ConfirmThem

By AndrewHyman Comments () / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

The Washington Post's Dana Milbank evidently thinks that the whole fuss about filibusters is a tad humorous. And he would be right.

But it's not all fun and games. Senator Hagel took a principled stand yesterday, officially rejecting the compromise that is still being discussed by "The Gang of Twelve" centrist Senators:

I believe that all of the president's nominees deserve an up or down vote. . . . The agreement that has been proposed calls for three of the president's nominees not to get a vote. I could not agree to that. That is unfair and it's not right.

Bravo. The Senate's refusal to have up-or-down votes on majority-supported nominations is about as principled as would be the House's refusal to pay utility bills for the Ninth Circuit. Ever since the Estrada filibuster in 2003, the Senate has been acting like the second-greatest deliberative body on Capitol Hill.