Gorsuch to be confirmed today following use of nuclear option

The Democrats promise to filibuster and the Republicans say they will nuke it.

The Senate is on the verge of a major rules change sparked by Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to be a U.S. Supreme Court justice, as Republicans and Democrats barrel toward a partisan showdown on the Senate floor over the future of the filibuster.

The first procedural vote on Judge Gorsuch, President Donald Trump’s nominee to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court, is expected Thursday morning—a vote where the GOP is expected to fall short. As a result, Senate Republicans are expected to use a procedural motion that would eliminate the filibuster for this and future Supreme Court nominations—expanding on changes that Democrats initiated in 2013.

“Judge Gorsuch will be confirmed to the Supreme Court this week. It is unfortunate that we may have [to] break longstanding precedent to do so, but Senate Democrats’ actions are to blame for that,” said Sen. John Boozman, an Arkansas Republican.

My preference would be that they return the filibuster to what it was: Non stop talking on the floor of the Senate. The problem with the filibuster today is that it is effortless. It is all gain and no pain. Bring back the cost and see if it can be maintained.

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