Same old same-old from DC Repubs: Filibuster hold for Hagel as Secretary of Defense!

by: Zappatero

Wed Feb 13, 2013 at 15:33:50 PM MST

This is the same old Republican Party outsmarting the Democratic Party on a key issue - the filibuster.

This is the same old "strong-on-defense, up-or-down-vote Republicans cry about, but only when the issue suits them:

1. Republicans have spent weeks trashing Chuck Hagel as stupid, arrogant, non-responsive, unprepared, and inarticulate. And you know what? They're right! The last round of hearings were painful to watch. But really, how could Hagel not be all those things? He is a conservative Republican. Those are inherent traits in that breed. It's not as if Hagel is leading the way refusing to reveal more detailed personal finances.

So yes, I'm having fun Republicans trash a Republican. In fact, I don't think Republican on Republican violence will ever get old with me.

2. We get to say "I told you so" to Harry Reid and whatever Democrats were left who refused to sign on to genuine filibuster reform. Republicans can make all the promises in the world that they'll behave, but they won't. Not only are they assholes, but they're increasingly beholden to the Rand Paul/Ted Cruz crazy wing of their party who don't care about deals to behave nicer.

The only way to prevent such abuse of the system is to reform the system, require up-or-down votes on all nominations, including judicial. Because if a Democratic president can't get a conservative Republican nominated for the GOP's favorite Department, how do you expect Obama and Senate Democrats to confirm a Supreme Court justice to replace a theoretical Antonin Scalia retirement? (Sign the petition urging Reid to re-open filibuster reform.)

3. It's a win-win no matter what happens. If Hagel gets confirmed (which is still most likely), we have our Nixon-in-China opportunity to enact serious Pentagon reform. Who better to slash the defense budget than a conservative Republican? I actually have high hopes for a Hagel Pentagon. And if he doesn't get confirmed, we might get a legitimate Democrat replacement nomination, perhaps even Michele Flournoy, who would be the first woman to ever hold the position.

Democrats get outsmarted by Republicans and are the political chumps as the same playbook is used over and over and over by their political betters.

Thanks Harry Reid. Thanks Senate Dems. Thanks Democratic Consultants. You all suck!