used this weekend’s UT - Vanderbilt game to make his point.
“Let’s say Vanderbilt gets on the one yard line of Tennessee, and Tennessee then says ‘Well, we’re the home team. Let’s add 20 yards or whatever it takes to win the game.' Everyone would I think say Madam President that that’s cheating.”
Democrats overcame unanimous GOP opposition yesterday and won Senate approval for halting filibusters, or delays, of most nominations with a simple majority vote.
A 60-vote threshold has been required since 1975.