After weeks of indecision, U.S. Sen. Angus King declared Tuesday he would oppose the nomination of Neil Gorsuch for a Supreme Court seat. King also said he will not go along with Republicans who want to close debate on the confirmation and proceed to a vote on President Donald Trump’s choice to fill a longstanding court […]
filibuster
Posted inMaine
Rep. Bruce Poliquin leads the charge against Senate filibusters
In a surprising move for one of the more mainstream House Republicans, U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin took the lead this week in an assault on Senate filibuster rules during a private GOP conclave in Philadelphia. He cited growing impatience “to get things done” among House members and the electorate as a reason for dumping the […]
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Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Collins, King split on vote to restrict Senate filibusters
WASHINGTON — Maine’s U.S. Senators split on a Democratic effort to weaken filibusters and make it harder for Republicans to block confirmation of the president’s nominees for judges and other top posts. Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins voted against the restriction while the independent U.S. Sen. Angus King voted for it. It passed 52-48 — […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Congress: Divided, discourteous — taking a break
WASHINGTON (AP) — The accomplishments are few, the chaos plentiful in the 113th Congress, a discourteous model of divided government now beginning a five-week break. “Have senators sit down and shut up, OK?” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid blurted out on Thursday as lawmakers milled about noisily at a time Sen. Susan Collins was trying […]
Posted inLetters
R. Melendy: Reform filibuster process
I have heard and read political commentary concerning filibustering and/or the “nuclear option” in the U.S. Senate. The issue involves, primarily, the responsibility of the president to appoint individuals to staffing positions in the senior levels of government. That includes ambassadorial and judicial nominations. The “nuclear option” involves a ruling from the chairman of the […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Who will miss the filibuster?
In a gridlocked Congress, there’s finally reason for a small celebration. Senate Republicans ended their obstruction of President Obama’s nominations to key federal posts when faced with the “nuclear option” of abolishing filibusters. Credit Harry Reid, the rarely decisive majority leader, with forcing Republicans’ hands. They had blocked nominees to the Department of Labor and […]
Posted inOur View
Senate runs in circle over filibuster rule
If the U.S. Senate can’t do anything productive it might as well produce the appearance of activity by running in circles. Tuesday, after several days of predictions worthy of the biblical Book of Revelations, Republicans and Democrats agreed on a compromise that will allow seven federal appointments to move forward after months of delay. Frustrated […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
U.S. Senate reaches a compromise on Obama nominations
WASHINGTON — The Senate stepped away from the brink of a meltdown on Tuesday, clearing the way for confirmation of one of President Barack Obama’s nominees long blocked by Republicans, nearing a deal to fill several other vacancies and finessing a Democratic threat to overturn historic rules that protect minority-party rights. “Nobody wants to come […]