Political Quotes

“the Rules Committee will mark up Senator Lankford's resolution tomorrow to change the rules on the consideration of nominees to benefit the Senate majority. Of course, the majority in the Senate can already approve of a nomination on a party-line vote for all nominees up to and including now the Supreme Court since Leader McConnell elected to change those rules last year. Why the need for further erosions to minority rights in the Senate? The Republicans argue it is because they are facing ``historic'' obstruction of the President's nominees. A few points on that: First and foremost, the truth is the Democrats have cooperated with the majority on noncontroversial nominees, like career ambassadorships and civil servants, for a long time now. Before each recess, there is a long list of names that is approved. Before the last recess, the Senate had confirmed nearly as many nominations in 2018 as President Obama had confirmed in the analogous year of 2010. Let me repeat that. Before the last recess, the Senate had confirmed almost the exact same number of nominees in 2018 as President Obama had confirmed in 2010, the second year of his Presidency. So this idea that it is historic--bunk. You can tell it is bunk because at the same time our Republicans and even the President himself, on some days, complain about obstruction, on other days, the President and the Vice President are boasting about how many judges they have filled on the bench.…”