Republicans struck a deal to avoid Harry Reid going nuclear on the filibuster of Obama nominees.
So the filibuster remains in place for one of two things to happen:
(1) Democrats retain control of the Senate in 2014, and Republicans continue to confirm Obama nominees and legislative agenda out of fear of losing the filibuster; or
(2) Republicans win control of the Senate in 2014, and have trouble getting anything done because they preserved the filibuster for use by Democrats, and therefore would have a hard time going nuclear on nominees or other items.
Lose-Lose.
Drew at AceOfSpadesHQ gets it right:
Personally, I don’t care if Reid pulls the trigger. In fact I kind of hope he does. The filibuster is not ordained by God nor is required by the Constitution. The republic shall endure without it.And let’s face it, the Republicans aren’t going to have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate anytime soon. If you want to dismantle major programs, it’s going to be a lot easier to get 50 or 51 votes than 60 ever will be. Sure it will be easier for Democrats to make mischief and put them back in or worse. But honestly, a federal government that alternates between growth and repeal of programs is a lot better than one that grows and…grows.
Ted Cruz got it right, too:
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