Has opened Pandora's Box. Byrd's use of it in 2004 meant that no longer was 60 votes needed to appoint Cabinet officers, or conduct other business, and a precedent was made. Going from 60 votes to 51 meant that the Executive could get business done without reaching across the aisle. Last time one party had 60 votes was 38 years ago.
The result is a Potus can get any cabinet member or business rammed through as long as he has 51 votes, no matter how distasteful to the other side. Because Republicans stonewalled Obama's Scotus pick, Democrats are now pretty much voting in block against all Trump's Cabinet picks, which I believe sets another dangerous precedent by them. No longer are Cabinet picks a pretty much forgone vote to get government up and running, they are front line political statements now. There is a big difference between Cabinet votes and Scotus votes, imo. Another line was crossed.
Fast forward to the future with a Democrat President (God forbid) and a Republican majority in the Senate - they could effectively shut down Cabinet executive picks indefinitely. That bad precedent by Democrats is added to a sitting senator testifying against another senator picked for AG, or members of Congress not attending the inauguration. Its going to bite them in the ass eventually.
The result is a Potus can get any cabinet member or business rammed through as long as he has 51 votes, no matter how distasteful to the other side. Because Republicans stonewalled Obama's Scotus pick, Democrats are now pretty much voting in block against all Trump's Cabinet picks, which I believe sets another dangerous precedent by them. No longer are Cabinet picks a pretty much forgone vote to get government up and running, they are front line political statements now. There is a big difference between Cabinet votes and Scotus votes, imo. Another line was crossed.
Fast forward to the future with a Democrat President (God forbid) and a Republican majority in the Senate - they could effectively shut down Cabinet executive picks indefinitely. That bad precedent by Democrats is added to a sitting senator testifying against another senator picked for AG, or members of Congress not attending the inauguration. Its going to bite them in the ass eventually.
