Sean Davis: You Don't Need the Nuclear Option to Confirm Neil Gorsuch. You Just Need to Strictly Enforce the Rules on Debate as Written.

The rules as written require that people actually, you know, debate to keep debate open.

However, current custom -- just habit, which has no force of precedent -- is to allow Senators to not bother with an actual talking debate at all, and just refuse to vote against cloture -- keeping "debate" open without bothering to actually have any debate or speeches.

Sean Davis recommends simply enforcing the rule as written -- and making the Democrats debate during the period they want to keep "debate" open -- until they get tired and bored and then call the vote for Gorsuch.

The rule actually says that Senators are only allowed to speak twice during the same legislative day. And a legislative day can be extended for as long as the Senate deems fit. So, extend the day to accommodate each Senator's two speeches, and call the vote.

posted by Ace at 02:41 PM

| Access Comments