The AP just reported that Republican Senator Mitch McConnell is threatning to filibuster any attempts by the Democrats to block Bush’s escalation plan. This is ironic, considering what McConnell was saying in his majority days of the filibuster:
Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell said yesterday that Republicans have enough votes to invoke the “nuclear option” to limit Democrats’ ability to stall by filibuster consideration of President Bush’s nominees for federal appeals courts.
“I never announce my whip count. But I’m telling you, there’s no doubt in my mind — and I’m a pretty good counter of votes — that we have the votes we need,” the Kentucky Republican said. “And that step will be taken sometime in the near future at the determination of the majority leader.”
Or this little bit via Newshounds:
Last night, it was Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell on After Hours with Cal Thomas. He said, “It’s to (Democrats’) advantage, too, to get the senate back to the way it operated for 214 years without any great problems with regard to judicial nominees…. It was never filibustered in the history of the senate until two years ago.”
So what if the Democrats come up with their own “nuclear option”. I believe the Iraq war deserves an up or down vote by the U.S. Senate more so than federal judges. We are talking about the lives of our soldiers, as well as the Iraqis.
Perhaps people should remind Senator McConnell of protections in place for the minorities, the very protections he attempted to derail while his party was the majority. Turn about it fair play, and the people spoke when they voted his lame party out of power. Perhaps McConnell really hates democracy and does not want the process to be served.