GOP Seeks to Deny Obama "Up or Down Vote"

Photo from source, Think Progress

If we heard it once, we heard it 8,000 times, in one variation or another: Up or Down Vote! Up and Down Vote! Up/Down Vote! When it came to George W. Bush's judicial nominees, Democrats were lambasted for daring to raise an objection. Tom DeLay--who was not even in the Senate--was among the voices supporting the "Nuclear Option." This was a plan to remove the filibuster option, and would have left Democrats with zero power in the Senate.

Democrats had to make nice, and reach a compromise on Bush's wacky choices in order to keep the Republicans from following through on their threat. But now, of course, the shoe is on the other foot. Republicans are in the minority, and their only power--besides whining and stomping their feet, and appealing to Lord God Limbaugh--is the filibuster. And they aim to use it. Where's your Up/Down now?

[Excerpt]

After Trying To Abolish Filibusters Of Judicial Nominees In ‘05, GOP Threatens To Filibuster Obama’s Nominees

In 2004, frustrated by successful efforts by Senate Democrats to block 10 of President Bush’s judicial nominees, Senate Republicans threatened use the “nuclear option” to remove the minority’s right to filibuster judicial nominations. “One way or another, the filibuster of judicial nominees must end,” said then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) in a speech to the Federalist Society. . .

Read more at: Think Progress