Way overdue: Changing the rules in the Senate

How many filibusters will it take?

By Jonathan Bernstein, WashPost, Updated: March 19, 2013

It now looks as if we’re going to get not one, but two, new GOP filibusters of executive branch nominees. Multiple Republicans are planning to filibuster against the new Secretary of Labor pick Thomas Perez; Chuck Grassley just joined in this effort today. Meanwhile, it has emerged that Roy Blunt is putting a hold on Gina McCarthy, Obama’s choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency.

Kevin Drum comments:

Let’s take a look at the body count of high-profile Obama nominees so far: Susan Rice, Chuck Hagel, John Brennan, Jack Lew, Caitlin Halligan, Thomas Perez, and now Gina McCarthy. Plus maybe some others that I’ve already forgotten.

And now for the list of high-profile nominees who haven’t been blocked or filibustered: John Kerry.

One of the consequences of this maximum obstruction plan by Mitch McConnell and the Republicans is that is renders even perfectly reasonable actions by Republican Senators highly suspicious. Blunt’s hold on McCarthy is over a local issue in Missouri, something about levees on the Mississippi. But it’s impossible to know whether that’s something that Blunt is perfectly willing to negotiate with the relevant agencies, or if it’s just a cover for GOP opposition to yet another Obama nomination for the sake of opposition itself.

(More here.)